This Just In
In addition to what you'll read about in this is issue of BOI in the NYE Planner, you should know that Kit Kat is offering a Five Course NYE Menu, complimentary VOX martini or champagne cocktail, and live entertainment by Kit Kat Divas at two seatings: 7pm @ $75 per person or 10pm @ $85 per person. Music 101 is presenting a "Brazilian NYE Bash" w/ Planeta Azul, Passistas Samba Dancers & SoulPhonetics DJs @ Cat's Meow (2700 W. Chicago Ave.). $20 admission includes an all-you can eat buffet. Man's Country has a special NYE stripper show w/ Giorgio, Manuel and London baring it all to ring in the new year. At Scot's in Ravenswood, there's NO COVER for their "NYE Celebration" and you get hors d'oeuvres and dessert followed at midnight with Champagne and a balloon drop. The next morning they host a "New Year's Day PJ Party & Breakfast Buffet" starting @ 11am.

In the Batter's Box
Ok, now let's back up to this coming weekend which sees the "Amigo Party" return to Circuit Night Club with music by DJ Ink & Super Alex on Saturday, December 20. That same night Jackhammer patrons kinda show us what they got at the "Underwear Party" while out in Sawyer, Michigan there's another "Swank" dance party @ Fitzgerald's.

This weekend also features international house music legends seemingly everywhere! First up, Mark Farina is @ Zentra on Thursday, December 18. The next night on Friday, December 19, Derrick Carter & Lego are in Zentra's booth for "Jack Fridays" while around the corner Armand Van Helden makes a rare Chicago appearance @ Crobar. Finally, on Sunday, December 21, Ralphi Rosario is back @ Smart Bar for a 6-hour set.

On Deck
Christmas weekend gets off to a fantastic start of partying with Lil Louis coming to Crobar on December 25 for his "The Love Tour." On Friday, December 26, the always fun "Shower Contest" takes place @ Spin. Then on Saturday, December 27, DJ Billy Steele returns to Chicago for the last "Nitro Party" of the year @ Circuit. Miss Foozie hosts the proceedings and of course Sal-E will be about. That same night DJ Scotty Thomson makes his monthly resident appearance @ Hydrate while Starkillers will be at Crobar. House-heads get their fill @ Smart Bar w/ DJ Colette and Lady D. The weekend ends with "Prince Night" @ Berlin on Sunday, December 28.

You Should Be Dancing
Speaking of Berlin , it's still quite popular with an eclectic late-night line-up that includes "Cosmix Fridays" w/ DJ Greg Haus and "Twisted" w/ DJs Chester & Larissa and "Stardust Thursdays," which features a performance by Jackie Beat on December 18. Hi-energy beats can be had during after-hours with the likes of DJs LuLu and Mixmaster F @ Charlie's on weeknights and the weekend; DJs Jeanette, Laura B, and Greg Drescher @ Hydrate on Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays, respectively; and DJ Oskar @ Jackhammer on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The newcomer on the dance scene, Wild Pug, features DJ Steve Henderson on Friday nights and for thir Sunday "Tea Dance."

The Epicenter
While Roscoe's Tavern awaits the re-opening of its dance floor some time in the new year, there's still "You're The Star Karaoke" w/ Honey West @ 9:30pm on Mondays, and "Male Call" w/ Miss Foozie on Sundays and the "Wet Boxer Contest" on Thursday, December 18. Down the street @ Scarlet Bar, the line-up includes "First Ward Ball" on Sundays with DJ Luis M, "Speakeasy Wednesdays" on w/ DJ Greg Haus, and "Frathouse Thursdays" w/ DJs Andrew & Scott Brandon. Spin adds DJ Ron G on Thursdays to its roster as he now guides the Thursday night musical fun. Of course, there's still the "$1 Drink WTF Wednesdays" w/ DJ Chris Eterno and all the chicken you can seduce and then eat.

At Sidetrack it's all about the small screens at this very popular video bar. "Showtunes" are featured on Mondays, while "Comedy" is the theme on Thursdays, and "Energy Videos" on Fridays and Saturdays. Their neighbor Minibar is popular with the cute and trendy crowd who groove to a weekly line-up of events that include "Power Hour Wednesdays" (DJ Jon Roberts), "Mystique Thursdays" (DJ Phil Da Beatz) and the ultra-fun "Theme Party Sundays" (DJ Chris Eterno).

Boystown Faves
On the northern end of Boystown, there's the sports bar North End, its next door neighbor Bobby Loves, a neighborhood drinkers' paradise with Karaoke on Fridays, and Kit Kat Lounge and its Kit Kat Diva performances. Further south on Halsted, men's bars Little Jim's and Bucks Saloon continue to be popular nightlife institutions while Cornelia's features cabaret performances and L.B.C. fills up with a pansexual mix of hip and cool 20-somethings. 3160 features "Pop Goes The Gio" on Thursdays.

Niche Partying
Dancing with a Latin flair is on tap every Thursday with "La Noche Loca" @ Circuit, featuring Miss Ketty's Latina Review and DJs Fast Freddy (December 18) and Rock-o-Mix (December 25). Sunday's at this Boystown danceteria is "Noche Latina" with Veronica Zaid and DJs Fast Freddy and Alex Perez. Other Latin hangouts includes Sundays @ Jackhammer, Tuesdays @ Hydrate, and on the weekend @ Club Chesterfield.

As for hip-hop, the big event on the calendar is the year-ending edition of "Urbano" @ Circuit on Friday, December 26 w/ DJs Kenae, Corona, & Anton. Weekly haps? Check out the Prop House on Fridays, Circuit on Mondays, and the new weekly home of DJ Stoney and "Ear-Rotic" @ Mix Niteclub (2843 N. Halsted) on Sundays w/ hip-hop in one room and house in another.

"Where The Ladies At?"
On a nightly and weekly basis the fairer sex congregates at Closet in Boystown (before the boys join in for after-hours fun) and at several places in Andersonville, including T's, Star Gaze, and Joi De Vine. Thursday nights @ Mary's Attic has the "Lipstick Club" w/ DJs Dragonfire & KT. Circuit hosts two upcoming events: "Club Narnia" "w/ DJs Just Beth and Dragonfire on Friday, December 19 and "Girl Bar," featuring nationally-known DJs, on Saturday, January 3.

Towels & Thongs
Steamworks, Boystown's full-service bath house, features a "Lights Out" party every Thursday, an after-hours setting w/ DJ Dick on Friday and Saturday nights, and "Sunday Spin Cycle" w/ DJs Jim B. On Saturday, December 27 they present the "Bears, Bath & Beyond" play party @ 1pm. The stripper shows @ Man's Country, Andersonville's bath house outpost, features the all-nude dancers every Friday and Saturday night. The line-up includes Ricky Sinz, Angel & London on Friday, December 19 and Luciano, Stefan and Jaden on Saturday, December 27. Also in the full monty for the "Ring My Bell Extravaganza" @ The Bijou will be Ricky Sinz at 10pm on Saturday, December 20.

Not quite nude, the Lucky Horseshoe dancers prance and gyrate on the bar seven nights a week down in Boystown. @mosphere hosts strippers on "Hot Mess Thursdays" w/ DJ Chris Eterno, and on Fridays and Saturdays with DJs Eric Hall and Timmy Loop, respectively. Down in Boystown, Cocktail has the Spank Go-Go Boys grooving five nights a week to the house music beats of DJs Michael Serafini (Tuesdays), Carla Starla (Wednesdays), Timmy Loop (Thursdays), Freddie Bain (Fridays), Diva DJs (Saturdays) and Pete Augusta (Sundays).

Out in the suburbs, the Men of Sarabia appear regularly @ Club Krave in Blue Island on Fridays while Hideaway in Forest Park hosts the Chicago Beef dancers every Thursday and Saturday. Upping the suburban stripper ante, on Christmas night Hunters will present Blue Eyes, Seth, Don Juan and Rico.

Beyond Halsted
Up in Andersonville, you'll find the Chicago Eagle leather bar as well as neighborhood outpost SoFo south of Foster Avenue, while north of this divider street sits the martini bar Marty's and the always fun Mary's Attic w/ Rogue DJ for "Feel Good Fridays," DJ Plez for "Attic-tion Saturdays," and Karaoke on Sundays and Wednesdays. Further north, the fetish community finds a home at Touché with "Hardcore Leather Cruisin' Night" on Tuesdays, and "Handballer Night" on Thursdays.

The Uptown/Edgewater neighborhood is home to three bars with devoted clientele: Granville Anvil; Big Chicks (and its popular comped Buffet on Sundays) and the sport bar Crew with its "Karaoke Night" on Tuesdays. Scot's is a friendly gathering spot in the Ravenswood neighborhood while Manhandler sits as a gay oasis in the heart of Lincoln Park. Downtown, Second Story Bar is the only bar still standing that caters to office workers and shoppers alike.

Over on the West Side of town, while the sedate hang at the Davenport's piano bar, the party people congregate every Monday at "Boom Boom Room" @ Green Dolphin Street w/ residents DJs Michael Serafini, Diz, JustJoey & Uncle Milty. Chuck Love is the guest DJ on December 22 while Lego and Gene Farris heat things up on December 29.

Finally, outside the Windy City limits, Hunters Nightclub in Elk Grove Village features DJ Ron G on Wednesdays for the "MWM" party and DJ Laura B on Saturday night for "Just Dance." In Lake Station, Indiana, Encompass hosts "Karaoke" on Tuesdays and Fridays and on
the "Rush St. Revue Show" on Sundays.