Thanksgiving Weekend Highlights

The extra-long weekend of festivities begins on Wednesday, November 25, with Grammy Award-winning DJ/Remixer Frankie Knuckles presenting his annual Thanksgiving Eve party, The Power and The Music, at Green Dolphin Street… Not to be outdone on the house music front, the Metro/Smart Bar complex has a very strong line-up: upstairs in Metro there’s Kaskade, Santiago & Bushido, and a live performance by Greenkeepers while down in Smart Bar Derrick Carter and Miss Honey Dijon are set to electrify the dance floor… For house music in Boystown on this Thanksgiving Eve, Cocktail has local favorite DJ Michael Serafini… Expect a crazy good time at Spin with it “WTF” $1 drink party as well as at Sidetrack and down the street at Circuit Night Club, which is presenting a Masquerade Party featuring a special stage performance by Eddie Couture… If you find yourself downtown, maybe check out Miami DJ Cedric Gervais @ Spy Bar. If you’re out in the suburbs, there’s only one place to be: Hunter’s in Elk Grove Village.

The rest of the weekend features a full night of Cosmix @ Berlin, starting with a performance by the Sarcastic Squad called The Pre-After Party Comedy Show at 10pm. The rest of the night has DJ Greg Haus spinning his special blend of music that has proven so popular… Over at Hydrate Snow White & The Drag Queen: Who Stole X-mas, written and directed by Tony Lewis, continues its run on Friday and Saturday nights (thru December 12) at 9pm… Also on this night, Spin presents its Couples Shower Contest with sign-up @ 11:30pm and the contest beginning @ Midnight. All tandems are welcome: boy-boy, boy-girl, or girl-girl… For late night dancing this weekend, Hydrate has DJ Laura B on Friday, November 27 and DJR along with DJ Phil DeBeatz on for the Blackout Party on Saturday, November 28.

December Beginnings

Smart Bar presents Only 4DJs on Wednesday, December 2 featuring DJs Gene Farris, Lego, Frique, Diz and special guest Fortune… The AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s World of Chocolate is set for Thursday, December 3. The annual event takes place this year at the Chicago Hilton (720 S. Michigan Ave.), includes a light buffet, an open bar, and music by DJ/Producer Mark Picchiotti… Dance music sensation Erika Jayne hits town to perform her three #1 Billboard singles @ Circuit on Thursday, December 3 and Friday, December 4… The first Friday of the month, December 4, means it’s time once again for Lube Wrestling at Hydrate w/ DJ Phil DaBeatz. The next night, December 5, tribal master DJ Paulo takes control of the Hydrate booth 

4/4 With Love

The home for house music in Boystown is Cocktail, featuring DJ Timmy Loop, Go-Go Boys and drink specials every Tuesday. There are Go-Go Boys four other nights a week and the DJ line-up includes Michael Serafini (Thursdays), Freddie Bain (Fridays), Diva DJs (Saturdays) and the troika of Chris Eterno, Dealer, and Pete Augusta (Sundays).

Outside of Lakeview, DJ Plez serves up house music as part of his global mix during Attic-tion Saturdays @ Mary’s Attic while DJ Dana Powell delivers on Fridays @ Jeffrey’s Pub… Every Monday the Boom Boom Room @ Green Dolphin Street continues its success w/ resident DJs Michael Serafini, Diz, JustJoey & Uncle Milty… Another home for house is Crimson Lounge downtown (333 N. Dearborn) that now has Same Sax Sundays and that will be presenting Shawn Christopher (“Another Sleepless Night” and “Don’t Lose The Magic”) on December 6 while resident DJ Ricky Bradshaw mans the booth.

Specialties

Every Friday night the Rails Marketing Group presents hip-hop along with R&B and house @ Krush and will have their annual Homecoming Party on November 27…The new weekly Urbano party @ Circuit w/ DJs Kenae, Corona, and Anton is bringing lots of flavor to Halsted Street every Saturday night… Club Escape takes care of south siders on a nightly basis while Mz. Ruffy’s Cheap Drink Night gets everyone’s week off to a good start with $2 well drinks @ Republic (1520 N. Fremont) on Mondays.

As for Chicago lesbians, they congregate on a weekly basis for the Circuit Girl dance party on Fridays @ Circuit. You’ll also find them gathering @ Closet when hanging in Boystown and at several places in Andersonville, including T’s, Star Gaze, Joi De Vine and Mary’s Attic

The weekly Latino nights @ Circuit include Noche Latina, w/ hostess Veronica Zaid and DJs Ink & Alex Perez on Sundays, and La Noche Loca on Thursdays, featuring Miss Ketty’s Latina Review… Other weekly Latino hangouts include Sundays @ Jackhammer as well as Mondays @ Lucky Horseshoe.

Boystown Central

At Roscoe’s, Frida Lay hosts Drag Race 2009 and the Wheel of Pussy on Tuesdays (Guest star Johnnycat on December 1) while Miss Foozie takes charge of Male Call on Sundays…The video bar Sidetrack packs them in nightly with a popular line-up that includes Showtunes on Mondays, U-Video Request night on Tuesdays, and Comedy on Thursdays. Other Boystown options include Halsted’s Bar & Grill (Team Trivia on Mondays), North End (TPAN’s poz-friendly Pulse on Thursdays), Bobby Loves (karaoke on Fridays), Charlie’s (country line dancing lessons w/ Steana on Fridays), and Cell Block (leather/fetish/bears/jeans)… The Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club has half-price cocktails and martinis on Wednesdays and 80s Night with the Kit Kat Divas on Thursdays… Buck’s and Little Jim’s are always friendly while live entertainment shines nightly at both 3160 and Cornelia’s and during Cabaret Tuesdays @ Hydrate on Tuesdays w/ Honey West at 9pm.

Dance, Dance, Dance

When it comes to dancing early in the night, Spin has DJ Chris Eterno & VJ Riley York on Wednesdays for WTF $1 Drink Night and a fun monthly rotation of parties on Friday and Saturday nights. On Saturday, December 5, Nina Flowers of Rupaul’s Drag Race fame will be on hand to perform at Midnight and 1am… Down @ Minibar, Friday nights feature DJ Shawn Edwards lording over the beautiful new bi-level party space while Roscoe’s boom bass dance floor gets worked by DJs Kevy, Ron G, and DigiDave. … In Uptown the Wild Pug features DJ Pervey every Saturday.

For after-hours dancing, the always popular Berlin has Twisted Saturdays w/ DJs Larissa and Chester while Hydrate presents a weekly line-up that includes a Sunday Dance Party w/ DJ Greg Drescher, DJ Laura B on Mondays; DJR spinning on Tuesdays; and DJ Phil DaBeatz on Thursdays… Also in Boystown is Charlie’s which rocks a hi-energy after-hours every night of the week w/ DJ LuLu and others… Jackhammer is the far north side’s late night dance option Wednesdays – Sundays… The Ultimate After Hours @ The Ram (3am-7am) has DJs Ron G (Saturdays), Plez (Fridays), David C. (Thursdays) and regular guests appearances by Chris Eterno and Freddie Bain… There’s not a lot of dancing @ Closet, but it’s a fun, under-rated late night hangout for the drinking set.

With Towels and Without

Steamworks, the full-service all-male club, has a Lights Out party every Thursday and After-hours on Fridays and Saturdays with DJ Greg Ellsworth (until 4am and 5am, respectively). The weekly Sunday Spin Cycle takes place 3pm-2am with DJs Chris Eterno and Peter Canellis handling the early shift until 8pm and DJ Jim B serving beats until 2am. On Friday, November 27 the Get Stuffed party features Canellis (2pm-8pm) and Ellsworth (10pm-4am) while on Saturday, November 28 the Bears The Baths and Beyond play party features DJ Dexter 1pm-6pm… Up @ Man’s Country, nothing is left to the imagination every Friday and Saturday @ Midnight with a dancer line-up that features on Friday, November 27 Cezar, Giorgio and Cody Domino while on Saturday, November 28 the dancers include Stefan, AJ and Luis.

Lucky Horseshoe in Boystown has strippers nightly while @mosphere has them strutting all weekend long: Hot Mess Thursdays/Club Manhunt w/ DJ Chris Eterno followed by DJs Eric Hall and Timmy Loop on Fridays and Saturdays, respectively… Jackhammer has the Chicago Beef dancers on Fridays and Saturdays… Out in the suburbs: the Men of Sarabia appear @ Club Krave on Fridays; Chicago Beef visits Hideaway on Thursdays and Saturdays; and Hunters Hunks liven up Hunters on Thursdays w/ DJ Laura B on the decks.

Anti-Boystown

Up in Andersonville you’ll find the popular neighborhood outpost SoFo, the martini bar Marty’s and The Call (w/DJ Oskar on Fridays)… Mary’s Attic features Rogue DJ for Feel Good Fridays and karaoke on Sundays and Wednesdays… The fetish community finds a home @ Touché with Hardcore Cruisin’ Night on Tuesdays and a Beer Bust every Sunday. Upcoming special nights include Chicago Rodeo Riders on Friday, November 27 and M.S.F.I.A. Club Night on Friday, December 4… Further north in Rogers Park is the very friendly The Glenwood.

The Uptown/Edgewater neighborhood is home to Granville Anvil (with Loyola students added to the mix); Big Chicks (with its popular Free Sunday Buffet and super fun $1 Burger Mondays) and the sports bar Crew (the monthly Frat Boy Fridays on November 27)… Scot’s is a friendly watering hole in Ravenswood while Manhandler sits in the heart of Lincoln Park … Downtown, Second Story Bar is the only gay bar left in the area while Davenport’s piano bar entertains over in Wicker Park.

Suburban Pursuits

Outside the Windy City limits, Hunters Nightclub features DJ Ron G on Friday nights and DJ Lawrence K on Saturdays while Club Krave presents its Cub and Bear Party on Friday, November 27 with porn star and dancer Ray Daniels… Velvet Rope in Oak Park (728 Lake St | 708.358.8840 | www.velvetropeoakpark.com) has karaoke on Fridays and house music and dancing on Saturdays… In Lake Station, Indiana, Encompass hosts karaoke on Tuesdays and Fridays and the Rush St. Revue Show on Sundays.