Other entertainment in Great Lakes
-
A
Guthrie Theater
Minneapolis' top-gun theater troupe, with the jumbo facility to prove it.
reviewed
-
UIC Pavilion
The bang-’em-up sport of roller derby was born in Chicago in 1935, and it’s made a comeback in recent years thanks to the battlin’ beauties of the Windy City Rollers (www.windycityrollers.com) league. Players boast names like Sassy Squatch and Juanna Rumbel, and there is a fair amount of campy theater surrounding the bouts. But the action and the hits are real, and the players are dedicated to the derby cause. Matches take place once a month at the UIC Pavilion from late January to mid June; tickets cost $20.
reviewed
-
Plump's Last Shot
Bobby Plump inspired the iconic movie Hoosiers. He's the kid who swished in the last-second shot, so his tiny school beat the 'big city' school in the 1950s state basketball championship. There's sports memorabilia everywhere, and sometimes Bobby himself is on site. It's located in a big house in Broad Ripple overlooking the Monon Trail - great for people-watching and sipping a cold one on the dog-friendly patio.
reviewed
-
B
Debonair Social Club
It’s mostly a younger, hipster crowd dancing their asses off at Debonair. The main action takes place on the upstairs floor. That’s where Monday’s youth-friendly Rehab party draws big crowds for the can’t-sit-still oldies mash-ups, hard rock and new electro. The downstairs floor is less hot and packed, though still grooving with rock or whatnot. Reggae and burlesque shows entertain on other nights.
reviewed
-
C
Late Bar
Late Bar is off the beaten path on a forlorn stretch of Belmont Ave surrounded by auto repair shops and Polish bars, though it’s easily reachable via the Blue Line train. A couple of DJs opened the club in 2010, and its weird, new-wave vibe draws fans of all stripes: mods, hooligans, rockers, punks, goths, scooterists and more. Saturday’s Planet Earth alt/postpunk dance nights are popular.
reviewed
-
Annoyance Theatre
The Annoyance masterminds nutty and absurd shows, such as Co-Ed Prison Sluts, a naughty, late-night gem that has been running for nearly 15 years, and Scientology: The Musical. Both the shows and the theater itself (complete with chic front bar area) are of surprisingly high quality. Susan Messing’s $5 Thursday night session always provides good yucks.
reviewed
-
D
Beauty Bar
The owners of the Empty Bottle had a hand in this venue. The interior is an imported and restored late-1960s beauty salon from New Jersey. ‘Martinis and manicures’ are the shtick, and you can get the latter anytime for $10. Genre-spanning DJs spin nightly. If the Beauty Bar sounds familiar, it’s because it’s part of a chain with outposts in several US cities.
reviewed
-
E
Harold Washington Library Center Readings
Several writers each month come to the country’s largest library, the Harold Washington Library Center, and give talks about their current projects. Recent guests have included Salman Rushdie and No Reservations author Anthony Bourdain. The library’s author calendar can be seen on its website, or drop by the library for a flyer.
reviewed
-
F
Whistler
Hometown indie bands and DJs rock this arty bar most nights. There’s never a cover charge, but you’d be a weenie if you didn’t order at least one of the swanky cocktails to keep the scene going. Whistler hosts the very fun ‘movieoke’ the first Monday of the month (like karaoke, only you act along with the movie scenes playing on the screen behind you).
reviewed
-
G
Funky Buddha Lounge
The Buddha shakes with hip-hop and house music (plus chunks of funk, neosoul and old-school rap). It’s usually a mixed crowd dancing in the room, which is unobnoxiously decorated with antique lighting, mural-covered walls and big ol’ Buddhas. Next door the sister venue, Butterfly Social Club, serves organic cocktails while DJs spin.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
H
American Theater Company
ATC has been around for more than a quarter century, putting on both new and established works by American playwrights. To give a sampling: the 2010 season included Speed the Plow by David Mamet, a new R-rated version of the musical Grease and a world premiere by Dan LeFranc titled The Big Meal.
reviewed
-
I
Lincoln Hall
Owned by the same folks as Schubas, clean-cut Lincoln Hall is larger but with the same acoustically perfect sound. Hyped national indie bands are the main players, but when they’re not on, DJs and free movie nights take over. The front room has a kitchen that offers small plates, sandwiches and coffee from noon onward.
reviewed
-
J
Reggies Rock Club
Bring on the punk and the all-ages shows. Graffitied Reggies books mostly touring hardcore bands at the Rock Club. Next door, Reggies Music Joint is for folks 21 and older, and hosts more mainstream (we use that term loosely) live music nightly, as well as trips to see the White Sox, the Bears and other sports teams.
reviewed
-
K
Jazz Showcase
The Jazz Showcase disappeared from the scene for a while, but Chicago’s top club for national names is back in biz in a gorgeous room in the historic Dearborn Station building. In general, local musicians take the stage Monday through Wednesday, with visiting jazz cats blowing their horns Thursday through Sunday.
reviewed
-
L
Phyllis’ Musical Inn
One of the all-time great dives, this former Polish polka bar features scrappy up-and-coming bands nightly. It’s hit or miss for quality, but you’ve got to applaud them for taking a chance. If you don’t like the sound you can always slip outside to the bar’s basketball court for relief. Cheap brewskis, to boot.
reviewed
-
M
Sidetrack Circuit
Massive Sidetrack thumps dance music for a gay and straight crowd alike. Get ready to belt out your Broadway best at the good-time ‘show tune nights’ on Sunday and Monday. The clubs hosts stand-up comedy on Thursday. If the indoor action gets to be too much, the massive outdoor courtyard beckons.
reviewed
-
N
US Cellular Field
The White Sox are the Cubs' South Side rivals and play in the more modern 'Cell, ' the US Cellular Field Tickets are usually cheaper and easier to get than at Wrigley. Take the CTA Red Line to the Sox-35th-station; it's 4.5 miles south of the Loop.
reviewed
-
O
Hubbard St Dance Chicago
Hubbard St is the preeminent dance group in the city, with a well-deserved international reputation to match. The group is known for energetic and technically virtuoso performances under the direction of the best choreographers in the world, including founder Lou Conte.
reviewed
-
P
St Paul Curling Club
From November to March, stop in and watch the action at the St Paul Curling Club. For those uninitiated in northern ways, curling is a winter sport that involves sliding a hubcap-sized 'puck' down the ice toward a bull's-eye.
reviewed
-
Open Mic Comedy at Rockit
Heard the one about the hapless tourist who got heckled off the stage? C’mon, that won’t happen here. Hopefully. (Though watch out if there has been a Cubs game in the neighborhood earlier that day…) The open mic is on Friday at 6.30pm.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
Q
Chicago Moving Co
Known for gutsy, energetic performances, this exciting group was founded over 30 years ago by Nana Shineflug, a pioneer of modern dance in Chicago. The works and performers are all local. Shows are at the Hamlin Park Fieldhouse.
reviewed
-
Oprah Winfrey Show
The self-help queen's TV show is extremely popular and the free tickets are difficult to come by. Try the studio number if the ticket number isn't working. Last-minute tickets sometimes surface on the website.
reviewed
-
Windy City Rollers
The bang-em-up sport of roller derby was born in Chicago in 1935, and the battlin' babes of the Windy City Rollers will show you how it's played, bruises and all. Matches take place monthly.
reviewed
-
R
Harris Theater
The Music of the Baroque (MoB) performs at Harris Theater. MoB is one of the largest choral and orchestral groups of its kind in the USA. This theater also hosts various dance groups.
reviewed
-
Wexner Center for the Arts
North of downtown, the university area has many casual storefronts. The campus's Wexner Center for the Arts offers cutting-edge art exhibits, films and performances.
reviewed
