17 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Week
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 28, 2016 4:19PM
The Chicago Athletic Association hotel “Beard of Directors” in the hotel’s first floor lobby. Join them for a Whiskey & A Shave Happy Hour this Thursday. Courtesy of Chicago Athletic Association.
Holiday themed shopping, performances, stories and more top our favorite things to do this week.
MONDAY NOVEMBER 28
STORYSLAM: The famed storytelling series The Moth Chicago brings StorySLAM to Lincoln Hall at 8 p.m. The evening’s theme is "persuasion." Prepare a five-minute story (no notes!) about the art of how you’ve convinced someone else to do something crazy, or come and listen to tales of “snake-oil salesfolk, rainmakers, deal breakers, used car peddlers, sirens, seductresses, ladies men, preachers and teachers.” Tickets are $10.
BONE SHAKING INDIE: We've been following Marrow since they rose from the embers left behind by Kids These Days, and it's been a pleasure to see them mature into a band that refuses to be pigeonholed. Their debut, The Gold Standard, displayed a band showing confidence beyond their relatively young years. Marrow bounces around from straight ahead rock to orch pop to artsier prog tendencies, and they make their choices of musical direction seem both deliberate and freewheeling as the songs dictate. Marrow plays a free show at The Empty Bottle on Monday and Fell Runner (featurning members of HAIM's band) and V.V. Lightbody (Grandkids' Vivian McConnell) open
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 29
RARE WINE DINNER: avec hosts an extremely rare Tuscan Archipelago wine dinner beginning at 5:30 p.m. Some of the sought-after wine is made by inmates on the small island of Gorgona, Italy at Marchesi di Frescobaldi. They only produce 2,600 bottles of wine each year as part of a post-prison rehabilitation program, and avec was the lucky recipient of 18 of them. The dinner will be paired with a five-course menu from Chef de Cuisine Perry Hendrix and Pastry Chef Heather May. Cost is $50 for prix fixe food menu, $45 for optional wine pairing. For reservations, call 312-377-2002.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 30
BOURBON + BITES BENEFIT: State and Lake Chicago Tavern inside theWit Hotel hosts Bourbon & Bites event benefiting the Greater Chicago Food Depository from 6 to 9 p.m. The evening will feature 3 food pairings from executive chef Nathan Sears with 3 crafted cocktails from Woodford Reserve. Tickets are $55.
HOLIDAY MOVIE NIGHT: The General kicks off their weekly holiday movie night this Wednesday with A Very Merry Brady Christmas at 7 p.m. and an encore at 8:30 p.m. They’re paying homage to Mrs. Brady aka Florence Henderson who passed away just last week. Bring in an old Christkindlmarket mugs and they’ll fill it with beer for $2.50.
THURSDAY DECEMBER 1
Image courtesy of Chicago History Museum.
THE LAST SPEAKEASY: If there’s one date that’s important to Chicagoans, it’s the repeal of Prohibition. Chicago History Museum toasts the occasion with a party at The Last Speakeasy: On the Eve of Repeal from 7 to 11 p.m. Templeton Rye will create classic Prohibition-style cocktails, and they’ll have 1930’s style music, dancing lessons and games. Chicago historian and author Richard Lindberg will lead a discussion on Prohibition gangs of Chicago, among other fun learning opportunities. Tickets are $100.
WHISKEY + A SHAVE: If you’ve been participating in Movember and you’re ready to free that face for December, head to the Chicago Athletic Association hotel's in-house boutique Madison Hall for a free Whiskey & A Shave from 5 to 7 p.m. The complimentary Happy Hour will be first-come first-served, and you’ll find out who is the lucky winner of their Movember "Beard-Off."
What makes our makers One of a Kind: Laura Tanner Swinand from One of a Kind Show Chicago on Vimeo.
ONE OF A KIND HOLIDAY SHOW: Find the perfect gift at the One of a Kind Holiday Show at the Merchandise Mart this weekend. New and emerging artists will have works for sale including home goods, ceramics, jewelry, photography, furniture, sculpture and more. Pick up something unique for yourself while you’re checking everyone else off your gift list. Tickets are $12.
CLICKHOLE LIVE: They’ve wowed us with clickable stories of Harrison Ford evading death, an irresistible vase and more nonsense. This Thursday, join the ClickHole writers for a live event at the Hideout with new stories, tales, and PowerPoint presentations. Tickets are $10.
INTONATION FALL SHOWCASE: See some of the city’s most rockin kids at the Intonation Fall Showcase at the Chicago Children’s Museum from 6 to 7 p.m. The non-profit that teaches underserved local youth to play in a band will bring members from Fuller Park, Taylor Park, Kennicott Park and CICS Belden to perform in the free show.
CURED READING: One of The Cure’s founding members, former drummer and keyboardist, Lol Tolhurst, drops into The Commons Club at Virgin Hotels for a reading and tell-all. His new autobiography, Cured: The Tale of Two Imaginary Boys, recounts his time with the band, from the height of fame to his struggle with alcoholism. 7 p.m. Free.
NOISE FOR TOYS: Chicago's Noise FM has been throwing the annual Noise For Toys holiday fundraiser for a few years now, and the shows are always filled with ugly sweaters, tacky decorations and plenty of dancing. This year they's brought late aughts dance rock outfit We Are Scientists to headline the bill and help them gather toys to benefit Chicago Toys For Tots. Highchair Kings open the evening. Tickets for the show at Lincoln Hall on Thursday are $18. The show will also serve as a release party for Noise FM's new live album, Hot Sauce: The Noise FM Live From Record Bar.
HAVANA-CHICAGO CONCERT: Frank Chávez has had quite the struggle over the last couple of years, but it hasn’t stopped him from choreographing. The former Artistic Director of River North Dance Chicago suffers from degenerative spinal cord condition that put him in a wheelchair in 2010. The Chicago Latino Music Festival’s 11th season closer Havana - Chicago Connections performed by Hedwig Dances, will be his first work in two years. 7 p.m. Tickets start at $25.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 2
IMage courtesy of Chicago Dance Crash.
DANCING PANTS: After going serious for their last feature, Chicago Dance Crash finds their comedic side for works inspired by children’s author Shel Silverstein. And Now for the Dancing Pants! features hip hop, breakdancing and contemporary work that the company is known for. Opening night is Friday at 8 p.m. at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts and performances run through Dec. 10. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for children.
TWIST YOUR DICKENS: Go on a different kind of Charles Dickens adventure with The Second City and Goodman Theatre as "Twist Your Dickens" returns for a third year. Second City Alum Ron West directs and stars in the new classic bringing Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the rest of the Cratchits to life in a hilariously twisted way. Tickets start at $20.
LIVE WIRE RADIO TAPING: Live Wire Radio with Luke Burbank gets its first Chicago live taping at Lincoln Hall at 8:30 p.m. The Portland public radio variety show airs on 120 stations nationwide including our very own WBEZ. This episode welcomes special guest, musician, singer, beatboxer, and comedian, Reggie Watts. Tickets start at $20.
THE BEST OF TOO MUCH LIGHT: The Neo-futurists gang present The Best of 2016 at 11:30 p.m. This year they’ve written more than 370 world premieres in their long-running show that presents 60 plays in 60 minutes, and this week they’ll perform their favorites. Tickets for The Best of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind are $20. Performances run through Dec. 11.