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Pencil This In

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 2, 2008 6:15PM

The listed events were chosen by the editors of Chicagoist and brought to you by the
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2008_04_born_ruffians.jpgYet Another Canadian Indie Band
Born Ruffians fall firmly on the "quirk" end of the hipster scale, with disjointed songs filled with spurting, lurching melodies. We imagine this is what The Shins might sound like after a couple pots of coffee ... filled with espresso. Their debut is pleasant enough but we'd have a hard time picking them out of a line-up of like-minded bands. But that's sort of the point of this type of music, isn't it?

Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western, 9 p.m., $10, 21+

Open Mic
In One Ear is the almost-20-year-old, second-longest-running open mic in Chicago. So we suppose by this point they've seen some real stinker climb onto their stage, so you can't possibly look THAT bad. Seriously. Got a poem, short story, or interpretive dance you're just dying to get out there? Can you do it in under five minutes? Here's your chance.

Heartland Cafe, 7000 N Glenwoos, 9 p.m., $3, 18+

Comedy
A comedy show curated by .. comedians?! Whatever shall they think of next? The Comedians You Should Know show was launched by some local comics sick of dealing with bullshit talent buyers and lousy bills filled with hacks. So they took the punk rock route less traveled and decided to take matters into their own hands, crafting a weekly residency where THEY got to pick the acts they would perform with. Chicago's comedy scene is a deep one, but this is a good place to dip a toe into.

Fizz, 3220 N Lincoln, 9 p.m., free, 21+

Clubs
When you name your night I Love House Music, do you really need a description? This weekly at The Note is both solid and popular. And really, if the dance floor is packed, and the beats are thumping, what more do you need on a Wednesday night?

1565 N Milwaukee, 11 p.m., $10, 21+

Photo of Born Ruffians from their MySpace page is by Tim Saccenti