13 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Weekend
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 16, 2015 3:55PM
Peaches crowdwalks at a concert in 2009. See her Saturday at the Metro. (Photo by Jim Kopeny/Tankboy/Chicagoist)
Your weekend plans? We got 'em right here.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 16
LITERARY HUMOR: Funny Ha Ha, Chicago’s only reading series dedicated to laughs, returns to the Hideout. The lineup includes Rebecca Makkai, Schadenfreude's Kate James, and I Want To Draw A Cat For You's Steve Gadlin. 6:30 to 8 p.m. Admission is free, but there’s a suggested donation of $10 benefiting Sit! Stay! Read!
STORYTELLING: Hear true stories alongside tall tales from someone who grew up in the idyllic town of Niagara Falls in True Life Tales From the Honeymoon Capital of the World (some of which are true). David Kodeski’s spoken word show at Stage 773 features live music from Heather Riordan (accordion), Cathie Van Wert (violin), Michael Krayniak (bass) and Paul Bivans (drums). Tickets are $10 to $25. 7:30 p.m.
LUNCHTIME DANCE PARTY: The city-sponsored DJ series Wired Fridays returns with a special outdoor dance party on Daley Plaza at noon. The legendary Roy Davis Jr. spins the tunes for this one-hour lunch break.
GALLERY BENEFIT: Woman Made Gallery hosts their fall benefit Friday night: Beyond the Dinner Party. This year’s event includes creatives beyond the gallery setting, featuring female artists from the food, beverage, body art, fashion, and music scene. Tickets are $25 in advance, $50 for VIP. 7 to 10 p.m.
WINE RIOT: Second Glass hosts a huge Wine Riot at Union Station from 7 to 11 p.m. Taste more than 250 wines and learn about them from experts on hand giving 20 minute crash courses. A DJ, photobooth and temporary tattoos make this more than your typical tasting. Additional riot on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. Tickets are $60.
Rachael Yamagata plays Park West on Friday. Photo by Laura Crosta.
SINGER / SONGWRITER RETURNS HOME: Rachael Yamagata got her start in Chicago so we're always happy to see her in town for a show. She's built a fiercely loyal and independent fan base throughout the the years that has carried her career on a national level, so her infrequent returns to our city are often popular events. We expect her appearance at Park West to be no different. Yamagata's stage presence is just as unguarded as her music, and her shows are often laced with unexpected humor alongside her deeply emotional and confessional songs. Tickets are $30.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 17
CONCERT + PERFORMANCE ART: The artist that is Peaches is more than just a musician, as we most recently learned from her interview with Marc Maron on his WTF podcast. The last time we saw her live was in 2009, coincidentally also at the Metro, and she crowdwalked. That's right, walked atop the crowded room all the way to the soundboard and back. Expect nothing less from tonight's concert at the Metro in support of her new album, RUB. Show begins at 9 p.m. Tickets are $23 in advance, $26 day-of. 18+
VICTORY LAP: Garbage is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of their self-titled debut album this year. Naturally this means there music be a lavish re-issue of that album, complete with dozens of bonus tracks to completely exhaust the vaults and empty them of unreleased material. Luckily Garbage is actually worthy of such treatment, since it was a turning point n the mid-'90s when it came to grafting rock and roll onto dance music. The last time we saw Shirley Manson, Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, and Steve Marker on stage together was a few years ago, and the band played an excellent set full of vitality and spark. We expect their show at The Riv tonight to be no different. Tickets are $41.50.
See the inside of buildings like St. Alphonsus Roman Catholic Church during Open House Chicago. Photo by Allix Rogers.
ARCHITECTURE OPEN HOUSE: The 5th Annual Open House Chicago opens doors to buildings that we could normally never enter. Spanning 20 neighborhoods and 20 sites, this free 48 hour festival grants you access to different office buildings, churches and hotels such as the Palmer House downtown, as well as a curious airstream perched atop an industrial building in Ravenswood. Free. Check the Open House Chicago website for more details.
INDIE SWAGGER: We've been fans of Broncho's glam swagger since the release of their debut, and their live set at Riot Fest last year was one of our favorites, so we're looking forward to their swing back through town landing them at Lincoln Hall. Tickets are $14.
HIPSTER GARAGE SALE: Threadless is having a huge garage / warehouse sale, and they're looking to unload everything from old t-shirt inventory to a couple of old arcade game machines they have lying around. With prices starting at $1 there's sure to be something here appropriate for every sized pocket book. Grab your bargains at 1260 W Madison St. from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 18
CRAFT SHOW: Chop Shop hosts the monthly Revolution Craft Show from noon to 6 p.m. Shop jewelry and more from local artisans in a relaxed atmosphere with music, drinks and snacks. Free.
BIKER BRUNCH: Logan Square’s Boiler Room and PBR host a Biker Brunch benefit for West Town Bikes. The non-profit promotes bicycling and education with workshops focusing on the city’s youth and underserved communities. Purchase a raffle ticket for $7 and get a hosted PBR and a chance to win one of several prizes. 12-4 p.m.