15 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Week
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 9, 2015 3:48PM
The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink opens on Friday. Photo via the City of Chicago.
Welcome to another week in the city with so much to do, from skating to twerking to gourmet dinners and more.
MONDAY NOVEMBER 9
COMFORT STATION BENEFIT: Six Logan Square restaurants team up for a six course dinner at 6 p.m. benefiting the Comfort Station space. The station holds lots of cultural events including art exhibitions, films, concerts, potlucks, workshops and lectures and does it all for free. This special community dinner, hosted by Lula Cafe’s Jason Hammel, helps make that possible. Tickets are $165.
SPARKLING WINE DINNER: Raise a glass to the local sparkling wines of Michigan’s L. Mawby Winery over a specially paired 3-course dinner at City Winery. The dinner will be hosted by the winery owner and winemaker himself, Larry Mawby. 7 p.m. Tickets are $85.
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 10
TWERKSHOP + CONCERT: Straight outta New Orleans, Big Freedia brings the Bounce Shakedown Tour to Bottom Lounge at 8:30 p.m. Also known as The Queen of Bounce, she (Freedia is a he but uses the feminine pronoun for her stage persona) could teach you a thing or two about twerking that booty, which is exactly what she’ll do during a special "twerkshop" and meet & greet. Boyfriend, Witch Hazel and [X]P also play. Tickets are $20 for the concert or $125 for the twerkshop and show. 17+
GAY COMICS: At Geek Bar Beta’s Tuesday Talk, Dale Lazarov of Sticky Graphic Novels will discuss how comics and graphic novels are especially suited for representing homoeroticism. "Comics Made Me Gay" will feature excerpts from classic comics as well as contemporary gay illustrators and cartoonists. 7:30 p.m. Adults only.
MUSIC TALK: eighth blackbird is in the middle of an “ensemble-in-residence” at the Museum of Contemporary Art, making it their home for rehearsals and practice until next summer. At noon today Director of Performance Programs Peter Taub will give a talk about the ensemble, and at 6 p.m. MCA Studio will explore John Cage’s Child of Tree, which is a participatory part of the residency. Both events are free.
DEBATE: Intelligence Squared hosts a debate on whether U.S. Prosecutors Have Too Much Power at the Northwestern Law Thorne Auditorium from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tickets are free, but registration is required.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 11
Evolution at Revolution. Photo via the Field Muesum.
BEER + SHARK SEX: Learn about the evolution of shark mating systems while downing frosty cold brews at Revolution Brewing as part of their partnership with The Field Museum: Evolution @ Revolution. Kevin Feldhiem, Director of the museum’s Pritzker DNA Lab, will teach us how genetic markers are used in mating studies. Tickets are $22 and include brews and snacks. 21+
JAPANESE WHISKY DINNER:
Japanese restaurant Ani teams up with Tenzing Wine Company for a cuisine and small batch whisky pairing. The four course dinner will feature sashimi, nimono, gohan and mizumono. Tickets are $85. Call (312) 878-1222 or email blythe@imrchicago.com for a spot.
BOOK RELEASE PARTY: Local author Dave Reidy's novel The Voiceover Artist is celebrating its release with a party at The Hideout. We are a fan of Captive Audience, his first collection of short fiction, so we've been eagerly anticipating getting our hands on this new work. Reidy will be joined by Ryan Bartelmay and Cyn Vargas, performing readings from the new novel, and an original short film by Steve Delahoyde will be shown. The party is at 6:30 p.m. and is free.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 12
Ventriloquists Convention. Photo courtesy of the MCA.
VENTRILOQUISTS: The Ventriloquists Convention, a new theater work on the MCA Stage, imagines a meeting between the ventriloquists and their dummies at the annual Vent Haven Museum convention. Yes, the performance includes puppets and puppeteers from the German group Puppentheater Halle. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. tonight through Saturday. Tickets are $30.
FILM DISCUSSION: Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario will appear at AMC River East 21 at 6 p.m. for a discussion about her memoir It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War. The book is being transformed into a feature film by Steven Spielberg starring Jennifer Lawrence. The conversation is free, but reservations are recommended.
DISCUSS A CONTROVERSIAL CAREER: Dread Scott made waves in 1989 with “What Is the Proper Way to Display a U.S. Flag?,” an installation that displayed a U.S. flag on a gallery floor, encouraging viewers to stand on it if they wished. If Scott was looking to start a discussion at the time he succeeded, prompting legislators to call for legislation banning work like his. Scott has stayed active since then, and he's still eager to spur conversations, saying his "art is part of forging a radically different world." Scott will be in town to give a talk covering his career at the The DuSable Museum of African American History starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.
Neocade. Picture courtesy of the Neo-Futurists.
NEO-FUTURIST FUNDRAISER: The Neo-Futurists are going 8-bit for their fall fundraiser, The Neocade. The evening at the Neo-Futurarium in Andersonville will feature two video game themed performances of their long running show, Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind. There will also be performances on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $40 or $75 for VIP.
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 13
SKATING RINK: Get your skate on at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink. The city's outdoor skating rink in the heart of Millennium Park opens for the season today at 11 a.m. Free. Skates are available for rental for $12.
AFTER DARK: The Art Institute's regular after hours series features DJs, drinks and more including a performance from Sky White Tiger. Be sure to check out their current exhibit Gates of the Lord: The Tradition of Krishna Paintings. Tickets are $30. 9 p.m. to midnight.