12 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Week
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 6, 2017 4:32PM
Photo courtesy of The Silver Room.
Love is in the air this week—with dancing, skating and a pop-up shop to help get us ready for Valentine's Day.
MONDAY FEBRUARY 6
ROOF MIX-OFF: It’s a winter cocktail mix-off at ROOF on theWit from 6 to 9 p.m. At Saints & Sours six midwest mixologists will create their best Angel’s Envy Sour cocktail to win your vote for champion. Samples, beer & wine, brick-oven pizza and live entertainment are included. Tickets are $40.
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 7
SILVER ROOM POP UP: Unique boutique and artist space The Silver Room returns to Wicker Park for one day only with a pop-up shop in the Hollander lobby through Feb. 14. Shop unique jewelry, accessories, candles, vinyl and more for your valentine from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free.
FUNKY READING SERIES: The eclectic live lit series Tuesday Funk returns to the Hopleaf upstairs bar for another evening of good writing and good beer. Deborah Siegel, Leonard Zawadski, Jenn Sodini, Molly Dumbleton, and Keidra Chaney will read while Andrew Huff and Eden Robins cohost. Free.
MIDWEST FILM: The Midwest Independent Film Festival season opens with the Chicago premiere of Halfway. The midwest-made film stars Quinton Aaron (The Blind Side) as a reformed convict trying to reconcile his criminal past as a black man in a mostly white farm town. Cast member Amy Pietz will be there for a post-screening discussion with the audience. Pre-show reception begins at 6 p.m., Producer’s panel at 6:30 p.m.. and screening at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10-$15.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8
CHICAGO IS NOT BROKE: Authors from the new book “Chicago Is Not Broke: Funding the City We Deserve,” will hold a talk at Quimby’s with editor Tom Tressor at 7 p.m. The book is a collection of short articles from civic policy experts, educators and more discussing sustainable, progressive revenues to help save the city’s budget. Free.
CIDER CON: Jake Melnick’s gears up for the Cider Summit this weekend with a Cider Tap Takeover from 6 to 8 p.m. 16 ciders will be available on draft including Citizen, Stem, Ace and Vander Mill. They’ll also have a punch card special going where you can earn free food with the purchase of each cider. Free.
HTTING tHE BIG TIME: Fatimah Warner is better known as Noname, and she got her start playing open mic nights in Chicago before throwing in guest verses on record from Chance the rapper and Mick Jenkins. Her debut, last year's Telefone, masterfully mixed rhymes and soul lines, marking Warner as a prodigious talent worth keeping an eye on. She plays two headlining shows at Metro this week, on both Wednesday and Thursday. Catch her now before she's headlining something more the size of Lollapalooza.
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 9
THE BLACK COMPOSER SPEAKS: In the middle of African American History Month, the Promontory hosts Fulcrum Point's "The Black Composer Speaks," a concert and panel discussion. Exhortation! Will feature music from three generations of African American musicians including jazz improv artist Kahil El’Zabar and his Ethnic Heritage Ensemble and composer Tomeka Reid with a world premiere. Panel begins at 5:45 p.m. and concert follows at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25.
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 10
EAT SKATE LOVE: Go on an old school roller skating date at Chicago Athletic Association this weekend. They’re transforming the gymnasium into Stagg Court from 6 to 11:30 p.m. with the help of 1833. BYO skates or rent them there for $5. Tickets are $20.
DIRTY DANCING PARTY: Learn to dance like Baby and Johnny at Duet’s Valentine's Dirty Dancing Party. The evening includes a 50-minute dance class where guests will learn basic salsa and a simplified “Dirty Dancing routine followed by open dancing and hors d'oeuvres. The studio hosts six classes between Friday and next Tuesday. Tickets are $90 per couple.
STRIP JOKER: Friday is Strip Joker’s big anniversary standup show at Uptown Underground at 8 p.m. Just in time for Valentine's Day, the "Birthday Suit" comedy show will have many of the comedians stripping down to their skivvies while they make you laugh. Many past performers will return and Peter Kim will headline the show. Tickets are $20.
EMO IT UP: Cloud Nothings' new release Life Without Sound is a comforting slice of emo indie pop firmly rooted in the early aughts musical aesthetic. It's a solid album that hits all the right buttons and shows a band maturing and firmly embracing their sound. The album just came out a few weeks ago but expect lots of singing along to the new tunes from the crowd when the band plays Thalia Hall on Friday.