Recently in Wicker Park Category

I’m a fan of combining the contrasting: Cottage cheese and French dressing, unexpected, yet delicious; plaid and floral-print, if they share a palette, why not? Sarah Palin and erudite discourse … well, some things just don’t mix. Others, however, beg to unite. For example, comedy and poetry, a union masterminded by Fyodor Sakhnovski and Mojdeh Stoakley (pictured), the brains behind Words That Kill, a monthly poetry/comedy/performance mash-up. The event is just one of the many exhibitions produced by Sakhnovski and Stoakley’s collective/company, Lethal Poetry. With WTK’s third season launch party set for Thursday, Jan 20th, Sakhnovski spoke to Our Town about his event’s aim and inception.

Our Town What inspired you to combine comedy and poetry?
Fyodor Sakhnovski Bringing more than one creative community together always seems to enhance and excite the experience. Comedians and poets live in separate worlds, and people who may be really into comedy might not even experience [Chicago’s] rich poetry community. Many may have prejudice against the other form of expression, so it's a chance to expose artists to one another.

OT Any memorable past performances?
FS Comedian Scott Derenger performed with us several times, but during the first was blown away by performance poetry, so much so that he forgot his own set. It was really funny and kinda precious. I guess he hadn't been to a performance poetry show before, and thought he was booked to perform at some boring monotone reading. We were also one of the last stages where the late Kent Foreman performed after a long hiatus from the Chicago scene.

OT Why make Words That Kill an all ages event?
FS Historically Chicago is a 21+ city. There are a lot of talented youth who need a place to express themselves and learn, but the best is when some 17 year old can teach a 50-year-old how it's done! Age doesn't define talent - but if you nurture it when it's beginning it will only get better.

OT Tell us about your new space.
FS creative lounge CHICAGO is a particularly beautiful gallery. We’re most excited [that] it's in the heart of Wicker Park, a neighborhood which has an history of nurturing the spoken word community.

OT What can we expect from your next shows?
FS This month is a rapid fire retrospective of several of the best performers from our previous seasons, [including] Marty McConnell, HBO Def Poet, Emily Lake and others. Then we'll dive into our main showcase section with our "super feature" Amy David, who has represented Green Mill in 3 National Poetry Slams! Also, Keith Ecker, co-host of Essay Fiesta - another charitable literary event. There will be refreshments for the guests, free wine (for those 21+), and DJ Limbs will be spinning all night! In February [look forward to] poets and comedians lamenting strange, or entangled relationships! This is not a Valentine's love celebration.

Catch Words that Kill Thursday, Jan 20th and every third Thursday of the month at creative lounge CHICAGO. Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission is $5 or free with canned goods donation.

A freelance writer with an MFA in Creative Writing from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Sarah Terez Rosenblum, when not writing, supports herself as a figure model, Spinning instructor and teacher at Chicago's Story Studio. Inevitably one day she will find herself lecturing naked on a spinning bike. She’s kind of looking forward to it actually. Follow Sarah on Twitter: @SarahTerez

What happens when you combine one talented comedian and singer and one rocking pianist and improviser? You get LA-based lesbian cabaret duo, That’s What She Said. Comprised of pianist Kathryn Lounsbery and singer Amy Turner, the two have been wowing LA audiences since 2007. Now it’s Chicago’s chance. Thank goodness they brought their rainbow jackets!

Our Town What brought you together?
Kathryn Lounsbery I was looking to do something different [when] I saw Amy perform [at Second City], improvising amazing and funny songs. I knew I had to work with her.
Amy Turner After the show, Kathryn gave me her card, and we started working on songs that were already written. Then we started writing our own.
KL And they happened to be about lesbians.
OT You two are a couple. Any challenges?
KL Of course!
AT You answered really fast.
KL See what I mean? Can you imagine living AND working with this attitude?

Margot & The Nuclear So and So's
8 p.m. Sunday at Lincoln Hall; $12-$15
Another representative of the orchestral pop genre that has become the flavor of the month, Margot stands out from the crowd by virtue of its quirky, energetic live shows. Though the band's members hail from various corners of Indiana, they've found a second home in Chicago, recording the sessions for their "Animal" and "Not Animal" albums here. The Lonely Forest and Cameron McGill & What Army open.

Lebowski Fest Chicago
Friday-Saturday at various locations
Creedence, bowling, White Russians, purple jumpsuits and lots more will be present at the third annual Chicago fest celebrating the 1998 cult classic film, "The Big Lebowski." The first night of the event takes place at Portage Theater, featuring a special screening of the film with some special guests making appearances. On Friday and Saturday, there will be bowling, trivia, costumes and more at Diversey River Bowl.

Viva! Chicago Latin Music Festival and Art Fair
11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday at Millennium Park; free
A true fiesta with music, food and art from the Latino community. The art fair will give you an opportunity to bring some love for all things Latin into your home. Local merchants will be selling artwork in addition to jewelry and clothing.

Harvest Jam
Friday-Sunday at Queen of Angels Church (2330 W. Sunnyside); $5-$10 (tickets)
Celebrate autumn at this Lincoln Square fest featuring live entertainment, carnival games (Skee-ball, anyone?), food vendors, dancing and more. The usual suspects on the festival scene (Too White Crew, Wedding Banned) try to make you forget summer is just about over.

Love! Valour! Compassion!
6 p.m. Sunday at Mary's Attic; $5-$10
Get gay-friendly with Harry Osterman, our beach-cleaning, parade-waving 14th District rep. Osterman will host the fourth installment in the "Great Plays of Terrence McNally" reading series: "Love! Valour! Compassion!" This bittersweet look back at summer follows the adventures of eight men over three holidays in one lake house.

Windy City Wine Festival
Friday-Saturday at Buckingham Fountain; $10-$35
Expect plenty of wine tastings, cooking demonstrations and live entertainment in Millennium Park. Bone up on wines from around the world (Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and Argentina will all be represented in addition to various regions of the U.S.) and you can impress your friends at the next dinner party. Also: the Wine Discount Center will be offering 10 percent off any wine ordered at the festival.

Renegade Craft Fair
Saturday-Sunday on Division between Damen and Paulina; free
Now in its eighth year, the fair features cool crafts like jewelry, knitting, t-shirts and 'zines in a D.I.Y. environment with over 300 artists, plus music from independent artists. This juried craft fair has a true renegade spirit, and was one of the first of its kind.

Mexican Independence Day Parade
11 a.m. Saturday on 18th Street from Newberry to Wolcott; free
While you may think of Cinco de Mayo as the Mexican Independence Day, it's actually widely celebrated on September 16. Mariachi bands, exotically decorated floats, Mexican flags, handmade crafts and games make this parade a family fiesta.

Daredevils' Hamlet
Friday-Saturday at Neo-Futurarium; $10-$15
A rollicking meditation on manhood, boyhood and all points in between, the Neo-futurists' latest reinterprets Shakespeare through a combination of soul-searching and dumb stunts. The daredevils, five vastly charming male actors playing (more or less) themselves, confront what scares them most, whether it's a famous monologue, an accurate self assessment, or a flaming hoop. The results provoke thought and laughter, both in generous measure.

Wavves
7 p.m. Sunday at Lincoln Hall; $12-$14
He was chewed and spit out by the blogosphere for his trash guitar distortions and indiscernible lyrics, culminating in some odd drug cocktail-exiting career hiatus at a Spanish music festival. But San Diego's Nathan Williams is riding a new comeback wave with sophomore release King of the Beach. "Laugh, I beg you laugh, right behind my back," he shreds in glistening pop clarity, heel-kick crunching, "I won't ever die. I'll go surfing in my mind." Hipsters do forgive, it's true. SD tour-mates Christmas Island strip it down lo-fi, but still glimmer from the beach as openers.

Jersey Shore viewing party
9 p.m. at Uncle Fatty’s Rum Resort; free
Make sure you GTL early, so you’ll be ready for tonight’s episode. Uncle Fatty’s is serving up $1 drinks and beers for the viewing, along with Jersey Shore-related contests.

DJ Jazzy Jeff, Cool Kids
10 p.m. at Beauty Bar; free
Old school meets new as Will Smith’s one-time sidekick plays from his solo projects. Joining him is the one of the hottest acts on the local hip-hop scene, Cool Kids, playing a DJ set.

Dancin’ in the Park
6 p.m. at Willye B. White Park (1610 W. Howard St.); free
Learn the basics of steppin’ and hip-hop moves with teachers from Old Town School of Folk Music, then practice them yourself at this two-hour event.

Al Green
7:30 p.m. Saturday at The Venue at Horseshoe Casino; $45-$85
Although Reverend Al Green's voice has waned a bit over the years, his last solo album, Lay It Down, proved that he still has the pipes — and charisma — to capture a listener's heart. For his set at Horseshoe Casino you can expect him to explore some of those new ventures, but rest assured, no Al Green performance is complete without a stop through some of his classic Hi Records material.

The Ruby Sunrise
7:30 p.m. through Sunday at Theater on the Lake; $17.50
In summertime, the good television is on stage. Rinne Froff's fantasia, about a female inventor and her sitcom-writing daughter, is a quick-witted story of girl genius and its casualties. The show, a remount of the Gift's immensely appealing 2009 production, plays at Theater on the Lake this weekend only. If you want to catch it, get off the couch.

Newberry Book Fair
Through Sunday at Newberry Library; free
From antiques to zoology, you'll find more than 100,000 books on every topic, most for less than $2. Get validated and you can park at 100 W. Chestnut or 100 E. Walton for $7 for up to eight hours.

Wicker Park Fest
Noon-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday at Milwaukee Avenue (between North and Wood); $5
Expect a primo lineup of live music, local cuisine and art in an eclectic neighborhood. Acts this year include emo-punk pioneers Cap'n Jazz, plus Holy F*ck, The Gaslamp Killer and Local H.

Lincoln Park Arts & Music Festival
Noon Saturday-Sunday on Racine (between Fullerton and Webster); $7
See work from nearly 100 artists at this newish (second year) street fest. There are also two stages of live music, featuring Virginia rockers the Pat McGee Band (Saturday) and Louisiana accordionist extraordinaire Buckwheat Zydeco (Sunday).

Halsted Tastes Better
6 p.m.-midnight on Halsted between Belmont and Addison; $25-$30
Foodies around the city unite at this Boystown feast featuring local restaurants like HB, Chicago Diner and Ann Sather.

Caribou, Budos Band
6:30 p.m at Millennium Park; free
Experimental Canadian rockers, Caribou, perform a free show as part of the New Music Mondays series. Their synthesized and airy dance grooves will be a perfect foil to the grit and thunder brought by Afro-rock aficionados Budos Band.

Miss Wicker Park Pageant
8 p.m. at Double Door; $10
Help crown the queen of Wicker Park as a panel that includes rapper Rhymefest will choose among 10 finalists. The winner will rule the land of Wicker Park all year long (and also gets a $1,000 cash prize).

The Heavy

The Heavy, JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound w/Ralph "Soul" Jackson
Noon Saturday at Taste of Chicago; free
The best show at this year's Taste may be at the weirdest time slot. Yes, we know it's early on a Saturday. And yes, we know it's the tourist trap otherwise known as Taste. But you won't be disappointed with these acts. UK ex-pats The Heavy blend a little bit of everything to a boisterous show, and JC Brooks and the boys bring some soul to your Saturday. Renaldo Domino, East of Edens Soul Express DJs, Mr. Greenweedz also add to the funky mix.

National 40-Ounce Week/Heckler Party
10 p.m. Friday at The Fifty/50; $9.99
Celebrate the end of National 40-Ounce Week at this Wicker Park bar by drinking $5 Mickey's 40s. If that's not enough, you can win some great Cubs swag and party with satirical sports publication The Heckler. Buy tickets early and you get a Heckler fan pass, a free 40, a shot of tequila and entry in the Wrigley rooftop raffle.

Eyes to the Skies Balloon Festival
Wednesday-Sunday at Community Park in Lisle; $5
With the city canceling its big fireworks display this year, why not head out to Lisle for some good ol' country fun. In addition to fireworks shows all weekend, check out the adjacent free carnival. And the star attraction -- hot-air balloon launches -- are just a buck a ride all weekend.

LeapFest 7
Through Saturday at Stage Left Theatre; $12-$25
It's your last chance to take the leap with this festival of five politically aware new plays. The scripts, which will be presented as workshop productions, cover everything from beauty compliance (Mia McCullough's "The Face of a Ruined Woman" to truckers' unions (Jayme McGhan's "Mother Bear"). It's the perfect way to make your summer theater experience a little less fluffy and a little more fiery.

Porn on the 4th of July
10 p.m. Saturday at Vision Nightclub; $10-$15; get tickets here
The 11th annual event is sure to start some fireworks for your holiday weekend. Porn star (and current "Entourage" babe) Sasha Grey makes an appearance, and DJ Johnny Chaos will handle the music. There will also be "entertainers" from Pink Monkey and products available from Lover's Playground.

If you're looking for a little more G-rated fireworks show, check out our handy guide to July 4 shows.

billy-elliott

Broadway in Chicago
6 p.m. at Petrillo Music Shell in Grant Park; free
Who needs to pay Broadway prices to see Broadway acts? Get a taste of Chicago shows like Billy Elliot the Musical, Wicked, Disney's The Lion King, and Million Dollar Quartet, as well as a preview of Shrek the Musical, without spending a dime.

Huntsville, On Fillmore (feat. Nels Cline)
7:30 p.m. at Millennium Park; free
This week’s New Music Monday show brings us Huntsville, a twangy, meditative group joined on stage tonight by Wilco guitarist Nels Cline and drummer Glen Kotche. They'll also tease their own more curiously erratic experimentations under the On Fillmore moniker, of which they're on their fourth record now, with bassist Darin Gray.

National 40-ounce Week
All week at the Fifty/50
The upscale Wicker Park sports bar again celebrates that ubiquitous urban favorite – the 40 – with a week of specials and events. Get a different brand of 40 every day this week for just five bucks. Today’s special: Colt 45. Like a wise man once said, It works every time.

Above: 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche Devised by The New Colony; below: Spider in the Attic Devised by Jessica Hudson (Photos: Saverio Truglia)

Sarah Terez Rosenblum (@SarahTerez) is an MFA-holding writer, teacher and Spinning instructor. She's also the Theater Listings Editor for Centerstage Chicago. Look for her posts twice a week.

For me, a big night equals crunchy peanut butter, threadbare leggings and season two of Lost, which I’m watching for the first time. (With the exception of that hurricane over in New Orleans, the view from 2005 is lovely, thanks for asking, and I’m sure Brad and Jen will be back together in no time.) I’m not lazy or anti-social (yes I am), but leaving the house requires shoes, the most perplexing aspect of any outfit. Flats, heels, boots dear God, my head aches, someone hand me the peanut butter.

Still, duty calls, so on Saturday, after trying on approximately 27 different pairs, I bussed to Wicker Park to check out Sketchbook X, Collabaraction’s 10th annual mixed media festival. As unenthusiastic as I am about leaving the house, I’m even less thrilled to leave my neighborhood, but Wicker Park’s Saturday night vibe seemed an extension of Sketchbook’s energetic atmosphere; impossible to imagine the event in any other setting.

Got a camera phone? You've got everything you need to participate in Saturday's Chi-Town Hunt Down (subtitle: Where the El?), the State Theatre's new scavenger hunt fundraiser. Beginning at 2 p.m. at the Bean in Millennium Park, the competition will have participants snapping photos and completing tasks throughout the city (follow along on Twitter) before ending at The Wormhole in Wicker Park at 5:30 p.m. Prizes like Six Flags tickets and restaurant gift certificates are involved, of course, but the real winner will be the theatre, which will be raising money for its "urgent, vital" productions. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 day of (cash only).

School on a Saturday? Don't worry, it's more fun than it sounds.

The first-ever Chicago Learnapalooza (10 a.m.-5 p.m. at various venues in Wicker Park) will include classes on stuff like swing dancing, self-defense, French cooking, Photoshop and more, all taught by experts in that particular topic. Start your day with some self-hypnosis, then bring yourself back to reality with a butchery demo and an aerobic sword class before learning the art of art appraisal and discussing the finer points of sex. If you've had a fuller Saturday, we don't want to know about it. Details and a full schedule are available at learnapaloozachi.com.

What do you call something that weighs 5,000 pounds and can hold 216 pork shoulders, 288 whole chickens or 432 ribs? No, seriously...what do you call it?

Smoke Daddy's newest toy, a 21-foot-long, nine-foot-high and eight-foot-wide smoked trailer with four individual rotisserie smokers, is now parked next to the Wicker Park BBQ restaurant. In honor of its arrival, the team is holding a naming contest, running today through June 30. Think you've got a good title for this beast? Stop in and write down your ideas; the winning coiner will score a BBQ party for 20 people.

Zoe Kravitz brings some much-needed femininity to the city on Sunday.

If the Blackhawks victory and subsequent celebrations have you a little burnt out on machismo, the second installment of Venus Zine's After Hours series on Sunday is just what you need. The female-powered event at Debonair Social Club features DJ sets by The Donnas and Zoe Kravitz (daughter of Lenny) beginning at 10 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door, with benefits going to Autism Speaks.

Both acts will be playing live earlier in the evening across the street at Double Door -- and you could be there for free, if you RSVP to events@venuszine.com. Five winners will be chosen to attend the show (with guests) and also meet the artists.

OPEN:
Epic Burger -- The popular, sustainable burger spot opens a second location on the south edge of Lincoln Park (in the Best Buy shopping center).
Gaztro-Wagon -- When not out roaming the streets in their new food truck (if it ever gets fully approved, that is), these naanwich-makers will be preparing food (available for takeout) at this Edgewater storefront.
Shallots Bistro -- We recently reported this gourmet kosher spot as closed, but it was actually moving to a new, permanent location in Skokie.
The Wormhole -- This '80s-themed coffeehouse has begun its time-travel adventure in Wicker Park.

CLOSING:
ESPN Zone -- The Disney-owned sports-bar chain is closing most locations around the country. June 16 is the last day for the Chicago branch.

CLOSED:
Kan Pou -- The Chonburi-influenced Thai spot in North Center has closed its doors.
Hortex 2 -- Stylish Polish cafe on Irving Park seems to have served its last pierogi (the phone is disconnected, and paper is up on the windows).

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
6:30 p.m. at Millennium Park; free
Rebel ngoni (goat-skin sheathed string instrument) player Bassekou Kouyate is a Mali Afro-pop musician who kind of did to his country's music what Dylan did to folk with the electric guitar; he was the first ngoni player to stand up and string the instrument over his shoulder. At this free show, he'll unleash a set of his award-winning, disco-threaded tribal blues before enlisting some old Howlin' Wolf backing band musicians (Otis Taylor, Eddie Shaw and Hubert Sumlin) for a flashback jam session.

Sketchbook Festival
8 p.m. at Chopin Theatre; $25
Sketchbook: dedicated to putting the 500-channels-of-cable experience on stage since 2001. Collaboraction's flagship short play festival -- now in its 10th year -- is a hyped-up, drum-n-bass blast of multi-media theatricality. And if you're bored, even for a second, don't worry. A different experience is just a blink away. Tonight's preview performance features nine 10-minute plays by Chloe Johnston, Andy Grigg and others. The fest runs through June 27.

Day Games and Heartbreaks
8 p.m. at Pub Theater; $10
Summer is here, the lights at Wrigley are kindling, and the Red Line is filling up with suburbanites who don't know how to ride trains. Celebrate the season with "Day Games and Heartbreaks," a sketch show about that most hapless and pure-hearted of creatures: the Cubs fan. Performing at Pub Theater at Fizz Bar & Grill, where a sorrows-drowning brew is never more than a few feet away.

Mayfest Chicago
Thursday-Sunday at Lincoln and Leland; free
We're on board for any festival that celebrates its opening by tapping a keg of beer. At this traditional German fest, you can enjoy authentic food and music, including shows by the Polkaholics and Paloma. Oh, and beer. Lots of beer.

Sarah Terez Rosenblum (@SarahTerez) is an MFA-holding writer, teacher and Spinning instructor. She's also the Theater Listings Editor for Centerstage Chicago. Look for her posts twice a week.

Crushes are my lifeblood. I always have a couple in my pocket, like baseball cards I can thumb through on long car rides or when the checkout line at Jewel stretches to the store’s rear. Unlike books, crushes aren’t mentally taxing or physically cumbersome. Unlike cell phones, crushes can’t get you pulled over or give you brain cancer. What crushes can do is lend meaning to an otherwise desultory existence. From my first crush on LeVar Burton (don’t ask) to my longest running crush on Amy Ray (don’t tell), I’ve been a vocal advocate.

But a crush object needn’t be a celebrity. In Chicago, true celebrity run-ins are rare (Vince Vaughn doesn’t count). Better to choose someone accessible. For example, right now I have crushes on a couple of waiters, the blonde teller at my bank, men who walk on the street side to protect their dates, people with more than two year’s worth of city stickers on their windshields, the dude in a wheelchair on the corner of Clark and Berwyn, several baristas, all German shepherds, and anyone wearing a chef’s hat. With so many options, nary a day passes without some sighting, so I keep a pair of night-vision goggles and some chloroform in my backseat just in case!

Apart from mounting legal fees and this ankle bracelet, my crushes have brought me nothing but pleasure. So starting today, I’ll highlight a monthly Chicago Crush, someone I’ve sucked dry and discarded decided to generously share.

Chicago Crush of the Month
Name: A.J. Durand
Hometown: Capac, Michigan
Profession: Yoga Instructor
Hobbies: I pluck on a guitar sometimes even though I have no clue how to play, I like short stories, I have an insatiable appetite for Netflix instant viewing, I love to cook, I name my plants, I like "finding" music on the internet and making it "magically appear" on my iPod.

Why yoga?
Yoga is fun and transforms your idea of yourself. I've become a better person with practice and I wanted to help other people see how awesome they are!

You do some drag. Any performances stick out?
I once performed "New" by No Doubt by un-packaging a brand new dildo and singing into it like a microphone.

Describe your perfect day.
Really yummy breakfast, super sweaty yoga class, nap in the sun, outdoor concert, and a few too many glasses of red wine.

What yoga pose are you likely to bust out on a first date?
If I were on a date with someone who practices, my current favorite, Kapinjilasana, a crazy alien pose where you balance on one hand and one foot and bring the other foot to your head. If they didn't practice yoga I'd do my best not to scare them away.

Relationship deal-breaker?
I'm not a jealous or possessive person, you can cheat on me, that's fine, but if you don't pick up your dog's poop, I can't respect your ethics. Also, the words "I'm an actor" usually make me run for the door.

First crush?
I think all the girls my age had a sweet spot for Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Although, I have a longstanding crush on Elijah Wood, from Radio Flyer to Frodo Baggins *sigh*

Why are you crushworthy?
I have a couple tattoos which can often fool people into thinking I have some cool kid street cred, but if you like “Battlestar Galactica” and “Doctor Who” then I might just be the dork for you.

Any questions for me?
Um, is that your tent in my backyard?

AJ is proud to teach donation-based yoga classes in Wicker Park. He can be found Tuesdays/Sundays at four p.m. teaching at Yogaview Division and on Wednesdays at four p.m. at Nature Yoga Sanctuary. If you want to meet his alter ego, the one and only Ms. Reno Scarlet Couture, he will be performing in the Cardio Cabaret with the Fabulous Ladies of Fitness on July 8 at The Whistler in Logan Square.

Think you or someone you know is crushworthy? Write me at strosenblum@centerstagechicago.com, subject line Sun Times Blog Crush. You provide the nomination, I’ll provide the binoculars.

Georgia Anne Muldrow
9 p.m. at The Shrine; $7-$15
For her last album, "Kings Ballad," the enigmatic singer takes a musically ambitious approach, scaling back on the far-out philosophies in order to focus on the production end of things. Overall it's a more listener-friendly effort than previous works, and it'll likely be the album that breaks her free from the niche neo-soul market that's kept her under wraps for way too long. Also performing will be her frequent collaborator/partner, Declaime (aka Dudley Perkins) -- think of him as the Andre 3000 to her Erykah Badu. The duo will also perform a free show at Reckless Records in Wicker Park.

Little Brother
8 p.m. at Double Door; $20
In a move that disappointed many but surprised no one, Little Brother (Phonte Coleman and Rapper Big Pooh) announced that its latest album, "Leftback," will be its last. The impending breakup is bound to spark conversation over what could have been, but as it stands the albums that LB did leave behind are more than enough to seal the group's legacy as one of the greatest of all time. All is not lost for the North Carolina trio (including departed producer 9th Wonder, who won't be joining this tour) as each member has seemingly moved on to forge successful solo careers.

Conan O'Brien
7:30 p.m. at Chicago Theatre
Capitalizing on a wave of public support following his unceremonious ousting at NBC, the former "Tonight Show" host has been traveling the country, performing for sold-out crowds. Each stop has yielded at least a couple special guests, so prepare for anything (assuming you have tickets).

Highlights from Centerstage Chicago's latest Crumb newsletter:

Just Opened: Dee’s Place
Wicker Park joint offers soul food, live music and much more.

Off the Beaten Path: Laurel Mediterranean Grill
Turkish, Greek and Lebanese fare in Naperville.

Weekly Treat: Cheap beer at Kelly’s Pub
Bottles of Bud and Bud Light are just $1.50 tonight.

Man We're Crazy About: Aripos
Top-notch Venezuelan food – including specialty arepas.

For more Chicago bar and restaurant news, sign up for the Crumb newsletter.