Headlining Acts

There are a few big events coming up to close out the month that should definitely be on your radar. On Tuesday the 22nd, Sidetrack will once again host the Celebrity Auction to benefit the Chicago Gay & Lesbian Hall of Fame. The cocktail reception and registration begin at 7pm and bidding with chief auctioneer Circuit Mom starts at 8pm. The registration fee of $10 includes one cocktail, hors d’oeuvres, raffle tickets, an auction paddle to bid with, and a $10 credit on auction purchases… Sticking with the auction theme, Center on Halsted will have its 2009 Auction & Brunch @ the Center (3656 N. Halsted) on Sunday, the 27th. Featuring both a silent and a live auction, complimentary cocktails, and entertainment by songstress MeKole Wells, the event takes place from 11am-3pm and costs $50 per person…  Finally on a more playful note, the make-up of Out At The Ballgame 2009 will take place @ Wrigley Field on Wednesday, September 30 as the Cubs take on the Pittsburg Pirates at 1:05pm.

Weekend #1

This weekend gets off to a rollicking start with Beer Pong Tournament @ Spin on Thursday, September 17. Hosted by Kevin Neal and starting at 11pm, the grand prize will be an iPod Touch with $100 going to the runner-up.  Just down the street @ Roscoe’s they’re having their Boys II Women staff fundraising event to benefit the Broadway Youth Center.  The fun begins @ 10pm. ... Friday, September 18, has legendary house DJs Satoshie Tomiie and Hector Romero spinning the Saw Party @ Spy Bar while Boystown fave Brett Locascio takes over the Hydrate DJ booth. That same night Spin presents the Bear Shower Contest while Circuit Night Club plays host to another ChicagoMusicPromotion.com Party featuring a Screamin Rachael performance and DJ line-up that includes Tony P, DJR, and Jim Lewis… The peak of the weekend - Saturday, September 19 - finds Ralphi Rosario DJing @ Hydrate and DJs Ink & Rico Suave along with Los Panchis live on stage for AMIGO: Banda Night @ Circuit.

Weekend #2

The last Thursday of the month, September 24, features the monthly Wet Boxer Contest hosted by Frida Lay @ Roscoe’s and Stardust @ Berlin with special guest BOTTIN and a DJ set by Codebreaker. The very popular monthly urban hip-hop party Urbano is presented by Clubhouse Productions @ Circuit on Friday, September 25, the same night that DJ Laura B is @ Hydrate and Roscoe’s is having a Mika CD Giveaway. The big event of the weekend will be the Nitro Eco-Green dance party presented by Halsted Street Beach Tanning and the Urban Eco Alliance @ Circuit on Saturday, September 26. Featuring DJs Jeanette, Hugo, and Animal X along with hosts Miss Foozie, Sal-E, and Velicity Metropolis, the event “will have a zero carbon footprint” along with a special VIP Pre-Party, a raffle for a variety of trips, and a Cell Phone Recycling Program. Also on Saturday night DJ Roland Belmares will be headlining the Blackout Party @ Hydrate while on Sunday Berlin presents its monthly Prince Night w/ Samnation.

Walking The Boystown Runway

At Roscoe’s, Frida Lay hosts Drag Race 2009 and the Wheel of Pussy on Tuesdays (special guests Victoria Le Page on September 22 & Tina Torch on September 29) while Miss Foozie takes charge of Male Call on Sundays…The video bar Sidetrack packs them in nightly with a popular line-up that includes Showtunes on Mondays and Comedy on Thursdays. More than just a pizza joint, Pie Hole hosts Soul In The Hole - an open mic night for poetry, vocals, and instruments - every Tuesday.  ... Other Boystown options include Halsted’s Bar & Grill (Team Trivia on Mondays), North End (TPAN’s poz-friendly Pulse on Thursdays), Bobby Loves (karaoke on Fridays), Charlie’s (country line dancing lessons w/ Steana on Fridays), and Cell Block (leather/fetish/bears/jeans). ... The Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club has half-price martinis on Sundays as well as viewing parties for Top Chef and Project Runway on Wednesdays and Thursdays, respectively. Buck’s and Little Jim’s are always friendly while live entertainment shines nightly at both 3160 (including Pop Goes The Gio Show on Fridays) and Cornelia’s and during Cabaret Tuesdays @ Hydrate on Tuesdays w/ Honey West at 9pm.

Under The Disco Ball

When it comes to dancing early in the night, Spin has DJ Chris Eterno on Wednesdays for WTF $1 Drink Night and Foxy’s Basement w/ DJ Mike Bolante on Sundays… Down @ Minibar, DJs such as Phil DaBeatz and Shawn Edwards lord over the beautiful new dance floor Wednesdays - Sundays while Roscoe’s new dance space gets worked by DJs Duane, Kevy, Ron G, and DigiDave… In Uptown the Wild Pug features DJ Oskar for the Dorian Gray party on Saturdays.

For after-hours dancing, the always popular Berlin has Cosmix Fridays w/ DJ Greg Haus and Twisted Saturdays w/ DJs Larissa and Chester while Hydrate presents its Sunday Dance Party w/ DJ Greg Drescher along w/ DJ Laura B on Mondays; DJR spinning on Tuesdays; and DJ Phil DaBeatz on Thursdays… Jackhammer is the far north side’s late night dance option Wednesdays – Sundays, including its monthly Underwear Party on Saturday, September September 19. The Ultimate After Hours @ The Ram (3am-7am) has DJs Ron G, Chris Eterno, and Plez Thursdays – Saturdays.

Oh So Naughty

Steamworks, the full-service all-male club, has a Lights Out party every Thursday w/ DJ Scotty Dick, who also spins the After-hours (11pm-5am) on Sundays. After-hours on Fridays and Saturdays feature DJ Greg Ellsworth while the weekly Sunday Spin Cycle (3pm-8pm).has DJ Jim B. The monthly Bears, The Baths & Beyond play party is set for 1pm-6pm on Saturday, September 26… Up @ Man’s Country, nothing is left to the imagination every Friday and Saturday @ Midnight with a dancer line-up that includes Jamie Heart, Giorgio & Fabion on Saturday, September 19 and Alexander, JJ & Angel on Friday, September 25.

Lucky Horseshoe in Boystown has strippers nightly while at @mosphere has them strutting all weekend long: Hot Mess Thursdays/Club Manhunt w/ DJ Chris Eterno followed by DJs Eric Hall and Timmy Loop on Fridays and Saturdays, respectively… Jackhammer has the Chicago Beef dancers on Fridays and Saturdays… Out in the suburbs: the Men of Sarabia appear @ Club Krave on Fridays; Chicago Beef visits Hideaway on Thursdays and Saturdays; and Hunters Hunks liven up Hunters on Thursdays w/ DJ Laura B on the decks.

Niche Marketing

The weekly Latino nights @ Circuit include Noche Latina, w/ hostess Veronica Zaid and DJs Ink & Alex Perez on Sundays, and La Noche Loca on Thursdays, featuring Miss Ketty’s Latina Review… Other weekly Latino hangouts include Sundays @ Jackhammer as well as Mondays @ Lucky Horseshoe.

Presenting an urban music vibe, Krush gets busy every Friday night while Reunion @ Shadow Bar rocks each Saturday night w/ DJs Stoney, Anton, and Kenae… Club Escape takes care of south siders on a nightly basis while Ms. Ruffy gets everyone’s week off to a good start with $1 drinks @ Republic (1520 N. Fremont) with a weekly Monday night party. 

As for Chicago lesbians, they congregate at Closet when hanging in Boystown and at several places in Andersonville, including T’s, Star Gaze, Joi De Vine and Mary’s Attic… The city’s gay Asian communities are becoming more visible and gather @ Wild Pug’s monthly Gaysia event with DJ Oskar (Thursday, September 24).

H-O-U-S-E

The home for house music in Boystown is Cocktail, featuring The Speakeasy on Wednesdays w/ DJ Greg Haus and $6 martinis. Go-Go Boys are there five nights a week and the DJ line-up includes Timmy Loop (Tuesdays), Michael Serafini (Thursdays), Freddie Bain (Fridays), and Diva DJs (Saturdays).  Super Saver Sundays featurres a troika of DJs: Chris Eterno, Dealer, and Pete Augusta.

Outside of Lakeview, DJ Plez serves up house music during Attic-tion Saturdays @ Mary’s Attic while DJ Dana Powell delivers on Fridays @ Jeffrey’s Pub… Every Monday the Boom Boom Room @ Green Dolphin Street continues its success w/ resident DJs Michael Serafini, Diz, JustJoey & Uncle Milty.

Beyond Boystown

Up in Andersonville you’ll find the popular neighborhood outpost SoFo, the newish country bar Cattle Call, and the martini bar Marty’s… Mary’s Attic features Rogue DJ for Feel Good Fridays and hosts very lively nights of karaoke on Sundays and Wednesday.  Their new sister space next door, Mary’s Rec Room, offers up hand crafted micro-brews nightly and football games on high def TVs on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.  The fetish community finds a home @ Touché with Hardcore Leather Cruisin’ Night on Tuesdays and Handballer Night every Thursday.  Onyx will have their monthly club meeting here on Friday, September 18 with Gear Night scheduled 24 hours later on Saturday, September 29.  Further north in Rogers Park is the very friendly The Glenwood.

The Uptown/Edgewater neighborhood is home to Granville Anvil (with new and returning Loyola students added to the mix) ; Big Chicks (with its popular Free BBQ Buffet on Sundays and super fun $1 Burger Mondays) and the sports bar Crew (karaoke on Tuesdays)… Scot’s is a friendly watering hole in Ravenswood while Manhandler sits in the heart of Lincoln Park… Downtown, Second Story Bar is the only certified nightly gay bar left in the area while Martini Park (151 W Erie St) dons its gay apparel weekly for the after-work Life Is A Cabaret Mondays w/ live performances by Kathryn Payne and Ben Hartman starting at 5:30pm.  Over in Wicker Park Davenport’s piano bar entertains nightly;  Plan B hosts the weekly Boys Room on Sundays; and the young, fun LGBTIQ crowd gather every third Monday for the Chances Dances party @ Subterranean (September 21.)  

A Gallon or Two Away

Outside the Windy City limits, Hunters Nightclub features DJ Ron G on Friday nights while Club Krave has DJ Saul on Thursdays. Velvet Rope in Oak Park (728 Lake St | 708.358.8840) has karaoke on Fridays and DJs and dancing on Saturdays. In Lake Station, Indiana, Encompass hosts Karaoke on Tuesdays and Fridays and the Rush St. Revue Show on Sundays. A little further east in Sawyer, Michigan, Fitzgerald’s (5875 Sawyer Rd; (Exit 12, I-94) | 269.426.3489) hosts the weekly Swank dance party on Saturdays.