Goodbye 2010s! Hello 2020s! We've just made it into a new decade and it's the first weekend of it; so what are you going to do? There are plenty of great shows going on all weekend from concerts to talks to dancing and more! Don't let the first weekend of this new year and decade go to waste. Get out there and discover what Chicago has in store for you!
Let's get your curated weekend started!
ALL WEEKEND LONG, JANUARY 2nd - 5th
Buddy Guy and Special Guests @ Buddy Guy's Legends, 700 S Wabash Ave, Friday & Sunday 7:30pm, Saturday 9:00pm, Saturday 9:30pm, 21+
WHAT: Experience one of the great musicians of all time performing live!
SO WHAT: Chicago blues legend Buddy Guy is back for 16 electrifying shows over the next four weekend at Buddy Guy’s Legends. He’ll be performing with 15 amazing musicians including Bobby Rush, Robert Fetzer, Kingfish, Demetria Taylor and more!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $55 for each show! Don’t miss out on this great opportunity!
THURSDAY, JANUARY 2nd
Yeast Party Comedy Show @ Marz Community Brewing, 3630 S Iron St, 8:00pm, 21+
WHAT: Have a few laughs along with those tasty beers
SO WHAT: Yeast Party is a monthly comedy showcase at the Marz Community Brewing Taproom hosted by Clare Austen-Smith & Estephany Guzman! This evening will bring you Chicago’s best and rising comic minds that you may know from places like Netflix, The New Yorker, Second City and beyond. The lineup for this first show of 2020 includes Lele Mason, Yaz Bat, Jesnaira Baez, and Luis Arevalo
NOW WHAT:
It’s Free!
Nerdlesque @ Headquarters Beercade, 213 W Institute Pl, 8:30pm, 21+
WHAT: Indulge both your nerdy and your naughty sides with Nerd-Lesque at HQ with talent from
Bim Bam Boom!
SO WHAT: From Harley Quinn and Catwoman to Poison Ivy and a number of other femme fatales of the nerd-world, this show offers an opportunity to see them like never before. The Lower Level of Headquarters welcomes these characters and more perform in this fun and tantalizing burlesque show!
NOW WHAT: Going the fun at Headquarters!
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, JANUARY 3rd - 5th
Ian’s Party 2020 @ Chop Shop & Subterranean, 2033 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647 & 2011 W North Ave, Friday 7:00pm, Saturday 6:00pm, Sunday 5:00pm, 18+
WHAT: One huge party with 60+ performances over three days
SO WHAT: Ian’s Party is an annual showcase of the best music in Chicago, with some friends from all over the U.S. joining in on the festivities. Occurring on the first weekend of every year for quite a while, Ian’s Party has undergone many iterations, transformations, and evolution. This is the perfect way to catch up on local acts and keep the new year’s fun going. Some of the amazing bands playing the party this year include
Avantist,
Absolutely Not,
Malci,
So Pretty,
Glitter Moneyyy, and so many more!
You can check out the full schedule at their site!
NOW WHAT: Weekend passes are currently $50 and single day passes for Friday and Saturday are $20, Sunday passes are $15. Don’t miss out on this party!
FRIDAY, JANUARY 3rd
Shuga 2020 Dance Party @ Emporium Arcade Bar Wicker Park, 1366 N Milwaukee Ave, 7:00pm, 21+
WHAT: Dance your way into 2020 with your favorite record store!
SO WHAT: Shuga Records will be taking over Emporium Arcade Bar to help you welcome 2020! Head over to the Wicker Park location of Emporium and enjoy the likes of Black Pegasus, DJ Millia, and Shuga Rose for Shuga Records’ next installment in our Dance Party series!
NOW WHAT: It’s free!
SATURDAY,JANUARY 4th
ANCHR Magazine 3rd Anniversary Showcase at Schubas, 3159 N Southport Ave, 7:30pm, 18+
WHAT: ANCHR Magazine turns 3 years old and is throwing a party!
SO WHAT: If you see an ANCHR showcase, it’s safe to say it’s going to be a fun show. Add in that the awesome local music website is turning another year older and you got yourself a must attend show! This celebration of music will feature five-piece
Engine Summer and their psych rock goodness, the dreamy tunes of
Burr Oak,
Jungle Green’s delectable throwback sound,
Sick Day‘s undeniably catchy rhythms, and a DJ set by
ROOKIE!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are only $10 for this fun night at one of our favorite venues!
SUNDAY, JANUARY 5th
Academy of Mexican Dance presents Viva Mexico @ Thalia Hall, 1807 S Allport St, 5:00pm, All Ages
WHAT: A little taste of Mexican heritage!
SO WHAT: Join Academy of Mexican Dance as they continue to preserve and innovate the beauty of Mexican Folkloric Dance and Music with their presentation of “Viva Mexico”. This evening’s performance is set to transcend communities, borders and generations to come!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $18 for this great night!
20x2: "Who Do You Think You Are?"@ Schubas, 3159 N Southport Ave, 6:30pm, All Ages
WHAT: 20×2 Chicago is an event where 20 people from all different walks of creative life — writers, musicians, filmmakers, web geeks and other bon vivants — are asked the same question and given two minutes each to answer in whichever way they choose.
SO WHAT: The results may take any form, from spoken word to music to film, and can be as varied as the emotions and reactions they evoke. This edition’s question is
"Who Do You Think You Are?" The show is sponsored by
Field Notes and hosted by Andrew Huff, former editor and publisher of Gapers Block, and you can
see the impressive list of speakers at the 20×2 website.
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $10 in advance or at the door!
