"T.K.O." by 8bitlexicon
Things still aren't fully ok in the world, even with Trump officially out of office and Chicago getting closer moving to tier 1. Yeah, that's a thing that really happening. Nonetheless, the continuing pandemic is still keeping certain establishments closed and that means you should take precautions seriously. If you're going out to support business during these COVID heavy times, please wear a mask and social distance as best you can. Eventually we'd love to have the curated weekend be back to recommending fun in-person events, but we can only do that by staying home or being extra safe when we go out.
While outdoor/in person events will continue to take a back seat in the #staythefhome version of the Curated Weekend, there are still a few events that don't quite fall into exclusively virtual events. Some events here and there look safe to attend. Even so, check them out for yourselves and don't go out if you don't feel comfortable (we actually urge you to support these events from home), there's still plenty to do at home thanks to all the great streaming services.
- Drive-In movies!
- ChiTown Movies - This weekend will include showings of Dirty Dancing, Scream, Mean Girls, Incredibles 2, Caddyshack, Finding Dory, and Jurassic Park
- Support Local Venues
- Evanston Space is closed for the season, but their shop is open and you should consider donating to help the venue during these weird times
- Head over to the Hideout 's regular shop and get yourself some great merch! Their Holiday Sale page is also still up with links to great local artists!
- Metro shop is full of fantastic concert posters from yesteryear and cool merch
- Lincoln Hall/Schubas always has great items in their shop waiting for you!
- Same goes for Thalia Hall's merch store (those holiday socks? *chef's kiss*)
- And let's not forget Empty Bottle's fantastic merch shop!
- Art Galleries.
- All Star Press is constantly putting up new prints for you to decorate your space with! Check out some of their prints from their Vertical Gallery collab, which you can check out here!! This week features the release of "My 2 Cents" by Kate Lewis. And Don't forget to check out the virtual edition of JC Rivera's new exhibition "Still Undefeated."
- Galerie F has a fun stock of prints from concert posters, pop culture prints and more!
- Rotufugi will be showing The Endless Gloaming: New Works by Brett Manning
- WOMANISH Experience is a cool pop up featuring the work of female and gender non-confirming artists exploring womanhood from a diverse range of perspectives.
FRIDAY & SATURDAY, JANUARY 28th & 29th
Glass Hand & Live the Spirit residency presents The Young Masters directed by Ernest Dawkins @ Constellation, the most musically inclined room in your home, 8:00pm
WHAT: A pair of amazing shows for your weekend!
SO WHAT: Constellation has been putting on some incredible shows during the pandemic and this weekend will feature another couple of great shows.Friday will feature the original music and free improvisation of Glass Hand (Sarah Clausen on alto saxophone, Jakob Heinemann on bass, & Emerson Hunton on drums) . Then on Saturday Live the Spirit residency presents The Young Masters directed by Ernest Dawkins. The ensemble, formed by incredible highschool and college aged musicians led by Ernest Dawkins, will present a new set of their original compositions.
NOW WHAT: Stream tickets are $15, so sit back and enjoy the incredible show this weekend! Both shows start at 8:00pm on their respective nights!
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29th
Kid Koala presents: Music To Draw To @ The Art Institute of Chicago's Zoom, the most art receptive room with a streaming device in your home, Noon, All Ages, Free
WHAT: A chance to hang with Kid Koala
SO WHAT: Kid Koala may not be able to present his soothing gathering of art and music in person, but his livestream will still fill that "music to draw to" void. The program will let you sketch artworks by Claude Monet, Georges Seurat, Georgia O’Keeffe, among others, while you enjoy a livestream video of Kid Koala’s studio performance.
NOW WHAT: It's free but registration is required.
Dennis Walkins @ The Magic Parlour at Home, on your favorite streaming device in the most magical spot in your home, 8:00pm
WHAT: A little bit of magic to spice up your weekend!
SO WHAT: While Dennis Watkins is usually conjuring up wonderful effects and illusions live and in person, for the time being he's only sticking to the live part as he takes his magical act to Zoom! Gather your bubble together, dress to the nines, and experience some fantastic magic right at home!
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $65 and they usually go fast, so book a magical evening as soon as you can!
SATURDAY, JANUARY 30th
Virtual KOVAL Gin Tasting @ Zoom, on the device with the clearest internet connection, 21+
WHAT: Learn all about Koval's interesting Gins!
SO WHAT: This in-depth gin tasting, led by Koval founder Sonat Birnecker Hart, will skillful guide you through these unique styles of gin in the best way possible. Plus you'll be able to enjoy an interactive Q&A and receive insight into KOVAL's innovative approach to craft spirits.
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $10 and you can reserve your spot here! All reservation proceeds will go to My Block, My Hood, My City. The Gins that will be featured are available for instore pickup at the KOVAL retail shop, 4241 N Ravenswood, or you can find a store that carries KOVAL products with the KOVAL Availability Locator.
Brandi Carlil performs The Story @ Veeps Livestream platform, the most comfortable spot in your home, 8:00pm,
WHAT: An evening of beautiful Americana
SO WHAT: Brandi Carlile, whose distinct and graceful voice has been charming folk and Americana fans for over a decade, will be doing a special live stream playing the entirety of her second album, The Story! Check out our review of the last time she was in town at the Huntington Bank Pavilion.
NOW WHAT: Tickets are $15 for just the live stream or $38 for the livestream and a copy of Brandi Carlile's book Broken Horses. The live stream will be available to purchase and watch until 11:59pm on February 14th. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Brandi Carlile band and crew fund.
THE WHOLE SELF-DISTANCING WEEKEND & BEYOND
New Talks and Video Archives @ Chicago Humanities Festival YouTube channel, your favorite browser or YouTube's app, any time you want some inspiration, All Ages
WHAT: Interesting conversations with interesting people!
SO WHAT: Chicago Humanities Festival brings some of the best ideas to the surface with entertaining programming that captures your imagination. Their website is constantly updated with upcoming talks, so check out the wealth of previous events in their archives!
NOW WHAT: Head over to take a look at their past events here! You should also sign up for their email list to get updates on upcoming talks in 2021.
The Hideout Online @ Hideout's current streaming Home: NoonChorus , on your favorite streaming device, usually in the evening
WHAT: Miss the good times spent at the Hideout? Well here's the digital version!
SO WHAT: While we may not be able to properly hang at the Hideout just yet, we can still experience all the dancing, bingo, talk shows, music, comedy, and Robbie Fulks we can handle from home! You just jump on over to the brand new Hideout Online at NoonChorus to join in on the Hideout digital community. They are offering a monthly subscription to watch their amazing lineup of shows for only for $25! You can still check out individual shows with out the subscription, but that subscription is a fantastic deal! Check out their schedule below or at their website and get ready for some fun!
- Friday January 29 and every following Friday – LP’s Happy Hour – 5:00pm to 7:00pm – $5 Award-winning country singer, sought-after DJ, and long-time Hideout employee Lawrence Peters will be hosting a weekly happy hour on Hideout Online, from his home to yours. Maybe you’ll tune in for some deep cuts from his lauded collection of records, maybe some Hideout folks will drop in to swap stories about the bar, or maybe LP will even sing ya a tune. This week's guests include Taylor Austin of Honky Tonk Times, an old school print magazine bridging classic country music and the Honky Tonk heroes of today, and Chicago's own Nick Bachmann of honky tonk marvels Cropduster4
- Friday January 29 – Vagabon Live Stream from Boulevard Studios – 8:00pm – $12 If you haven't had the chance to hear Vagabon's incredibly voice live, then this is the perfect opportunity! Check out this excellent live stream as she plays songs off her increidble self titled album, the followup to her glowing debut Infinite Worlds
- Tuesday February 2 – First Tuesdays: CPS and City Politics – 7:00pm – $5
First Tuesdays is a monthly political talk show hosted by Ben Joravsky & Maya Dukmasova on Hideout Online. With the help of guests–elected officials, union leaders, activists, and other journalists– Ben & Maya aim to explain how the city, state, country and universe really works. This edition features a deep dive into all things Chicago Public Schools and city politics. They're joined by education reporter Yana Kunichoff of ChalkBeat Chicago, and City Hall reporter Gregory Pratt of the Chicago Tribune.
Film Center from Your Sofa @ The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute, your couch or preferred movie watching spot in your place, pretty much any time
WHAT: The Film Center at Home
SO WHAT:The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute is continuing their excellent series Film Center from Your Sofa .This is a fun way to stay in digital touch with the Film Center and watch some great films from the comfort of home! Enjoy films like My Rembrandt; Atlantis (Starting 1/29); Rock Camp: The Movie; The Salt of Tears; Some Kind of Heaven ; Acasa, My Home; Night Shift; Identifying Features; Deep in Vogue; Museum Town; The Weasel's Tale; The Rabbi Goes West; Finding Yingying; Another Round, The Changin' Times of Ike White; Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan; Collective; Yalda, a Night for Forgiveness and more! Head over to their listings and start watching!
NOW WHAT: Digital tickets are $12, so sit back and enjoy!
Fun Times with Local Museums @ the comfort of your own home, a various collection of websites, whenever you want a little dose of educational fun, All Ages
WHAT: A chance to explore and help out some great local museums during these quarantine days
SO WHAT: Our incredible Museums editor Mariel Bokor has compiled a great list of interesting programming available from museums like the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum, MSI, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium during this stay at home time. It also notes which are closed for the season and how you can help support them during these times! Check out part one and part two of our roundup featuring tons of programming suggestions!
NOW WHAT: Check out our article and discover something new!
The Infinite Wrench Goes Viral 30 Digital Plays in 60 Analog Minutes @ The Neo Futurists' Patreon, one episode a week, 14+
WHAT: Quick plays online!
SO WHAT: The Infinite Wrench Goes Viral! 30 Digital Plays in 60 Analog Minutesis the online adaptation of the Neo-Futurists', ongoing, ever-changing attempt to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes for a live audience. Since live audiences are still a no-no, this is the perfect way to experience this fun project from home! They also just released 45 Plays for America’s First Ladies, a series of 1-5 minute plays that adopt a variety of shapes, tones, and theatrical conventions centered around the lives of the women who have served in the role of First Lady.
NOW WHAT: Join the Neo Futurists' Patreon page for either $3, $5, or $9 a week (with added incentives in the higher tiers) and enjoy the 30 plays in an hour every week!
Concerts Live-streams and Local Shows Archives @ Your House, Any time you please, All Ages
WHAT: There's tons of concerts from Chicago's yesteryear available online for your enjoyment!
SO WHAT: Oh My Rockness and Do312 has done a fantastic job of cataloging some of the upcoming live-streams from the awesome musical acts out there! Check out Oh My Rockness' listings here, Do312's roundup of shows here, and tune in to these great shows from the comfort of home! Do312 have also shared some past Chicago shows that are certainly worth of a watch. There are also so many great local concerts recorded for posterity and what better time to check them all out than during this self isolation period. Audiotree has a fantastic and huge list of sessions with links to band's websites and merch to help support them even more. In addition to our previous recommendations like Fran, Tasha, KAINA, Divino Nino, and The Ophelias, we also recommend ROOKIE, Emily Blue, Sen Morimoto, Beach Bunny, Tennis, and Gia Margaret! Then head over to their record concerts from Lincoln Hall, Schubas, and beyond to check out Orville Peck, of Montreal, and so many more! JBTV is also a fantastic resource for sessions from bands that have come through Chicago! Just take a look at this playlist of Blind Melon's '95 set at Metro!
NOW WHAT: Stay home, watch some live music, and be sure to check out your favorite artists' social media, you never know who might be live streaming next!
Video Games @ Your home PC or Console, As long as it takes, Just check the game rating
WHAT: Video-games for all!
SO WHAT: Check out our games page for some recommendations of what games to download (and avoid) while we're stuck at home. If you're a PC user, head over to the Epic Games store as they will be releasing a few new FREE games for you to download including Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition, Sludge Life, 3 out of 10, and Delores: A Thimble Weed Adventure! There are also tons of free games on Twitch Prime waiting for you to download!
NOW WHAT: Wash your hands and dive head first into some fun games!
The Quarantine Concerts @ Experimental sound Studios, Your best sounding internet connected device, at various times
WHAT: Experimental Sound Studio, Elastic Arts and the Hideout's Resonance Series come together for a series of amazing livestreamed concerts
SO WHAT: The Quarantine Concerts is collaborative series which aims to give artists a space to share their work and continue earning a living during this time when live, in person, performances have been cancelled due to COVID-19. This is a perfect opportunity to unite the community for a few hours of amazing musicians. This weekend includes Autistic Pride Day Concert, Concert for Chicago Freedom School, and tons more! You can check out their full schedule for the rest of the week here.
NOW WHAT: Head over to their Twitch stream and start watching some great shows. There is a suggested donation of $10 per evening. 100% of the donations contributed during each performance go to the artists who played that night
Music Friendly Distancing @ Empty Bottle’s Youtube channel, at your place,
WHAT: Bring a little bit of Empty Bottle into your home through YouTube!
SO WHAT: Empty Bottle will be practicing #MusicFriendlyDistancing during these stay-at-home days. It’s perfect for those of us needing a little bit of that fun the Bottle would provide. Jump over to YouTube and catch some excellent content! This Friday will feature the always incredible Miranda Winters of Melkbelly streaming from atop the Empty Bottle! You can check out the rest of the previous #MFD mixes here!
NOW WHAT: YouTube is the place to be! Log on and support the Empty Bottle. You can also send money to the storied venue here.
Ravinia TV @ Ravinia's YouTube Channel, On the best sounding device that can play YouTube channel, Fridays 7:00pm
WHAT: Some excellent performances to hold you over during this time of no live concerts
SO WHAT: RaviniaTV was a 20-minute weekly variety show webcast on their YouTube channel and Facebook page every Friday. Their first season of the series is over, but all their shows are achieved and ready to re-watch or experience forth e first time!
NOW WHAT: Head over to their website and tune in to the show. You can also check out previous episodes of the show
Grant Park Music Festival 2020 Virtual Season: Festival Remixed @ YouTube and WFMT, at home with your favorite streaming device, Fridays and Wednesday 6:30pm
WHAT: Live music for your free time
SO WHAT: This year the Grant Park Music Festival went virtual with plenty of great concerts and events being livestreamed online on YouTube and WFMT (both on their website and FM). You can check out our preview of the season here. While the season is officially over, you can still check out their archive of 2020 shows here!
NOW WHAT: Head over to the Festival Remixed website, catch some of the previous shows, and enjoy!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K42ZUUBeHSY
Masque of the Red Coronavirus! @ Black Button Eyes Productions, Any time on your computer or mobile device. For 18+.
WHAT: Written by Black Button Eyes Productions producing artistic director Ed Rutherford, this short satirical piece is available online free as a combined script-and-video experience.
SO WHAT: In addition to reading the play, you will see various Chicago artists act out portions of the script on video, recorded remotely. The event includes puppets, burlesque, original music, fire dancing and more in a brief, darkly comedic confection.
With the Red Coronavirus running rampant across the countryside and a vaccine still months away, what's a Prince to do? Lock himself in a secure bunker in an undisclosed location along with a cohort of his top donors, of course. To prevent him and his rich supporters from becoming bored, the Prince has also brought a few artists into the bunker to entertain the crowd. But as the hour grows later and the night grows weirder, it's clear that something else has also invaded the party.
NOW WHAT: Settle down for an evening of magical weirdness. Click here and begin reading and watching the videos.