Your #StaytheFHome Curated Weekend: 3/25 and Beyond

"T.K.O." by 8bitlexicon Things are starting to look a little brighter as the vaccine rollout continues to help the new case numbers stay low. Many venues are opening up now with limited capacity and a new normal may be happening soon. but as we said in the last #StaytheFHome Curated Weekend, we need to continue being careful if we go out and opt to support the local arts scenes we so enjoy from home. Nonetheless, positive moves forward are a good thing and we'll still keep tabs on the fun stuff happening online this weekend and beyond! So if you feel comfortable going out, do so with a mask and social distance. Otherwise, let's get on with your #StaytheFHome Curated Weekend!   And if you're opting to stay home, then let's find something fun to do! Whether you're doing your part in fighting against police brutality, working out, trying out some new recipes, or whatever catches your fancy; you may still have a few hours in your day that need filling up. There are tons of fun ideas highlighted in this week's curated weekend including some from previous #StaytheFHome editions where the editors here at Third Coast Review suggested a few things you can enjoy while you're at home during these social distancing, self-quarantining days! Since we're all still in this together, we encourage you to check out Do312's running list of venues that could use some love! Donate if you can and remember to support them by going to shows once it's safe to do so! Stay home and stay safe and healthy. Listen to our healthcare policy experts. Science matters. Wear a mask. Keep washing your hands. And check in on 3CR, where we promote the arts for everyone's sake. Let's try and stay the fuck inside and enjoy your curated weekend!

THURSDAY, MARCH 25th

TH/TV Presented by LifeWTR featuring Makaya McCraven & the Sistas of the Nitty Gritty @ NoonChorus' streaming service, your favorite spot in your home, 6pm and rebroadcasting through 3/28 WHAT: Excellent music for your weekend SO WHAT: Virtuosic drummer Makaya McCraven hits the Thalia stage for a fantastic night of incredible songs.  The evening will also feature  , clarinetist-pianist-vocalist Angel Bat Dawid and her spectacular ensemble Sistas of the Nitty Gritty. NOW WHAT: Tickets are $10 for this must see show!There are also limited bundles (including LPs, a limited-edition poster designed by Nikko Washington and printed by Salty Broad Press, and more) available now.

FRIDAY, MARCH 26th

Mandala Makers Festival @ Your place, on your best sounding and most vivid streaming device, 7:00pm WHAT: A dynamic range of voices and genres within the South Asian diaspora SO WHAT: Every Friday in the month of March will see incredible performances featuring South Asian artists sharing their modern interpretations of traditional music. Check out this weekend's lineup below!
  • 7:00 pm - Anvita Hariharan - Carnatic saxophone with mridangam accompaniment
  • 7:30 pm - Priya Darshini and Max ZT - from their Grammy-nominated album Periphery, this duo— Priya on vocals and Max ZT on hammered dulcimer—ties Indian classical music and improvisation with American folk and pop, among other genres
NOW WHAT: The festival is free to the public, but donations will support the festival artists and Mandala's operations. You can register and donate at their website to receive the newly released video performances directly to your email. Virtual Reading of Sanctuary City @ Zooming to your best screen at 7pm   WHAT: American Blues Theater presents a virtual reading of Sanctuary City, written by Shannon Pritchard and created by Ian Paul Custer. SO WHAT: It’s the last city in the country where you can become an American. Sanctuary City opens its gates to hopeful immigrants who work and live there so they can gain citizenship. Anyone can get in but it’s hard to get out. Sanctuary City is part of The Room, the company’s Zoom reading series. This episode is part of a neo-noir podcast in development. NOW WHAT: Suggested donation is $10 or pay what you can. Buy tickets here or call 773-654-3103. Your Zoom link will be sent the day before the reading and again 1 hour before the reading starts.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, MARCH 26th & 27th

Gustavo Cortiñas & Olivia Flanigan @ Constellation, the most musically inclined room in your home, 8:00pm WHAT: An amazing show for your weekend! SO WHAT: Constellation has been putting on some incredible shows during the pandemic and this weekend is no different! First on Friday celebrate the release of Gustavo Cortiñas latest collection of incredible songs Desafio Candente . Then on Saturday check out Chicago-based singer-songwriter Olivia Flanigan as she performs songs from her debut album, Girl! NOW WHAT: Stream tickets are $15, so sit back and enjoy the incredible show this weekend!

SATURDAY, MARCH 27th

Deeper Auto-Pain Anniversary Show @ Chicago Cultural Center, the most beautiful spot in your home, 7:00pm WHAT: A chance to see one of last years best albums live! SO WHAT: It's a shame that Auto-Pain came out right as the pandemic shutdown venues and deprived us up more Deeper live shows. And while we're on the road to actual live shows, this streamed performance will sure hold us over for the time being. Deeper is one hell of a fun band to see perform live and the Chicago Cultural Center is a gorgeous venue, so don't miss this one! NOW WHAT: Tickets are $10 for this great show! 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!

SUNDAY, MARCH 28th

Photo credit: Director Arti Ishak and Playwright Omer Abbas Salem of Mosque4Mosque. Virtual Reading of Steppenwolf’s Mosque4Mosque @ Theater on Your Sofa, 2pm WHAT: Mosque4Mosque is a new play by Omer Abbas Salem, developed in Steppenwolf Theatre’s Scout program. It’s a comedy about a normal Muslim American family that asks us to wrestle with what we believe to be normal. SO WHAT: Ibrahim is the average 30-something Queer Arab American Muslim with a normal job, a quiet life, easy men. But when his mother sees a glimpse of what could be his first real relationship, she feels compelled to take Ibrahim's future into her own hands by finding the perfect man for him to marry. The play has a cast of six actors and is directed by Arti Ishak. NOW WHAT: RSVPs required; to get your free tickets, contact Audience Services at 312-335-1650 or fill out the RSVP form on Steppenwolf’s website here.

THE WHOLE SELF-DISTANCING WEEKEND & BEYOND

The Great Grow Along @ Your home, next to your soon-to-be-thriving home garden, Friday 1:00pm - 5:00pm, Saturday 10:00am - 5:00pm, and Sunday 1:00pm - 3:45pm WHAT: A chance to make your thumb a little greener SO WHAT: The Great Grow Along was a three-day virtual garden festival that will provide gardeners with 40+ hours of sessions with plant pros to help up everyone's growing game! There will be learning tracks to guide you through the talks and they have made the festival's content available on demand to watch at your own pace over the next six months! NOW  WHAT: Tickets are $29.95 for this great collection of gardening talks talks! Lyric Opera Streaming On Demand @ Your favorite streaming device, the most lavish spot in your home WHAT: The Lyric Opera at home SO WHAT: Revisit some of your favorite Lyric moments, or experience for the first time performances you've missed.Check out their website for schedule of upcoming shows. Currently streaming is Luisa Miller (2019), The Queen of Spades (2020), and Die Walküre (2017). NOW WHAT: It's free!! Steppenwolf NOW @ Your best streaming device, the most theatrical spot in your place, Any time through August 31, 2021 WHAT: The talented voices of Steppenwolf's ensemble beamed straight into your home SO WHAT: Steppenwolf NOW is a new virtual programming stream featuring a dynamic and innovative slate of immersive and visual experiences crafted and produced for the virtual platform. Membership will let you experience a one-time screening of the current lineup of six projects each until August 31, 2021. The newest production is Duchess! Duchess! Duchess! NOW WHAT: The membership is $75 and a great way to experience six great shows and support a local institution.

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 features:

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 $5 per evening. 100% of the donations contributed during each performance go to the artists who played that night

Fulton Street Collective Jazz Series @ Their YouTube channel, the cosiest spot in your home, 8:00pm WHAT: Some excellent jazz for your evening SO WHAT: Fulton Street Collective may not be able to perform for you in person, but they are determined to give Chicago its much needed dose of jazz through these streamed shows! You can see all their shows on their YouTube channel! Below are just some of the upcoming shows from the collective: NOW WHAT: The shows are free unless noted, but you should definitely support Fulton Street Collective by becoming a member!

Virtual Cinema @ Music Box Theatre, unsurprisingly at your home, any time you want to watch a movie WHAT: A great way to support a great local theater SO WHAT: The Music Box Theatre is currently open to the public, so if you feel comfortable you can go out and have a theatre experience this weekend with some Kaiju movies like Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964), Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965), and Destroy All Monsters (1968) as they begin their Godzilla Vs Music Box series! But if you want to watch some first run movies at home,  you can still watch great moves and support them online! They are currently screening films via their The Music Box Direct series! Check out new films like 17 Blocks, Amundsen: The Greatest Expedition, Another Round, Blizzard of Souls, Dear Comrades!, Demonlover, A Glitch in the Matrix, Identifying Features, Keep an Eye Out, Lapsis, Long Live Rock, M.C. Escher: Journey to Infinity, Mandabi, Mirror, My Little Sister, Night of the Kings, Notturno, The People vs. Agent Orange, Preparations to be Together for an Unknown Period; Quo Vadis, Aida?; Ruth: Justice Ginsburg in Her Own Words, Sin, Still Life in Lodz, Stray, Test Pattern, 'Til Kingdom Come, True Mothers, The Tunnel, Two of Us, and You Will Die at Twenty! There also tons of select titles available on their new platform! NOW WHAT: Digital tickets are $12, so sit back and enjoy! Also Music Box To Go is still around with all the drinks and snacks you need to enjoy a movie at home!
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 new talks, so check out the wealth of upcoming and previous events in their archives! Below is just a tast of what is coming in the next few weeks 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! NOW WHAT: Head to Hideout Online, tip these fine folks accordingly, and enjoy the Hideout vibes at home! Also be aware: starting in September, Hideout online will be moving to NoonChorus and will be offering a subscription to watch their amazing lineup of shows for only for $25 a month! Check out the full details here! 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 Better Days (Starting 3/26); A Febre; Stray; Martha: A Picture Story; The Inheritance; Gipsy Queen; The Shape of Things to Come; Adam; Days of the Bagnold Summer; Leona; Preparations to be Together for an Unknown Period 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! NOW WHAT: Check out our most recent update on what museums are doing as they reopen and continue their online presence!
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 Creature in the Well, 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! Bring the Zoo to You @ Brookfield Zoo's Facebook page, when you want to see some animals besides your pets or specifically 11:00am, All Ages WHAT: A great way to make your kids' time at home entertaining and educational NOW WHAT: Join Brookfield Zoo on Facebook every weekday at 11:00am for a "Bring The Zoo To You" Facebook Live featuring one of their animals as well as plenty of educational, informative insight from one of our Animal Care Specialists. If you can't make it at 11, that's okay. The video will be saved afterward on Facebook as well as on their YouTube channel. SO WHAT: Just jump in to the chat at their Facebook page to learn something new
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.
#things to do#things to do in chicago#things to do this weekend#things to do this weekend in chicago
Julian Ramirez