FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1
Artists Against AIDS Kick-Off, Emerald City Lounge, 5:30–7:30 p.m.
There’s not much information about this event on the Facebook page, but from what I can glean, this Friday night is meant to publicly kick off the run down to the actual event, get out information about participation, volunteering, etc.
Appetizers will be served, compliments of Emerald City. (TN)
The Master, Art Theater Co-op, Friday, 6:00 & 9:00 p.m. | Saturday, 12:00, 6:00, & 9:00 p.m. | Sunday, 12:00, 3:00, & 6:00 p.m.
The Master is loosely based on the early life of the loathsome bullshit artist L. Ron Hubbard. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Lancaster Dodd, “a homespun philosopher and cult leader in postwar America.” Joaquin Phoenix plays his hapless victim. It’s directed by P.T. Anderson (There Will be Blood). This film has received rave reviews, including from our own Chike Coleman. (TN)
Fleeting, indi go Artist Co-Op, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Fleeting, curated by Christina McClelland, is fourteen artists’ exploration of “impermanence” and “the temporary and ephemeral nature of art and its subjects.”
Featuring:
Liene Bosque
Firat Erdim
Steven Frost
Kate Hampel & James Pepper Kelly
Joel Parsons
Nicole Pietrantoni
Patrick Reed
Matthew Schlagbaum
Nicole Seisler
Olivia Valentine
Urbana Land Arts
Allison Wade
Erin Washington
Sarah Beth Woods
Christina McClelland’s website has links to all of the featured artists’ work. (TN)
February Dance 2013, Krannert’s Colwell Playhouse, Friday–Saturday, 7:30 p.m., $10–$17
As part of the Dance at Illinois Series, February Dance will feature new dances by faculty artists Rebecca Nettl-Fiol and Catrina Choate-Heretoiu, as well as a new work by alumnus and Bay Area choreographer Sheldon Smith. Renée Wadleigh and third-year MFA candidate Renée Archibald collaborate on new choreography featuring seven women and an original score by Jason Finkelman. (TN)
So Many Dynamos, That’s No Moon, I am God, Mike ‘N Molly’s, 8:00 p.m., $7
If you missed So Many Dynamos when they stopped through C-U for Pygmalion back in September, you’re in luck, because they’re back. They seem to have a new record in the works, so I’m sure they’ll be performing a lot their new tunes, or some songs off their new self-titeld EP that came out at the end of last year (check out “Analysis Paralysis” below). Not much else to say about this bill except that there are two pretty solid locals to pump them up before they go on. (PS)
[[mp3 so_many_dynamos_analysis_paralysis]]
Mike Ingram & Kayla Brown, JT Walker’s Restaurant & Sports Bar, 9:30 p.m.
Yeah, yeah, I know; the venue’s in Mahomet. But if Mike and Kayla can make the drive, then so can you. So if you’re in the neighborhood or up for a short road trip, take your happy ass to Mahomet and see two of the best performers in C-U play some tunes. You’ll be glad you did. 401 East Main Street in Mahomet. Look for the place with the awesome music. (MG)
Mathew’s right. Whenever I take the time to see Mike & Kayla, I’m always glad I did. (TN)
Late Night House-made Sausages, Black Dog Smoke and Ale House, 11:00 p.m.
Look, it’s February now, so you can forget that bullshit diet you were pretending to be on and just sack it away now. And no better time, as Josh Boyd is just startin’ to heat up late nights at Black Dog with his new menu of sausages, sausages, and well, sausages. Sure, there are other things to eat, but I mean, c’mon, you are going to pass up a Duck Sausage called the Decadent Bitch, or maybe it’s called the Darkwing Duck? Who cares — of course you aren’t.
Oh, and they are serving a goddamned chili cheese dog as well. (updated at 1:35 a.m.)
(SF)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2
Final Night of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Station Theatre, $15, 8:00 p.m.
This is it, folks! Closing performance of a fast, rowdy, crowd-pleasing bit of musical theater called Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson! Directed by Mikel Matthews and featuring a high-energy cast of talented young singers and actors, this controversial and hilarious show will be talked about long after it’s gone!
Check out Smile Politely’s preview and review, then call (217) 384-4000 for reservations! (MG)
Hemmingbirds, The Please Please Me, Cobalt & The Hired Guns, Memphis on Main, 10 p.m., $5
Pretty solid bill going down at another great watering hole downtown in Memphis on Main this weekend. Chicago’s Hemmingbirds put out a pretty awesome record last year, and you can stream one of those new tracks below (“Heart Attack”) to see for yourself. The Please Please Me (or formerly known as Jessie Torrisi & The Please Please Me? I’m not sure when they dropped the JT part) are a trio from the great city of Austin, Texas, who have been through town a few times in the past few years. Cobalt & The Hired Guns are sandwiched in between the two for a pretty solid bill for $5. Even if you don’t care for the tunes as much as others, Memphis has awesome new gambling machines into which you can feed your money and dream about what you’re going to buy if it spits it all back out (which is most likely won’t, but it’ll still be fun). (PS)
[[mp3 hemmingbirds_heart_attack]]
White Trash & Wasted: The Brooklyn Styles Review, Emerald City Lounge, 11:00 p.m.–2:00 a.m., $5
After you’ve seen the fantastic Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson!, head over to Emerald City Lounge for a Bloody Mary and a fantastic drag show. Saturday’s show will be awesome. We’ll have performances by DeCevia Mann, TJ Taylor, and Jayla V Carrington. The show is hosted by Brooklyn Styles & MaKena Knight.
As always, there will be tons of drink specials. VIP tables are on sale, and include cover and wait service. (TN)
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3
Duck Fat Fries, Bunny’s Tavern, All Day
You gotta hand it to a place like Bunny’s in Downtown Urbana. The place just does not give a fuck. In addition to being the oldest bar in Urbana, and catering to everyone from a high profile lawyer to the town drunk (the way a real Tavern should), they’ve also decided to go all Brooklyn-hipster on us by serving up Duck Fat Fries on Sundays. That’s right. Literally, according to house manager Ben Manns, they clear the fryers of the standard vegetable oil, and fill it to the brim with duck fat. Then, it’s on. But, wait — they don’t end it there. You can get them sumbitches covered and smothered with whole hog sausage gravy and a fried egg or braised brisket. Or truffle and parmesan. Oh, right, they are also serving pan fried chicken livers to boot. So, uh, when did Bunny’s decide to up their game? I am not sure, but an interview is coming soon. (SF)