FRIDAY, APRIL 13
3rd Annual Turn it UP! , 7:00–11:00 p.m.
88 Broadway
Tickets: $7 Presale; $10 for Adults; $7 Students/Youth
Come out and Turn It UP! to help support the UP Center.
For the past two years, Turn It UP! has brought together a diverse group of performers for a night of entertainment and festivities, with all proceeds benefiting the UP Center of Champaign County.
This year, the third annual Awesome Ally Award will be presented to a nominee from the community. There will be catering available courtesy of Piato’s, drinks available through 88 Broadway, and a cash prize raffle.
This year’s show will be hosted by Josh (from radio station 96.1) and DJ Craig will be spinning all night.
Live Music:
Isaac Arms
Eminence
Angie Heaton
Megan Johns
Lance Keene
Tom Miebach and Justin Powell
Tusken Raiders
Trapstar Stevenson
Brendan Summers
Spoken Word:
Jamie Marlow
Sylph
Comedy/Improv:
Abe Froman Project
Jesse Long
Drag:
Crystal Champagne
Kelasia Karmika
Leiloni Stars
After the show there will be a private screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show at 88 Broadway for all adult attendees of Turn It UP!
For more information about this event and the UP Center, in general, check out the podcast for last Friday’s Smile Politely Radio. (TN)
Larger poster image (pdf)
Our Town, Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
This production of Thornton Wilder’s 1938 play, won’t be that sentimental high school drama you might have been forced to attend (or perform in). The actual script “comments on both the ordinary and the profound aspects of life in a small town, the United States, the Earth, and the universe, [and] was an edgy theatrical experiment and a sophisticated philosophical examination in its time.” Henson Keys directs. (TN)
John Prine with special guests Eric Brace & Peter Cooper, 8 p.m., $49.50 and $59.50
Virginia Theatre
If there were ever a time to go see a show in Champaign-Urbana, tonight might simply be the night. Joel Gillespie gave us a preview earlier this week, and now you can go see for yourself. The man is an icon; plain and simple. (SF)
Try to sort out what I saw at the Crispin Hellion Glover event
If you were there, then please chime in. Crispin Hellion Glover had a pretty good turn out at the Art Theater Wednesday and Thursday night. I found him to be quite nice and humble when talking with him one-on-one after the show. I really enjoyed his “Big Slide Show” and one of the strangest things was that some of it started making sense during night two. The films were a little too much for me at times, but I enjoyed It is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE. much more. The whole thing is a bit of a head scratcher and I won’t be able to get it out of my head all weekend. At some point, he’ll probably stop appearing in my dreams and I’ll be able to rest easy again. If you missed it, check out his page for his tour information, or talk to your mom who was there and had previously only seen Glover in Back to the Future. She was afraid that we “lost Crispin” for awhile during his Big Slide Show. (JS)
SATURDAY, APRIL 14
The Bike Project’s Spring Bike Swap, 1:00–5:00 p.m., Free admission
Latzer Hall, University YMCA, 1001 South Wright Street, Champaign
If you’re looking for some miscellaneous bike parts and accessories or have something you’d like to trade, head to the University Y for this event. Last year, there was an amazing variety of unique stuff, and Michael Burns has outdone himself this year. Check it out! (JG)
University of Illinois Football Orange and Blue Spring Game, Memorial Stadium 2 p.m., Free
I don’t really know or care all that much about U of I Football (I’m from Ohio and writing this in my Ohio State sweatshirt), but I know that a new era is starting with new head coach Tim Beckman. This is the perfect opportunity for someone with mild interest in U of I football, an interest in massive amounts of people all on their phones, and hot dogs. It’s also a perfect time to check out the new guy and the players because it’s free and you won’t feel obligated to stay. Plus, they play themselves, so they can’t lose and break your heart. (JS)
Second Annual Urbana-Champaign Mini Maker Faire, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Independent Media Center
The Urbana-Champaign Mini Maker Faire takes after its parent event, Maker Faire, which hosts 90,000 visitors in San Mateo, California every spring. This is a smaller, community-focused event, but follows the Maker Faire model of celebrating do-it-yourself creativity and tinkering.
The U-C Mini Maker Faire is a family-friendly celebration that features “rockets and robots, DIY science and technology, alternative energy, bicycles, unique hand-made crafts, music, and educational workshops and installations.”
For more information about this event, check out our interview with one of its organizers, Suzanne Linder. (TN)
Dance Against AIDS, 9:00 p.m.–2:00 a.m.
Emerald City Lounge
Tickets: $5
The Sexual Health Peers and Emerald City Lounge invite you to come dance the night away. More than half of the proceeds from this fundraiser will go to the Greater Community AIDS Project, an organization that provides support to people living with HIV/AIDS in our community. (TN)
Hathaways, That’s No Moon, Evil Tents
Cowboy Monkey at 10 p.m., $5
We should always try to remember the great things that places like Parasol produce or have produced. Even after its doors closed last winter, there is still a lot of warmth within those four walls. Things typically die in the winter, but this year’s weather made us forget about all of that. Still, seeing that name around on a bill like this makes us remember the great things to come out of that old brick establishment over on Griggs. But forget about nostalgia for a minute, and check out Hathaways on Saturday at Cowboy Monkey. They are releasing The Parasol Sessions vol. 1, which was recorded in Parasol where a lot of great sounds have bounced around. (PS)
Bloody Hot ‘n Dirty, Anytime
Boltini Lounge
Vodka, hot sauce, olive juice, house Bloody Mary mix, bleu cheese stuffed olives, and a Bloody Mary mix rim. It’s a Bloody Mary and dirty martini in one glass. Need I say more? Oh yeah, get a cab home if you have more than one. It’s stronger than you might think. (SK)
Road Trip to Arcola: El Taco Tako, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.
I just can’t get over how much I love a good taco. I’ve even started saying the name of the food with a long A sound instead to give it extra effect. No more Tah-Ko. To me, it’s a TaC-ko. I’m silly like that. There’s a bunch of good ones around here. But Spring puts me into road trip mode, and road trips make me think about the fact that my favorite Tac-Kos in the whole world are just south of here in Arcola, Ill. El Taco Tako is where you wanna go this weekend for some serious Tac-Kos. No lie. Give them a shot. Best I’ve had ever I think. And mainly because of how they fry the tortillas. Simply delicious.
Plus, it’s really good to get out and explore the immediate are sometimes. There’s a lot of great food being served just within a 30 minute radius. In fact, I think I’ll start trying some more of those places out and writing about it… (SF)
SUNDAY, APRIL 15
Dances of Universal Peace: A Celebration of Spring!, 3:30–?
The Channing-Murray Foundation invites you to join dance leader Naomi Wilansky and others in timeless traditional dance for inner renewal, followed by vegetarian potluck (at 5:00). Bring dinnerware and side veggies, fruit, salads, bread, or dessert to share (vegetarian lasagna & refreshments provided).
This dance is free and open to the public. No experience or special attire are required. Please RSVP. (TN)
Church RULES. Especially if you are baked. (SF)
Oh wait, this isn’t church. You should still get baked though. (SF)