FRIDAY, April 10th
Lunch of sausage and peppers, bacaro, 11:30 a.m.-gone (probably by 1:30p.m.), $12
If you haven’t heard about bacaro’s Friday lunches yet, you have been missing out. Last Friday I ate the most amazing Philly cheese steak (pictured here) and side of hand cut fries and washed it down with a sweet and sinful fancy soda. This week’s lunch is a sausage and peppers sub, served with a side of fries and a fancy soda. For only $12. The portions are generous, and you will be more than full — in fact, you’ll probably need a nap when you return to work, so plan accordingly. (JH)
Super Mega Awesome Big Fun Art Show and Boneyard Arts Festival, Fluid Events Center, all weekend, starting at 5 p.m. Friday
An (admitted) late addition to the Weekender is this event happening at the Fluid Events Center. Tons of bands, artists, DJs, and other “super mega awesome” things as a part of 40 North’s Boneyard Arts Festival. Check out the whole event listing above, and more from 40 North’s Boneyard Festival here. (PS)
Master of Fine Arts exhibition, Krannert Art Museum, 5 p.m.
In this annual exhibition, Masters of Fine Arts graduates in the School of Art + Design at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign present works that represent the culmination of intense artistic development for graduate students in studio art and design. Marking a meaningful step further into the art world, the exhibition highlights and celebrates the artists’ exceptional creativity, curiosity, and inventiveness. The Public Opening Reception for the exhibition will be held April 11th, from 5 to 7 p.m. The exhibit will show April 11th through May 2nd. (TP)
Turn It Up!, Guido’s, 7-10 p.m., $7.50 online in advance or $10 at the door
Spend your Friday night seeing performers from all over the community at an event that benefits one of the coolest organizations around: The Uniting Pride (UP) Center. The show features drag, stand-up comedy, musicians, DJs, fabulous emcees, and more. All proceeds benefit the UP Center’s work in C-U and neighboring communities. Check out our recent SPodcast about what to expect at this year’s event. You can buy tickets in advance through the UP Center’s website. (RP)
Not About Nightingales, Krannert Center, 7:30 p.m.
From Illinois Theatre’s synopsis: “Inspired by a 1938 story of prisoner abuse that resulted in four inmate deaths, Tennessee Williams wrote Not About Nightingales, a dramatic cry for justice, while a student at the University of Iowa. Nearly 60 years later, Vanessa Redgrave unearthed the drama from the playwright’s archives in Texas, which led to Trevor Nunn’s 1998 production at the National Theatre in London. Produced in cooperation with Houston’s Alley Theatre, the Depression-era play blended imagery familiar from prison movies of the day with the more poetic themes that would develop in Williams’ later work. The 1998 production, and its 1999 Broadway remounting, created a sensation that spurred interest in early work by this groundbreaking playwright. With its 2015 production, Illinois Theatre completes a multiyear project of producing these plays.” Directed by Tom Mitchell, who is a heavyweight in the field of Tennessee Williams research and staging, this should prove to be a powerful evening of theatre. (MG)
Tink, Main Event, Canopy Club, doors at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m., $17 advance, $20 door
Chicago’s Tink can sing as well as she can rap — and she does both very well. Her debut album Ratchet Commandments is looking good so far since she released the first single from it, the title track. Plus, at a SXSW performance this year, Tibmaland said that Aaliyah came to him in a dream and told him that Tink is “The One.” How could you miss her? (MR)
NE-HI + Grandkids, Again is Already, Mike N Molly’s, 9 p.m., $7
Grandkids return to familiar turf after their move to Chicago and will bring their special brand of indie music to Mike N Molly’s. Joining them will be Ne-Hi, also hailing from Chicago. Ne-Hi’s brand of anthemic rock is perfect for a spring/summer soundtrack and will be a welcome sound to Champaign, despite the inclement weather of late. (TP)
SATURDAY, April 11th
See an art exhibition in someone’s backyard, The Outhaus, 5 p.m.
There will be a new site-specific work by veteran institutional critique artist and UIUC MFA student Harvey Opgenorth opening this Saturday, April 11 at the Outhaus, 709 E Sunnycrest Dr, Urbana. The works included will be: “You Know Who You Look Like?,””The Limits of Control,” and “Upsidedown Welcome Pineapple.” Opening reception is from 5-8 p.m. Visit the artist’s website here. (MG)
Think about Mother’s Day and/or Graduation reservations, all day, prices varyby location
I know that it’s a month out (Mother’s Day is May 10th; U of I commencement is May 17th) but reservations celebratory brunches and lunches and dinners fill quickly. For Mother’s Day, check out Events at Refinery, Silvercreek, and Radio Maria. For commencement, consider bacaro, Silvercreek, Escobar’s, and Milo’s. If you’re not celebrating either, make a note to go grocery shopping a few days earlier. (JH)
Books to Prisoners Book Sale, The Independant Media Center, 12-5 p.m.
At $1 for a hardcover, 50 cents for paperbacks and 25 cents for children’s books, Urbana-Champaign Books to Prisoners is having a used book sale to benefit their cause, sending books to the incarcerated across Illinois. Find some spring/summer reading for a good cause! (MR)
Local Author Festival, Champaign Public Library, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., free
As part of the Boneyard Arts Festival, the CPL will be hosting an afternoon of conversation with local authors. Amy Hassinger (11 a.m.), Frank Chadwick (12 p.m.), Molly MacRae (1 p.m.), and Michael Perry (2 p.m.) will be discussing their latest projects and signing books. (RP)
Mothers and Sons, The Station Theatre, 8 p.m.
This is your final opportunity to see the Station’s production of Terrence McNally’s recent Broadway work Mothers and Sons. Barbara Ridenour stars as Katharine, “a woman who pays an unexpected visit to the New York apartment of her late son’s partner, who is now married to another man and has a young son. Challenged to face how society has changed around her, generations collide as she revisits the past and begins to see the life her son might have led” (Station website summary). Also starring Thom Schnarre, Eric Beckley, and Max Libman. (MG)
SUNDAY, April 12th
Prepare for Ebertfest, all day, free
It’s called Lazy Sunday for a reason, right? Well, if you’re looking for something to do while being lazy, hang out and check out what’s slated for this year’s installment of Ebertfest at the Virginia Theatre. For starters, check out Mathew’s article (linked above) for a rundown of the films that will be shown throughout the week. Second, check your own schedule. Are you free? Next: Do you have tickets? Do all of those things and see if you can, because if you can, you should. (PS)
Hop Along, Windmills, Euriah, Mike N Molly’s, $10, 8 p.m.
Admittedly, I’m a bit late to the game in figuring out what Hop Along even sounds like. I had a chance to check out some of their material (really, as I’m typing this) — and it’s pretty awesome. Super gritty with a indie/punk edge to it, and they have a new record coming out pretty soon on Saddle Creek. You can check out a couple of new songs here and here. This will be a really good one with locals Windmills and Euriah attached as openers. Sunday night show, sure — but $10 for these three is a pretty solid deal. It’ll fill up pretty quickly, too, so I suggest grabbing tickets in advance if you’re gung-ho about hitting this one. (PS)
Found and Lost: Story of Pluto, Staerkel Planetarium, 7:30 p.m.
Catch the debut of the comedy musical “Found and Lost: Story of Pluto” this Sunday, April 12th, at 7:30 p.m. It’s all happening at Staerkel Planetarium at Parkland College. The staff of the Planetarium have waived the usual rental fee for this event, but a $1 donation at the door is suggested. The video presentation will last approximately 30-45 minutes, making this one of the shortest major musical comedy events currently on record (which is fitting, given that Pluto just barely qualifies as a thing). There will also be live comedy performed by the cast of the video, including Jessica Renae, Joe Barlow, Terrance Lamonte, Brendan Blaber, Grant Alexander, Esteban Gast. (MG)
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