FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6
Life on The Moon Exhibit, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Rare Book and Manuscript Library, free
The Life on the Moon: Literary and Scientific Reflections Exhibit will be open all day today to discuss books and manuscript material from the Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Illinois trace the history of writing about the Moon.
On display will be three artifacts from the Apollo 16 mission; including a moon rock on loan from NASA, and two artifacts used on the moon’s surface on loan from Kennesaw State University. The exhibition is curated by Marten Stromberg, Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts in The Rare Book & Manuscript Library, and Patrick Fadely, a Ph.D candidate in the University’s English Department.
The exhibition will be open during the same hours through to December 13th, but will only be open Monday-Friday. You can find out more about the exhibition here, and you can follow this link to get directions. (PY)
Hip Hop and Punk Feminism Symposium, 9 a.m.–11:30 p.m., Asian American Cultural Center Lounge, free
A number of university departments collaborated to put on this symposium, which offers both talks and performances throughout most of the day. Friday’s events include papers on hip hop and punk culture, interviews with artists and performers, and readings and performances beginning at 8 p.m. in Lincoln Hall Theater. Check the schedule for details. (RP)
Holiday Dump and Run, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., University YMCA, free
Students for Environmental Concerns is hosting its annual Holiday Dump and Run at the YMCA this Thursday and Friday. Students and community members donate gently used holiday items, so you get to pick up some new decorations at a low cost. It’s cheap and reduces waste around the holidays. (RP)
NCAA Volleyball Tournament, Huff Hall, 7 p.m., $6
This weekend the university will be hosting the NCAA Women’s Volleyball tournament. The first 100 students will receive free admission to the games. The doors open at 3:30 p.m. The tournament will also take place on Saturday. If the Illinois Women team can win both games they will go to regionals at the State Farm Center here in Champaign. (AB)
The Tons O’ Fun Band, The Viriginia Theater, 7 p.m., $5–$35
The Tons O’ Fun Band is returning to the restored Virinia Theatre. The doors will open at 6:15 p.m. for the performance. This band is a blend of classic rock ‘n roll, funk and soul. The
band will be performing all the holiday classic carols which will be sure put you in the mood for the holiday spirit. Also, all the proceeds from the event will be donated to the Tree of Hope campaign to benefit by the Developmental Services Center to help families and individuals. You can purchase your tickets online or at the door for this evening. (AB)
Girls Next Door & The Other Guys, Levis Center, 7:30 p.m., $5 advance/$7 door
The season is here and the U of I a capella groups will be perfoming classic favorites as well as other song delights at this holiday concert. The Other Guys kickoff the evening and the Girls Next Door follow up with cheerful sounds that will be sure to brighten your spirit. Tickets can be purchased on the Main Quad or at the door. (AB)
The Nutcracker, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30 p.m., price varies
To me, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker embodies the coziness of wintertime. As a senior at the University, I’m making it a point to actually go see the Nutcracker this year at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. It started last night and runs through the weekend. For various times and ticket prices, visit the Krannert page linked above. (JK)
PechaKucha Night Vol. 14 @ The HighDive. 8:20–11 p.m, $8 door/$5 advance
PKN-CU is partnering with The HighDive to host the 14th PechaKucha Night. PKNs are informal, fun gatherings where creative people get together to present their ideas and share their passion.
Music will be played by DJ Mertz, and the lineup for Vol. 14 is:
- Lindsey Gates-Markel & Andrew Schiver: Professional Amateurs
- Esteban Gast: Making Goodness Attractive
- Anna Gutsch: I see colors.
- Joanne Manaster: The History of Fashion and Science in Parallel
- Shawna Martell: Pursuing the Pre-Fab Four
- Nina Paley: Make Art Not Law
- Tyler Penrod: PechaKucha with a Vampire
- Joe Taylor: My Friend Bill
The tickets are $8 at the door, but can be purchased in advance here for $5. The show will be at The Highdive, and It starts at 8:20 and PKNs always have a great turnout, so get your tickets in advance. (PY)
The 92s, Mike Golden & Friends, Single Player, Mike ‘N Molly’s, 9 p.m., $7
Solid trio of bands set to perform at Mike ‘N Molly’s tonight, headlined by local pop-indie rock band the 92s. They’ve been hard at work at getting their new album ready to go and out into the world in 2014, so head over and hear some of their new tunes, as well as the older ones. They’re joined by Chicago’s Mike Golden & Friends, and local Sean Neumann’s moniker Single Player, plus the rest of his band. Should a good one. (PS)
Edward Scissorhands, The Art Theater Co-op, 10 p.m.
This weekend, Tim Burton’s beloved fable of a boy with shears for digits will takeover the Late Night slot at The Art. Shows are Friday and Saturday at 10 p.m., with a matinee Sunday at 11 a.m. Aside from the insanely good (one might say Tim Burtonesque) art direction, other reasons to see this film on the big screen include Johnny Depp’s masterful and sensitive performance, the return of Winona Ryder to the big screen (after a brief hiatus), and the transformation of Anthony Michael Hall from king of the gawky teen (Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club) into a slab of blond beefcake. If you’ve never seen this on the big screen, treat yourself. It’s Christmas, after all. (MG)
CHESS, The Station Theatre, 8:00 PM, $15
The Station Theatre has had pretty good luck the last few years with the “rock 
musical” format. This time around, director Mikel Matthews is tackling the Cold War favorite Chess in the Station’s friendly confines. The show runs all weekend long (all shows at 8:00 PM), then comes back Wednesday through Sunday next week. Tickets are $10 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays; $15 on Fridays and Saturdays. Call 384-4000 for reservations. (MG)
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7
Spicy Chicken Flautas & Corned Beef Slider specials, Seven Saints, 32 E Chester Street, downtown Champaign, all day
The new specials at Seven Saints are spicy chicken flautas and the corned beef slider. I’ve recently had both and they are very, very tasty. The flautas are enough for one person’s lunch or light dinner, and the corned beef slider pairs well with salads and soups. You actually get eight pieces of the flautas, but as you can see in this photo, I was a little hungry before I took the photo. Get ’em while they last! (JH)
Parkland Pops Concert, Parkland College Theatre, 1 p.m., free
An eclectic collection of movies songs will delight listeners during “Pops Goes toHollywood,” a concert by the Parkland Pops scheduled for Saturday, December 7th. The event is free and open to the public.
Director Brian Hagy will lead the 15-member chorus during the 1 p.m. concert at the Parkland Theatre. Guests will enjoy songs from such film musicals as The Wizard of Oz, Flashdance, and Footloose, as well as popular tunes such as “Fame,” “9 To 5,” “New York New York,” and “Rainbow Connection.”
The Parkland Pops choir is open to community members, including those with special needs. (MG)
Balinese Gamelan Concert, U of I Music Building Auditorium, 2 p.m., free
Gamelans—orchestras consisting of gongs, drums, and metal-keyed instruments—play music from the Indonesian island of Bali, and the sound of all those coordinated metal instruments is otherworldly. This Saturday the U of I Student Ensemble and Community Gamelan will be performing pieces they’ve been practicing throughout the semester under the direction of I Ketut Gede Asnawa, who has been teaching gamelan music at the university since 2006. The concert will be accompanied by a program of Balinese dance. (RP)
Charlie Parr, Sleep Creek Vineyards, 7 p.m., $10-$12
Enjoy tasting the wines of Champaign’s local vineyard while listening to the live sounds of folk blues musician, Charlie Parr ashe sings traditional folk blues. For groups of six or more the price is $10. So gather up some buddies and a have a relaxing evening at Sleepy Creek! (AB)
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8
Sunday Dinner, Huaraches Moroleon, 8 a.m.–8 p.m.
As the weather gets colder and increasingly more miserable, I find myself seriously craving hot and spicy food. Word is spicy speeds up your metabolism, which means I can eat more pie, right? Regardless of potential weight-loss, Huaraches Moroleon in Urbana serves up some flavorful, spicy (or not, if that’s not your bag) food stuffs. Take a break from cooking and enjoy a relatively inexpensive dinner that transports you south of the border. (JH)
Dallas Buyers Club, The Art Theater, 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m., or 7:30 p.m., price varies
Matthew McConaughey is on fire in 2013. First, there was Mud a handful of months back, and now he’s got this one, Dallas Buyers Club, which is a gem. He’s also a supporting actor in the upcoming The Wolf of Wall Street alongside Leo DiCaprio. That’s another one on my radar to see in the upcoming weeks. As for Dallas Buyers Club, go see it, but make sure you’re there on time, because when I saw it last week, the film started at 7:30 p.m. sharp. Not joking. The story of an HIV-positive Texan and how he adapts to the disease in the 1980s is pretty incredible, and Jared Leto is pretty stellar in this one as well. A really, really great film. It’s a good one to go see on a Sunday afternoon or evening, no doubt. (PS)
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