El Vez @ Double Door

El Vez, the Mexican Elvis (the alter ego of The Zeros' guitarist Robert Lopez), will be appearing tonight at the Double Door at 10:00. If you've never seen an El Vez show, you really should check it out; El Vez not only includes a Mexican flavor in the Elvis cover tunes ("Caliente Amor" instead of "Burning Love" and "Huararches Azules" instead of "Blue Suede Shoes"), but he also includes songs from the entire rock'n'roll catalog, with a penchant for including punk tunes (on his recent Christmas album, El Vez recast The Stooges' "Now I Wanna Be Your Dog" as "Now I Wanna Be Santa Claus"). Definitely recommended. Double Door: 1572 N. Milwaukee. (773) 489-3160.

Photography Opening @ 4Art Gallery

Five local photographers of various styles present a new show titled “The MEDIUM” at the 4Art Gallery (1932 S Halsted) in the Pilsen neighborhood. An opening reception will take place Friday from 6-10pm. The show will run through January 1, 2005.

Photography from “The MEDIUM” highlights a variety of styles including realism, fantasy, fashion, organic emotions and fetishes. 

The opening will also feature a fashion show from designer Agnieszka Kulon’s Kreatia line; four one-of-a-kind natural fabric garments based on Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” with music mixed by local sound editor, Lesley Fogle.  DJ “Nathaniel (Bez)” will provide additional music for the opening, spinning down tempo records along with original work.

The featured photographers are Adam Bielawski, Piotr Buczynski, Agnieszka Kulon, Stan Malinowski and Mariah D.Smith. 

The Roots @ HOB

Check out The Roots at the House of Blues tonight at 8 pm. Tickets are $35, and the show is 18+.

Rhino Theater Fest: A Dangerous Ornithology

A piece by James Owens, part of the Rhinoceros Theater Festival. "The lives of seeming strangers become interwoven during the pressure of war in a one party state. Amidst the rising violence surrounding him, a prison camp worker is gripped by an irresistible urge to defy the laws. After a chance encounter on a train with an accountant who seems to share his thoughts, the prison worker discovers he is caught in a circle of murder, sex, and ritual. The cycle must be broken before all is lost. The problem is that, when neither history nor your own senses can be trusted, reality becomes the enemy." 9pm, Curious Theatre Branch, 7001 N Glenwood. $12 or pay what you can. Call 773-274-6660 for reservations.

The Party @ Film Center

One of Peter Sellers' non-"Pink Panther" collaborations with Blake Edwards, The Party is the story of one Hrundi V. Bakshi, an Indian actor who single-handedly destroys a film version of Gunga Din and is still somehow invited to a party at the producer's house. Some subtle gags that don't hit you over the head with their obviousness (check out what happens when Sellers accidentally puts his hand in a pile of caviar). The film screens tonight at the Siskel Film Center at 6:00, and also on Tuesday the 16th at 6:00. "Birdie num-nums." Siskel Film Center: 164 N. State. (312) 846-2600.

Bolshoi Ballet and Orchestra

Beginning this week, the famed Bolshoi Ballet and Orchestra sets up shop at the Auditorium Theatre, rotating between performances of two Marius Petipa classics, Don Quixote and Raymonda. If you like dance, or can at least appreciate a beautiful, technically-precise spectacle, this will be worth checking out. And, as the Reader suggests, it seems fortunate that the company isn't staging their modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, so I'll gladly take what we can get. Tickets are available now through Ticketmaster.

Eddie Izzard @ Tower Records

British comedian/transvestite/man-about-town Eddie Izzard will promote his latest DVD "Circle" as well as his current world tour "Sexie" at the Tower Records at 2301 N. Clark Street #200, Chicago tonight at 6 p.m. Izzard's most recent DVD releases also include the shows "Glorious" and "Dress to Kill," which won two Emmys.

Kompakt Returns to Smart Bar

Following up a successful visit over this year's Halloween weekend, Cologne-based techno and house label Kompakt invades Chicago's Smart Bar once again, this time featuring performances from Superpitcher and relative-newcomer Ada. Meiotic Promotions are putting the event together, and as such, will help staff tonight's opening slots with DJs like Audiophile, m50, and Matthew Martin. Smart Bar is located at 3730 N Clark, underneath Metro. Tickets are $10, 21 and up only.

Nigella Lawson Book-Signing

Nigella Lawson, international culinary hottie, will be at Barbara's Bookstore in Marshall Field's, 111 N. State, at noon to sign copies of her latest cookbook, FEAST: Food to Celebrate Life. Call 312/781-3033 for more info.

Furilla Opening Party @ Rotofugi

Head to Rotofugi, 1953 W. Chicago, tonight between 7pm and 11pm for "Furilla: The Untold Story," the opening party for the designer toy store's latest gallery show.

"Meet Furilla artist/discoverer Toren Orzeck and party down as we celebrate
the opening of "Furilla: The Untold Story" in our humble little gallery
space. OK, it's more like a gallery corner, we admit it. Regardless, stop
on by Friday night for drinks and listen to Clayton Counts spin an
eclectic mix of jazz, rock and hip-hop. Win signed Furilla goodies (or buy
them and get Tory to sign them). Good times."

Free. Call 312/491-9501 for more info.

Regenstein Library Book Sale

U of C's Regenstein library holds its annual book sale this week. Prices are reduced each day and on Saturday everything left is free! The sale takes place from 9:30am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday, and 10am to 2pm Saturday. You can find the sale in room 120B, which is to the left when you come in the front doors -- or just look for a big crowd of bargain-hunters looking for deals.

Hot Improv @ The Playground

Tonight at 8 p.m. The Playground Theater presents four improv teams for just $10. Pimprov, Space Robbers, The Fling and Homey Loves Chachi perform for your amusement and general well-being. The Playground theater is located at 3209 N. Halsted, Chicago. Drinking is encouraged. BYOB.