Complaints Choir @ MCA, Empty Bottle

An international movement is afoot, and it involves lots of regular Joes and Joannas singing away their nags and gripes. It's the Complaints Choir, a project initiated by Finnish couple Tellervo Kalleinen and Oliver Kochta-Kallleinen in 2005. In the past few weeks, dozens of Chicagoans have been getting together to practice singing their complaints, and today you can hear the results during two performances at the Museum of Contemporary Art, starting at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. 220 E. Chicago Ave. Later in the evening, the Choir heads north to the Empty Bottle for an 8 p.m. show. 1035 N. Western Ave. Tomorrow, the Choir will perform on various locations in Chicago without prior notice.

The Front/Gallepartmenty @ 1307 N. Bosworth

The Front is a gallery event and art, design, and writing extravaganza put on by the residents of 1307 N. Bosworth. Stop by Apts. 1F, 2F and 3F from 4-9pm to check out work from a dozen artists. They've got a really cool flyer, so this one looks promising.

Opening: Mr. Fluxus @ Neo-Futurarium

The Neo-Futurists continue their 2007-08 season with Mr. Fluxus, a combined interactive show and installation by Neo-Futurist founder Greg Allen. Mr. Fluxus is a tribute to the Fluxus network of artists, and will encourage the audience to explore all of the rooms of the Neo-Futurists' theater space. Showtimes start at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $15, $10 for students/seniors, or pay-what-you-can on Thursday nights and during previews. Mr. Fluxus runs through December 8. Please see the Neo-Futurist Website for more details and to purchase tickets. Neo-Futurarium: 5153 N. Ashland (at Foster). (773) 275-5255.

Umbrella Music Fest: Saturday @ The Hideout

The third night of the Umbrella Music Festival is at the Hideout (1354 W Wabansia Ave, 773.227.4433). Mahall/Bishop/McBride/Jennessen take the stage at 9pm, followed by Mateen/Carter/Zerang at 10 pm, and at 11pm, then Ingebrigt Håker Flaten Quintet performs. A dance party led by bassist and DJ Josh Abrams commences at 12 am. For more info, check the Umbrella Music website.

Brighton, MA; The Forms; Brad Peterson @ Beat Kitchen

The clocks fall back at 2AM on Saturday night, so you've got an extra hour with which to do your witching -- and Brighton, MA, The Forms, and Brad Peterson will be waiting for you at the Beat Kitchen. Headlining chamber-rockers Brighton MA have been confidently described as sounding like "what would have happened if Bob Dylan got drunk with The Kinks. And maybe Van Morrison showed up with some drum mallets. And there was a light show." That's quite an act to lead into, but the lush instrumentation of Brooklyn's The Forms seems like it might be able to keep up, with all manner of piano-driven melodies washing over layers of synths and vocal harmonies. Longtime Chicago resident Brad Peterson will open the night with his eponynous backing band and catalog of danceable folk-pop, and then, instead of going home, the rest of the city will spill out before you for one more glorious hour. We'll be there. Will you?

Brighton, MA, The Forms, and Brad Peterson at the Beat Kitchen, 1100 W. Belmont. Doors @ 9:00 pm, show @ 9:30pm, $10.00 ($8 advance). 18 and over. Tickets online here.

Open House, Homecoming Dance @ Old Town School of Folk Music

The Old Town School of Folk Music continues its 50th anniversary celebration with a day of free workshops at their spacious school building at 4544 N. Lincoln. From 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM the school will offer free sample classes in everything from percussion to fiddle to belly dancing to ... just about everything else that the school offers. Check the Old Town School Website for a listing of the classes that will be offered. In addition to the classes, there will be a series of cabaret performances in the afternoon and evening, and a homecoming dance with music provided by Bric-A-Brac at 8:30 PM (tickets for the dance are $12, $10 for OTS members, and can be purchased through Ticketweb).

Arctic @ Millennium Park

Part of the Chicago Humanities Festival, this multimedia installation "combines chilling video footage with sounds recorded on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen and reassembled into a haunting hour-long sound and video spectacular." At the Pritzker Pavillion, 9 AM to 10 PM. Free. For more information, visit the website.

2007 Third Coast Audio Festival Awards Ceremony @ Vittum Theatre

If you simply must be the first to know the winners of the Third Coast Festival awards, come to this ceremony, which starts at 8 PM and is followed by a champagne reception. Tickets ($30) go on sale 1 October. 1012 N Noble. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the website.

Opening: Jasper Johns @ Art Institute

This exhibit, which runs through 6 January, is a retrospective of the work of the acclaimed American artist in terms of his gray sculptures, prints, paintings, and drawings. 111 S Michigan. For more information, call 312-443-3600 or visit the website.

Opening: Mapping the Self @ MCA

Coordinating with the citywide Festival of Maps, this exhibit "explore[s] how artists use mapmaking to understand and explain themselves and the world around them." Through 10 February, 220 E Chicago. For more information, call 312-280-2660 or visit the website.

SOFA Chicago @ Navy Pier

The International Exposition of Sculpture Objects and Functional Art returns to Navy Pier with objects from nearly 100 dealers from 19 countries. The weekend-long show also includes a lecture program, film screening, and several special exhibits. 600 E Grand, 11 AM to 8 PM. Tickets are $15/day or $25 for a 3-day ticket. For more information, call 800-563-7632 or 773-506-8860 or visit the website.

Opening: Ptolemy's Geography and Renaissance Mapmakers @ Newberry Library

This exhibit of 37 original maps and texts shows how the work of the 2nd century Greek astronomer was adopted by mapmakers in the 15th and 16th centuries. Through 16 February. 60 W Walton. For more information, visit the website.

Conference for Conscious Living @ U of C

EarthSave Chicago hosts Conference for Conscious Living on animal compassion and vegan living. Guest speakers cover topics such as animal agriculture's effects on global warming and discuss connections animal rights has with feminism and civil rights. Ida Noyes Hall, University of Chicago, 1212 E. 59th Street. $40 advance, $50 at the door. 8 am to 4 pm.

Winter Green City Market @ Notebaert Nature Museum

Green City's Winter Market goes November 3rd through the end of December at the Notebaert Nature Museum. Shop for locally grown, sustainable foods, fresh from the farm. The Winter Market highlights efforts to build a sustainable, year-round, local food system in the Chicago region. Farmers are working hard to extend their growing season, using hoop houses and greenhouses, so that you can continue to enjoy fresh local produce throughout the year.

2340 N. Cannon Drive (Bus 151-Sheridan and 136-LaSalle)
Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7:00 am to 12:00 noon

The Idiots @ Lakeshore Theater

The Idiots, a comedy about the less talented sons of DNA Discoverers Watson and Crick, battle it out at 8:00 p.m. tonight at Lakeshore Theater (Broadway and Belmont). Tickets are $15; click here for more information.