Planet Earth: New Wave dance club @ Subterranean

DJ Dave Roberts + Kristine present Planet Earth Chicago, the city's premiere New Wave/punk/ska club night, at Subterranean (2022 W. North). Appearing along with the music will be representatives from Laurie's Planet of Sound, dancing by Space Cadets, lighting and sound by Gill T., photos by Freeze Frame, and plenty more surprises! Doors open at 10:00, and it's a 21+ show. Tickets are $5 in advance, $10 at the door, and can be purchased at Ticketweb.

Windy City Rhythms @ Vittum Theater

Chicago Human Rhythm Project (CHRP) celebrates National Tap Dance Day. Featuring 2008 Artist in Residence Guillem Alonso, founder of Barcelona’s Tap Olé and member of Camut Band; new works by CHRP’s performance ensemble BAM!; Tre Dumas’ new ensemble JustLisTeN; Julie Cartier’s re-imagined ensemble, The Cartier Collective; Be The Groove, a young and edgy ensemble that evolved from Northwestern University’s Boomshaka; emerging young artists Nico Rubio and Jabowen Taylor’s “IllNoise”; the Huntley Hoofers, a group of more than 50 women and 12 men in their 50s, 60s and 70s from Huntley, Illinois, directed by Sandy Oldham; and more. Through May 24. $25 adults, $20 seniors and students, $15 children under 12. 8 p.m. 1012 N. Noble St. For more info or tickets, call 773-281-1825 or visit the Website.

Kevin Sampsell, James Stegall and Jackie Corley @ Quimby's

Kevin Sampsell, James Stegall and Jackie Corley will be at Quimby's to talk about their most recent work. Free. 7pm. 1854 W. North Ave. Call 773-342-0910 for more information.

Avant/Chicago Presents Machine DJs At Orbit Room

The Orbit Room is one of the best new spots in the city featuring a mod interior, huge back deck and $2 beers specials to make any bar jealous. (and help save you some scratch) Tonight The Machine DJs drop Chicago funk, soul and rock while you dance and mingle in the chill environs. Presented by local music blog Avant/Chicago. The Orbit Room is located out 2959 N. California and music runs from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m.

Burning Ring of Truth: A Tribute to Johnny Cash @ Ronny's

Tonight, eight of Chicago’s best rock and country acts will celebrate the music of Johnny Cash’s music at “Burning Ring of Truth: A Tribute to Johnny Cash" at Ronny's. Each band will play at least two classic songs by the Man in Black, plus other Cash-influenced covers and original material. The line-up for the evening (from last to first) is as follows: Al Scorch, Tijuana Hercules, Slink Moss & the Flying Aces, the Waco Brothers, John Huss Moderate Combo, Lawrence Peters Outfit, Frosty, and True Historians. Mia Park, hostess of the hit local dance show Chic-A-Go-Go, will perform the Johnny-and-June duet “Jackson” with John Huss, and will emcee the show, reading selected passages from the book between bands. The evening also marks the book release party for the newly published volume of essays, Johnny Cash and Philosophy, which was co-edited by John Huss. For more information, see the article on our Transmission page. Ronny's, 2101 N. California. Doors open at 9 PM, and admission is $10.

Aloft Aerial Dance @ The Aloft Loft

Come see some acrobatic dancers create a story in the air using ... giant lampshades. And picture frames and clotheslines and boots, oh my! Aloft Aerial Dance presents The Dinner of our Discontent, in which they tell the story--which "veers from heartbreaking to hilarious"--of five estranged sisters returning home after the sudden deaths of their parents.
May 16-18 and 23-25, 8:00 p.m. at the Aloft Loft, 941 N California Ave. (down the alley, in the back). $20-$30 tickets at Brown Paper Tickets

Johnny Ten Bones at Gorilla Tango Theatre

Brain Surgeon Theater's new show is a rock & roll musical, as well as a montage of dreams and nightmares, featuring a cast of adults and kids. Based on the nocturnal musings of the cast, who wrote the show as a group, this play aims to find out what goes bump in the night--and why. Friday at 6 pm, Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm. Tickets are $10. Visit Brain Surgeon's site to buy tickets. Or pick them up at Gorilla Tango Theater, 1919 N Milwaukee Ave, 773-598-4549.

Pilcrow Lit Fest

For four days in May, Pilcrow Lit Fest will bring authors, writers, poets, librarians, booksellers, and publishers from around the country together in support of small presses and independent media through small workshops, panel discussions, lectures and author readings.

Organized by the amazing Amy Guth

Day 3 includes Panel Discussions featuring Jonathan Messinger, Charles Blackstone, Jami Attenberg, Elizabeth Crane, Zach Dodson, Nick Ostdick, Ben Tanzer, and many more!

Elements Contemporary Ballet @ Ruth Page Center

Elements Contemporary Ballet produces dance that is truly ballet (the ladies wear pointe shoes, the movements come from a ballet vocabulary), yet truly contemporary (hey, ballerinas aren't supposed to stick out their hips like that!). ECB's Spring Concert features premieres of "Baroque Compositions" (set to Bach) and "Angel." A free reception following the Saturday show includes an opportunity to meet the dancers, staff, and board of ECB, a wine and cheese tasting, and a raffle.
May 23 & 24, 7:00 p.m. at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn. $17.50 general admission ($15 students and seniors). Click here for tickets, or call the box office at 312-337-6543.

Curried Culinary History

Curried Culinary History
By
Raghavan Iyer, teacher and author
“660 Curries/The Gateway to Indian Cooking”

Saturday, May 24, 2008
10 a.m. to Noon
at
Chicago History Museum
1600 N. Clark St.
Chicago, Illinois

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Curious about curry? Curry is the backbone of Indian cooking, the glory of Indian cooking. Curry has nothing to do with powder in a can and everything to do with amazing flavors. Join us as author and IACP Cooking Teacher of the Year, Raghavan Iyer, dishes out a powerpoint presentation about the historical influence of spices during India’s 6,000 years existence as a civilization. We will learn how this has shaped our world of curries as we know it today. And of course we’ll have a sampling of Raghavan’s curry dishes to taste, along with a signing of his latest book, “660 Curries” (Workman). All profits from book sales will be used to fund the Culinary Historians of Chicago.

Biography: Raghavan Iyer is the author of “Betty Crocker’s Indian Home Cooking,” and “The Turmeric Trail: Recipes and Memories from an Indian Childhood.” In 2004 he won the International Association of Cooking Professionals Award of Excellence for “Cooking Teacher of the Year.” He has written for numerous publications including Cooking Light, Eating Well and Fine Cooking, and has been interviewed on national and local broadcasts on the art of Indian cooking. He cooks, writes and lives with his family in Minneapolis.

Cost of the lecture program is $5, $3 for students and members and no charge for CHC members. To reserve, please call Barbara Olson at (708) 788-0338. Or e-mail your reservation to: rsvpchc@yahoo.com.
Please leave your name, telephone number and the number of people in your party.

660 Curries Luncheon at Marigold with ChicaGourmets

Raghavan Iyer, author of 660 Curries, will be discussing his new book at Marigold (4832 Broadway) today at 12:30p with ChicaGourmets. A four-course Indian meal will be served. Tickets are $65/55.