African Festival for the Arts

The African Festival for the Arts runs Friday through Monday at 5100 S. Cottage Grove with loads of music, art, food and culture. Tickets are $10 per day, with weekend passes available for $30. Today's musical lineup is below.

World music stage
2:30pm: DJ music
3:30pm: Tribute to Motown
4:45pm: Youssoupha Sidibe
6:30pm: Ray Martinez

Dee Parmer stage
2:30pm: DJ music
4:30pm: Odies Williams
6:15pm: Raices Habaneras
7:45pm: New Orleans Revival

Hip-Hop stage
5:30pm: Special Ed
6:15pm: The Lady of Rage
7pm: Big Daddy Kane

Bash on Wabash

If the Jazz Festival isn't your thing, you have other options. Today and tomorrow from noon to 11pm, head to the South Loop for the Bash on Wabash. A $5 donation gets you in the gate; Saturday's line-up is listed below. Enter at Wabash and 13th Street.

Noon: Columbia R&B Band
1:10pm: The Artist Formally Known As Vince
2pm: Margaret Murphy
2:50pm: The Sleepers
3:40pm: The Wabash Cannonballs
4:30pm: Velcro Lewis & His 100 Proof Band
6pm: The Steepwater Band
7:30pm: Waco Brothers
9pm: Mucca Pazza

Bike Messenger Prom @ Bottom Lounge

If you're a messenger, or just like hangin' with messengers, tonight's the night to put on your sharpest duds, find a date, and ride your bikes on down to the Bottom Lounge (1375 W. Lake) for the Messenger Prom, one of the signature events of the North American Cycle Courier Championships, being held this weekend. $15 solo, or $20 for a couple. Doors open at 8 P.M. and will stay open 'til 2, whereupon the party will likely continue at parts elsewhere.

30th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival @ Millennium Park

The second day of events for this year's CJF features performances by the Chicago Brass Masters, James Sander's Conjunto, the Pharez Whitted Sextet, and an appearance by the Vijay Iyer Quintet. The evening caps off with a headlining performance by the Gerard Wilson Orchestra. Note that Iyer and Wilson will both be debuting compositions that were specially commissioned for the Festival. Check the Chicago Institute of Chicago's website for the full schedule and locations. Free to the public.

Breakbone DanceCo @ Viaduct Theater

The "De-evolution of MUDWOMAN (an evening of dance exile, fashion, and humor)" from Breakbone DanceCo begins with a "superficial poptart diva"--representing today's female role models--who de-evolves into the primordial female, complete with head-to-toe mud. In this process, Breakbone will mock themselves, mock a lot of the heavy-handed social commentary out there, and encourage the audience to laugh, all while "de-mystifying" the "objectification of women." The show is filled with entertainment, including a couture fashion show and videography, and is punctuated by commentary from three "expositors" who critique the goings-on throughout the evening. The choreography will use Breakbone's unique, athletic style.

August 28, 29, 30, and September 4, 5, 6--all shows at 9:00. $18 ($15 students and seniors). Viaduct Theater, 3111 N. Western Ave., Chicago. Click here for tickets or visit Breakbone's website for more information. (Also see the GB A/C page for more info.)

Holistic Medicine & PTSD

Dr. Kevin Regan will be giving a lecture at 3pm today on the benefits of holistic medicine in treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at the Humboldt Park Library, 1605 N. Troy St., in association with the Ink Blot Project. Free.

Chef Freddy Sanchez of Adobo Grill @ Green City Market

Chef Freddy Sanchez of Adobo Grill will be giving a cooking demo today at 10:30am at the Green City Market, located at Clark and Stockton Drive.

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg @ Siskel Film Center

The Gene Siskel Film Center presents Jacques Demy's 1964 film The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, a melodramatic musical starring a radiant Catherine Deneuve as one half of a doomed couple. A sad and beautiful film, and most highly recommended. The film screens this afternoon at 3:00 PM, and also on Monday, September 1 at 3:00 PM. Tickets are $9, $7 for students, $5 for Film Center members, and $4 for SAIC students. Film Center: 164 N. State. (312) 846-2600

Summer FUNdraiser @ Country Club Chicago

Fourteen local artists have created silkscreen prints inspired by the joy of summer for the Summer FUNdraiser tonight from 6pm to 10pm at Country Club Chicago, 1100 N. Damen Ave. Artists include Billy Baumann, Ann Benjamin, Briana Bolger, Sam Conant, Rachel Cortner, Silas Dilworth, Luke Franz, Ryan Halvorsen, Matt Kubis, Myra Mazzei, Mark McGinnis, Ryan Sievert and John Soliminet. Proceeds to benefit Friends of Pritzker. Call 773-960-1811 for more info.

Soft Targets @ The Bottom Lounge

The Bottom Lounge
1375 W. Lake
8:00pm 21+
$5 adv $8 day of show

SOFT TARGETS
Soft Targets form in summer 2004 after the breakup of Reagan National Crash Diet with Chris Auman, guitar/vocals and Carol Bales, bass. Soft Targets is a power duo. Winter 2004 Perry Finch (Vambo Marble Eye) joins on drums. Soft Targets is a power trio. Carol departs. Soft Targets is a power duo. Tina Finch joins on bass. Soft Targets is a power trio. Reg Shrader (Seam, Circus Lupus, The Paperbacks) joins on guitar. Soft Targets is a power quartet. Tina gets pregnant and departs. Tim Davison (Fairmount Girls, The Clerics) joins on bass. Perry leaves on drums. Dave Potter (Lustre Kings) joins on drums. And then, and then, AND THEN Tim Davison leaves to concentrate on his other band The Clerics. Dan Kiss joins on bass. Soft Targets remain a power quartet.

TITMICE

PAPILLION
From the nearly 10-year old ashes of Sidekick Kato comes Papillion; a more musically proficient and slightly more sober 4-piece rock outfit from Des Plaines. Their all original songs channel the sounds of Dinosaur Jr, Led Zeppelin,Superchunk and John Scofield...often times within the same song.

MR RUSSIA
Energetic, powerful, furious: MR RUSSIA is the band your mother warned you about. A combo of relentless rhythm, solid bass and cocky vocals might be described as the bastard offspring of Iggy Pop and The White Stripes.