Christmas on Mars @ Music Box

The Music Box Theatre presents special midnight screenings of the new Flaming Lips movie Christmas on Mars. The film will only be shown tonight and tomorrow night; advance tickets are available through the Music Box Website. Music Box: 3733 N. Southport. (773) 871-6604.

Venetian Snares @ Reggies

What's this? Reggies Rock Club in the South Loop takes an evening off from its usual fare of traditional punk-rockness to deliver a swoll-package offering of its electronic music equivalent -- featuring Venetian Snares and Otto Von Schirach, plus a fat billing of other "digital hardcore" misfits. Cyrusrex, DJ Naha, Surachai, and Flashbulb round out the billing. 8pm. 17 & over show. Tickets are $20, $25 the day of. 2109 S. State Street. See our Transmission page for more details.

Too Much Light best-of shows @ Neo-Futurarium

The Neo-Futurists present their annual best-of shows tonight, tomorrow and next weekend. For three nights you can see some of the best plays that the ensemble wrote for their long-running show Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind (an on-going attempt to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes!). The best-of shows happen at the usual Too Much Light times: 11:30pm tonight and Saturday night, and 7pm Sunday nights. Neo-Futurarium: 5153 N. Ashland (at Foster). (773) 275-5255.

Weapons of Mass Construction @ A.Okay Official

A.Okay Official is super-duper proud to present the fantastical, character-centric collected works of Project Detonate and Matthew Ryan Sharp. Reception tonight, 6pm-10pm. Show runs until December 29th. 3270 N. Clark St. Free!

The Heaven Seventies @ Abbey Pub

Chicago's electronica and visual artist team, The Heaven Seventies, will be throwing down at the Abbey tonight, not only to perform for their fans, but to celebrate some birthdays as well. DJ Don Rimini caps off the night with Bearries and Blackhole DJs also playing. [Note: the H70s perform first so the birthday kids can boogaloo the rest of the night.] Download and print a flyer for a discount ticket on their website. The Abbey is located at 3420 W. Grace and the show (18+) starts at 8pm.

Architectural Toys

This opening at ArchiTech explores toys from the nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries, including Froebel blocks, Lincoln Logs, and Tinkertoys. 12-6pm. 730 N. Franklin, Suite 200. Runs until 12/27. For more information contact ArchitechGallery@earthlink.net.

Stella @ The Vic

Comedians Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, and David Wain return in "Stella", their rather popular stand-up sketch comedy performance piece whatsis. Stella plays The Vic Theatre tonight at 7:30pm; tickets are available through Jam Productions' Website. The Vic: 3145 N. Sheffield (at Belmont). (773) 472-0366.

DEPART-ment @ AV-aerie

The local craft show DEPART-ment has its annual holiday show over this weekend at the AV-aerie (2000 W. Fulton, at Damen). The show opens tonight and runs from 7-11pm. For more information please see the DEPART-ment Website.

The Interview Show @ Hideout

Mark Bazer's Interview Show returns to the Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, tonight from 6:30pm to 8pm. This month Bazer interviews alt-country musician Robbie Fulks, author and Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg, author Jen Lancaster and stand-up comic Robert Buscemi. Fulks and Buscemi also perform. Admission is $5. 21+

CTA Holiday Train: Green & Purple Lines

The CTA Holiday Train will be operating this afternoon on the Green and Purple lines. Click here for a timetable with the included stations -- Purple line run starts southbound from Howard at 2:50pm, and on the Green northbound from Adams/Wabash at 3:32pm. The chedule for the 2008 season is posted here -- check it for future updates. Normal CTA fares apply. 888-YOUR-CTA (888-968-7282).

The Loneliest Monk @ Bottom Lounge

An indie-rocker and a master cellist have teamed up into a guy-girl duo that present something a little different than your typical rock show. A little avant-garde, a little classical and a little rock make for a pleasing, ambient and somewhat haunting listening experience. The Loneliest Monk play Bottom Lounge tonight with The Loyal Divide. 1375 W. Lake. 8pm. 21 & up. Tickets are $6. More details in Transmission.

Rock For Kids @ Park West

Rock For Kids holds it's Twentieth Annual Rock & Roll Charity Auction at Park West (322 W. Armitage) tonight. The auction includes signed items from Wilco, Janis Joplin, Carlos Santana, B.B. King, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen, and more. Proceeds will benefit their music education program, Youth Jam, which brings free music instruction to underprivileged and homeless children. The Auction begins at 7pm. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Tickets for the VIP bash beforehand, at 6pm, are $75.

Make/Shift Magazine Reading @ Women & Children First

Make/Shift magazine celebrates, critiques and documents contemporary feminist culture and action from a variety of perspectives. Tonight, Women & Children First welcomes co-editors and publishers Daria Yudacufski and Jessica Hoffman along with local contributors Keidra Chaney, Lisa Factora-Borchers, Yasmin Nair, Lewis Wallace and Chelsey Clammer for a reading and discussion of the magazine's work. Free at 7:30pm at 5233 N. Clark St. Call 773-769-9299 for more information.

Party Like It's 1933 @ The Drawing Room with LUPEC

Join the lovely ladies of LUPEC Chicago to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the repeal of prohibition this Friday, December 5, 2008 at The Drawing Room (937 N. Rush) at 10 pm.

Try the $33 prefix dinner & drink pairing menu, or sip on a prohibition-era cocktail from the special menu, all while listening to 1930's tunes by the Ron Mills Orchestra. Period attire is encouraged (but not required).

Repeal Day Party with LUPEC @ Clark Street Ale House

Join the lovely ladies of LUPEC Chicago to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the repeal of prohibition this Friday, December 5, 2008 at the Clark Street Ale House (742 N. Clark) from 6 to 9 pm. Free to attend, but you pay for drinks.

Tall Grass Writers Guild @ Book Cellar

The Tall Grass Writers Guild will presented a themed reading focusing on the idea of "Home for the Holidays." The reading is free at 7pm at the Book Cellar, 4736-38 N. Lincoln Ave. Call 773-293-2665 or email tallgrassguild[at]sbcglobal[dot]net for more information.

Lillstreet Holiday Open House

Lillstreet Art Center, 4401 N. Ravenswood Ave., hosts a holiday open house tonight from 6pm to 9pm. Enjoy refreshments and live entertainment while you shop, and check out demonstrations and workshops in the center's 19 classrooms and 50-plus artists' studios. Ceramic purchases can be combined with seasonal treats from First Slice Pie Café and a portion of the proceeds will help fight hunger in the community. Free, all ages.

Chicago Dance Crash KTF Championship Year End Battle @ Lakeshore Theater

Chicago Dance Crash returns to the Lakeshore Theater for the final 2008 installment of its long-running, late-night dance battle extravaganza The KTF Championship. The battle starts at 10:30pm. The Lakeshore Theater is located at 3175 N. Broadway St., near the corner of Broadway and Belmont. Tickets are $10 at the door or you can purchase them online at the Lakeshore Theater's website.