The Pains of Being Pure at Heart @ Schubas

It's easy to outright dismiss a band with such an awkward name, but the Pains of Being Pure at Heart deserve a listen. Influences like the Pastels and My Bloody Valentine have led this New York band to develop a sound reminiscent of Scottish and Irish indie rock from the late 1980s. They're raw, but they show mounds of potential. Local DJ couple Colour Me Pop bring them to town with the Depreciation Guild. Tickets are $8 and the show begins at 9pm. Visit Schubas (3159 N. Southport) or Colour Me Pop online for more information.

Orange Alert Reading (AWP) @ The Book Cellar

This is a special presentation of the Orange Alert Reading Series for AWP to be held at The Book Cellar. Featuring Blake Butler (No Colony and Lamination Colony, forthcoming books on Calamari Press and Featherproof), Barry Graham (Dogzplot, Paper Hero Press), S. Craig Renfroe (author of the short story collection You Should Get That Looked At and the poetry chapbook Flirting with Ridicule), Jason Jordan (editor of decomP Magazine and author of Powering The Devils Circus), John Domini (author of Earthquake I.D. and A Tomb on the Periphery), Peter Schwatz (poet, painter, author, editor, publisher, essayist, playwright, humorist, and musician), and Ben Tanzer (author of Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine and editor of This Zine Will Change Your Life).

This is a free event and it begins at 7:30pm.

Bookslut reading @ Hopleaf

Bookslut presents the return of its series of monthly readings. Tonight's reading starts at 7:30pm at the Hopleaf in Andersonville (doors open at 6pm), and features authors Idra Novey (The Next Country), Hilda Raz (All Odd and Splendid) and Brandi Homan (Hard Reds). The event is free and open to the public. See the Bookslut site for full details. Hopleaf: 5148 N. Clark Street.

Opium's Literary Death Match @ Hideout

Opium Magazine brings its The Literary Death Match to the The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, tonight at 6pm. Watch four writers, including Holly Wilson and Julius Kalamarz, duke it out with five-minute readings to determine who's tops. Todd Zuniga and Claire Zulkey host. $5 at the door -- another $5 gets you a copy of the magazine. 21+

"Mapping Food, Supermarkets, and Community in Chicago" @ Newberry Library

Chicago State University geography professor Daniel Block discusses Chicago communities' access to quality groceries. Reception 5:30pm, lecture at 6pm. Free for Map Society members, all others $5 suggested donation. 60 W. Walton St. For more information, call (312) 255-3689 or visit the website.

The Lady Eve @ Cultural Center

Expand your conception of radio drama by checking out this performance by the AFTRA/SAG Senior Radio Players, dedicated to "keeping alive the uniqueness of radio as the theater of the imagination." Tonight, the group recreates The Lady Eve, which was a great movie with Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck from 1941. Free, at the Cassidy Theater. 78 E Washington Street, 7pm. For more information, visit the website.