Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 7/6 – 7/9

Hope everyone's Fourth of July festivities were fun and safe! Now that we're past the nonstop thunder of fireworks (for the most part), there are so many great events to fill up the end of your Independence Day week. There are the huge ones like the Taste of Chicago and some more relaxing ones like the 29th Chicago Duo Piano Festival. There's enough time to squeeze both of those and all the rest of these handpicked events! So let's get on with your curated weekend! THURSDAY, JULY 6th Bottom Lounge Beer Social @ Bottom Lounge, 1375 W Lake St., 6:00PM - 8:00PM WHAT: Beer and socializing! SO WHAT: Every Thursday in July, Bottom Lounge is hosting their Beer Social, a weekly happy hour with Revolution Brewing.  Enjoy some drink specials, food pairings, and  meet the brewers from Revolution Brewing to expand your craft beer knowledge! NO WHAT: No cover, just bring some cash to enjoy some brews and socialize with fellow craft aficionados. A Giant Dog / Bleach Party / The Deadly Vipers / DJ Creepy Donnie @ Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western Ave., 9:00PM WHAT: Fun and loud music at a cool rock venue SO WHAT: A Giant Dog, fronted by the amazing Sabrina Ellis (who also fronts Sweet Spirit) is back in town for another amazing show! Ellis’s vibrant stage presence and intense voice will surely have the Bottle overflowing with fun vibes. Joining her will be the surfy punk of Bleach Party, The Deadly Vipers’ psych punk, and tunes in-between sets from DJ Creepy Donnie (Glitter Creeps). NOW WHAT: Tickets are only $10! Go and see this great lineup of bands! FRIDAY to SUNDAY, JULY 7th - 9th Ruido Fest @ Addams/Medill Park, 1301 W 14th St., Noon - 10:00PM WHAT: Another great year of this fantastic Latin alternative music SO WHAT: Ruido Fest is back and will be celebrating Latin music and culture this summer! The fest brings together the arts and music scene in Chicago’s Latino community for three fun days with an impressive lineup of musicians from all over the Spanish-speaking world. Some of the amazing acts will include Cultura Profética, Molotov, Julieta Venegas, Intocable, Adan Jodorowsky, El Guincho, and many more. Check out the full lineup on their website. NOW WHAT: Single day and three day passes are currently available! West Fest @ West Town, Chicago Ave. & Damen Ave., Noon - 10:00PM WHAT: A worthwhile music fest! SO WHAT: Celebrate all of the best of West Town Chicago with a three day fest filled with plenty of food, vendors and some of the best local and world renowned music. West Fest will feature three stages of amazing music ranging from DJ stage, a third family-friendly stage, and an Empty Bottle curated stage. The lineup includes Speedy Ortiz, Har Mar Superstar, FACS, Cymbals eat Guitars, and so many more. Check out the full lineup on their website. NOW WHAT: A $5 donation get you entry to this family (and pet) friendly fest! FRIDAY, JULY 7th Required Reading: Curated by Sick Fisher & Location Location Location: Architecture @ Galerie F, 2415 N Milwaukee Ave., 6:00PM - 10:00PM WHAT: Galerie F is celebrating five years in Logan Square this summer with a double show on the main floor and in the Underground Space. SO WHAT: In the main gallery, Galerie F will present Justin Van Genderen’s “Location Location Location: Architecture” which features art prints of specific architecture and broader looks at locations in pop culture from books to cinema. Justin Van Genderen spends most of his time sticking to the intersection of Science, Art and Design. His artwork blends the architectural and scientific realm while maintaining familiarity in these subjects through pop-culture, notable figures and scientific theories. Galerie F has invited Sick Fisher to curate one his dynamic group shows that are stuffed with local talent. All the works in this exhibition are based off texts that the artist was once forced to read; whether it be books, adverts, and any other form of the written word. Some of these writings may have shaped and surprised the artists, others may have bored them to tears. Regardless of how required readings came and went in the artist’s or your life, this upcoming collection in Galerie F Underground is sure to bring back some memories. NOW WHAT: As always, the opening reception is free! Head over and enjoy beer from 21st Amendment Brewery alongside water from Essentia Water. SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JULY 8th & 9th DZ Fest 2017 @ DZ Records, 8548 S 85th Ct, Hickory Hills, IL, Noon - 11:00PM WHAT: The 6th annual DZ Fest! SO WHAT: DZ Fest is a gathering of 40 bands ripping into their instruments on two stages for two days of excellent music. The lineup is wonderfully insane as usual including the likes of Impulsive Hearts’ dreamy sun soaked rock, the Grandkids’ folk rock mastery, Sonny Falls energetic garag rock, and so much more. This may also be the last time you see excellence that is Esta Vivo on stage, so now you have no reason not to go. Check out their event page for the amazing full lineup! NOW WHAT: All donations will go towards funding DZ Fest. SATURDAY, JULY 8th It Came from … the Neo- Futurarium XII: Dawn of the Neo-Futurarium! @ Neo Futurarium, 5153 N Ashland Ave., 7:30PM WHAT: Neo-Futurist alumnae Rachel Claff and Dina Walters curate It Came from … the Neo- Futurarium XII: Dawn of the Neo-Futurarium! SO WHAT: It Came from … the Neo-Futurarium XII: Dawn of the Neo-Futurarium! is the 12th annual series of staged readings of the best worst film scripts of all time. The summer 2017 edition of the festival will run on Saturdays until July 15th featuring some of the clunkiest, junkiest movies ever made brought to life by past and present Neo-Futurists and acclaimed guest artists. This week’s film is Suspiria! Come to this over-the-top  reading featuring director and Neo-Futurist Stephanie Shaw! NOW WHAT: Tickets are $15 for each performance, $12 for students (with ID), or $50 for a festival pass to all four shows. #EB25 Har Mar Superstar/GGOOLLDD/DJ Jill Hopkins @ Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western Ave., 9:00PM WHAT: An Empty Bottle’s 25th anniversary show! SO WHAT: 2017 marks Empty Bottle’s 25th anniversary so they are bringing back bands of the legendary venue’s past for the EB25 series throughout the year. This show will feature the man, the myth, the legend that is Sean Tillman a.k.a. Har Mar Superstar! If you ever want to dance our butt off to some sexy and soulful R&B music, Har Mar Superstar is the way to go. Just read our review of the last time he was in town! NOW WHAT: Tickets are $15 for this amazing show! Advance tickets are sold out, but there will be a handful at the door. SUNDAY, JULY 9th Dirty Donny Day @ Logan Arcade, 2410 W Fullerton Ave., 4:00PM - 10:00PM WHAT: Psychedelic art and pinball wizards SO WHAT: Logan Arcade will be hosting Dirty Donny Gillies, the artist behind Stern Pinball’s Metallica, Aerosmith, and the new PBR Can Crusher,, in conjunction with Sideshow Gallery and The Happening Art Show feat. Dirty Donny Gillies. At this event you’ll get a chance for a Meet & Greet with Dirty Donny, a signing of his book Pinball Wizards & Blacklight Destroyers, raffles with prizes from Stern Pinball, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Logan Arcade and Pinball Tournament run by Logan Arcade Pinball League! NOW WHAT: This event is 21+ and free!