Friday | October 15
Eat your heart out at the annual COUP (Council on University Programming)-sponsored Blues ‘N’ Ribs. The night of free barbeque, coleslaw, and potato salad also features swing-dance lessons and live blues performances. For those over 21, don’t forget to bring two forms of ID. (Ida Noyes, 9 p.m., free)
If you couldn’t get enough of K’Naan’s single “Wavin’ Flag” during this summer’s World Cup, the Somali-Canadian hip-hop artist will be performing at the Park West Theater. But don’t expect to see his World Cup connections: David Guetta and will.i.am will probably not be making appearances. Also unclear is whether or not Coca-Cola will be sponsoring the concert. (322 West Armitage Avenue, 8:30 p.m., $22.50)
Saturday | October 16
Chicago native and Last Comic Standing contestant Lil Rel will be performing his stand-up routine this Saturday at the Harold Washington Cultural Center. The comedian will be appearing with Jermaine Dupri’s protégée, R&B singer Dondria. (4701 South King Drive, 8 p.m., $25).
While she may have just been eliminated on Dancing with the Stars, comedienne Margaret Cho has a chance to redeem herself with her one-woman comedy routine “Cho-Dependent” at the Chicago Theatre. After the show, continue the fun and games at the official Margaret Cho after-party at Subterranean. (175 North State Street, 8 p.m., $22.50)
Sunday | October 17
Spend your Sunday afternoon with Doc and its back-to-back screenings of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire, the first two books in Stieg Larsson’s international bestselling Milennium Trilogy center around hacker Lisbeth Salander and her unlikely but tumultuous relationship with journalist Mikael Blomqvist. (Max Palevsky Cinema, 12:30 p.m., $5)
Monday | October 18
University Theater will be hosting Donal Logue and Michael Raymon-James, stars of the new FX show Terriers. After a special screening of the comedic drama about two budding private investigators, the actors will conduct a Q&A. (Reynolds Club 1st Floor Theater, 5 p.m., free)
Tuesday | October 19
Although the world can now breathe a sigh of relief after the successful rescue of the 33 Chilean miners trapped underground, the National Museum of Mexican Art’s exhibition Vida Breve reminds us of how fragile human life is. This year’s exhibit on the Day of the Dead is dedicated to the people of Haiti and Chile. (1852 West 19th Street, 10 a.m., free)
Wednesday | October 20
Deputy Governor of the Bank of Mexico, Manuel Sánchez, will be at the Booth School giving a talk titled “Mexico’s Recent Road to Stability.” He will be speaking as part of the Latin American Briefing series. (Harper Center C07, 6 p.m., free)
Thursday | October 21
Peek through the Doane Observatory telescope, the largest telescope in the Midwest accessible to the general public, at Adler Planetarium’s Adler After Dark. DJ Mass Transit will be spinning beats while you take in Chicago’s skyline and amazing views of Saturn’s rings. (1300 South Lake Shore Drive, 6 p.m., $7, 21+)