So, I’m going to try to keep you abreast of the latest events going on in Hyde Park and Chicago. Look for future articles in each Friday edition. Also, if I made the horrible mistake of failing to mention some super awesome/totally unique/once-in-a-lifetime event, or, for that matter, if one is coming up, tell me at peterr@uchicago.edu.

Friday, April 9

The Alamo opens. Remember the Alamo? Well, you probably do, just barely. Now we’ve got a big, expensive action movie to tell us how awesome its defenders were. Of course, almost all of them died in the end, so it will be interesting to see how accurate this historical drama will be. Let’s hope it’s not another Pearl Harbor.

Herbie Hancock Quartet, Wayne Shorter, 8 p.m., Symphony Center. Hancock is a well-known jazz musician. I don’t know much more about him, but it sounds like a great show for those into jazz. From his website: “Herbie Hancock is a true icon of modern music. His explorations have transcended limitations and genres, and at the same time he has maintained his unmistakable voice. Hancock’s success at expanding the possibilities of musical thought has placed him in the annals of this century’s visionaries.” Heady praise, even if it is from his own site.

Deep Dish’s Ali Shirazinia at Sound-Bar, 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Deep Dish is an electronic music duo, with a Grammy Award-winning remix of Dido’s “Thank You” under its belt. At $20 to $30 per entry, the club is rather expensive—and of course it’s 21 and over—but if you could get in, it could be an awesome experience for those into house music.

Other music today: BB King, Boy George, electronic DJ Mark Farina.

Saturday, April 10

Donald Glaude at Vision (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.). Glaude is a great house DJ who really goes nuts during his sets. I’m talking scratching records with his teeth (I’m not joking about this, he did this at another event), not to mention bouncing up and down in the D.J. booth for his whole set. His energy is infectious. As with almost all clubs, this one is 21+; and there’s also a $20 cover. Check out Vision’s website for more information (www.visionnightclub.com).

Sunday, April 11

The Films that Inspired Kill Bill: Lady Snowblood. The first of three nights at the Holiday Club showing Japanese films that have influenced QuentinTarantino. I don’t know if the place is 21+, but it might be a good idea to check beforehand if you’re under 21. Entrance is free and it’s located near the Red Line’s Sheridan stop, so it could be a cheap night out.

Pat Martino Quintet at Jazz Showcase, 9 and 11 p.m. (except for Sunday, at 8 and 10 p.m.). Pat Martino is a great jazz guitarist whose skill is all the more amazing considering he had to re-learn guitar 20 years ago after a brain aneurysm. However, go for his music now. I’ve seen him perform before, and he is definitely worth the trip.

Chicago International Documentary Festival (through Sunday, April 11). If documentaries are your thing, check out this festival, in which Doc is a participant. There are only a few days left, but if you’re looking for political commentary, Saturday could be particularly interesting, with documentaries on the second Bush administration, the Mexico City massacre of 1968, and the detention of Arabs and Muslim-Americans after 9/11, among others.

Monday, April 12

Cubs Home Opener vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates, 1:20 p.m. The Cubs’ season officially starts. I wonder if there are any hardcore fans at the U of C that are going to be skipping classes for the game. I bet there are a few. But only a few (prove me wrong).

Tuesday, April 13

White Sox Home Opener vs. the Kansas City Royals, 1:05 p.m. Go cheer on the South Side Nine at the newly improved Comiskey Park…um, U.S. Cellular Field. Cheaper than the Cubs, and definitely not sold-out.

Thursday, April 15

Doc Films, Legend of the Overfiend. Doc says, “Come for the intrusive tentacles, stay for the exploding torsos.” With a description like that, I just have to mention it.

Sugar Ray at the House of Blues, 7:30 p.m. I’m not a big fan, but you might be.

Current Museum Exhibits

“The Uses of Art in Renaissance Italy” at the Smart Museum.

Chicago photographer Laura Letinsky’s exhibit, “Hardly More Than Ever,” at the Renaissance Society (through April 18).

“Sweet Home Chicago: Big City Blues: 1946-1966” at the Museum of Science and Industry. This exhibit looks to be quite interesting, thanks to its focus on two decades of blues music. Its association with the Experience Music Project—a Seattle-based rock museum—promises to bring many interesting artifacts to the exhibit.

“Rembrandt’s Journey: Painter, Draftsman, Etcher” at the Art Institute of Chicago. This exhibition should be especially interesting for Rembrandt completists, as it highlights his lesser-known etchings.

“Lee Bontecou: A Retrospective” and “Alexander Calder in Focus: Works from the Leonard and Ruth Horwich Family Loan” at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Both exhibits should offer something interesting to those who enjoy 20th century American art. Calder is particularly famous for his mobiles.

Current Theater

The Fall to Earth at Steppenwolf

Crowns and Proof at Goodman