Things to do this weekend: Jun 6 - 8

This week's featured shot from the TOC Flickr photo group comes to us from ChiDN. Here comes the summer, as the man once said.

Here are some things to do this weekend.

FRIDAY

BOOKS - A Stranger Among Us release party
OV Books celebrates a release party for its new anthology, A Stranger Among Us, with food, wine and photography by FLATFILE owner Susan Aurinko, who shot the book’s cover photo. 7pm. FLATFILEgalleries, 217 N Carpenter St between Lake and Fulton Sts (312-491-1190). FREE!

CLUBS - BassGoesBoom at Lava 
Dubstep is so new that it’s still difficult to pin-point its major proponents—or even a solid definition of the techy-dubby sound from England. Tonight, Chicago’s dubstep monthly celebrates a year of getting to heart of it with U.K. Dj Chef from Rinse FM. Lava, 1270 N Milwaukee Ave. 773-342-5282, lavachicago.com. El: Blue to Damen. Bus: 50 Damen, 66 Chicago (24hrs). $7.

GAY & LESBIAN - First Fridays: Pride Edition
Dressed up homos with frothy cocktails abound at the best arty gay social event of the year. Devin and the Straights and DJ Greg Haus provide music. 6pm. Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E Chicago Ave at Mies Van der Rohe Way (312-280-2660). El: Red to Chicago. Bus: 3, 10, 26, 66 (24hrs), 125, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 151 (24hrs). $15, in advance $10, for MCA members $7.

MUSEUMS & CULTURE - Interview Show
Oprah’s not the only talk show act in town. Syndicated columnist Mark Bazer’s live monthly interview program features a full lineup of special guests—from comics to CEOs. Tonight, Bazer welcomes author Rachel Sontag, Doug Sohn of Hot Doug’s, table tennis pro Biba Golic and Chicago Reader political reporter Mick Dumke. 6:30–8pm. Hideout, 1354 W Wabansia Ave between Elston Ave and Throop St (773-227-4433). Bus: 72 North, 73 Armitage. $5.

MUSEUMS & CULTURE - Bump, Set, Spike for St. Jude
Get some beach time in, and while you’re at it, put some spin on that serve to help raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The hospital’s annual single-elimination tournament puts a few dozen teams to the test. All skill levels welcome. North Avenue Beach, 1600 N Lake Shore Dr at North Ave (773-784-6704, chicago@friendsofstjude.org). Bus: 72 North, 151 Sheridan (24hrs). 9am–3pm; $100 per coed team of four (two men, two women).

MUSIC - R.E.M. + Modest Mouse + The National + Walter Meego
Sydney’s Presets aren’t nearly as catchy as Modular-mates Cut Copy, but they do share an affinity for psychedelic booty-shakers, goth rockers be damned. We can’t think of a more appropriate act to open tonight’s bill than “dance-crazed duo” Walter Meego, who like their synths with a heaping side of flange. The pride of Park Ridge will be supporting their newly released debut, Voyager. 9pm. Abbey Pub 3420 W Grace St, at Elston Ave, Lakeview/Roscoe Village/Wrigleyville, Chicago (773-478-4408) .$15.

SPAS, FITNESS & HEALTH - Midnight yoga
Replace vodka with vinyasa at Bloom Yoga Studio’s monthly midnight yoga class. Instructor Amy Steinwald leads an invigorating candlelit session while Victor Sanders provides live, inspirational guitar music. $20. 10:30pm–midnight. Bloom Yoga Studio, 4663 N Rockwell St between Leland and Eastwood Aves (773-463-9642, bloomyogastudio.com). El: Brown to Rockwell. Bus: 49 (24hrs), 78, 81 (24hrs).

SPORTS & REC - Windy City Rollers Recruiting
Think you’ve got what it takes to roll up on Val Capone, Malice With Chains and the rest of the ladies of the Windy City Rollers derby team? If you’re a 21+ female with an appetite for destruction, skate over to these two recruitment parties to get a better gauge of what’s expected from the city’s hottest flat-track lasses. 8–10pm. Cobra Lounge, 235 N Ashland Ave between Walnut and Fulton Sts (tryout@windycityrollers.com, windycityrollers.com). El: Green, Pink to Ashland. Bus: 9 Ashland (24hrs), 20 Madison. FREE!

SATURDAY

FILM - Richard Widmark double feature at The Siskel
You haven’t been getting enough noir in your filmgoing diet. We can tell. So take in a Richard Widmark double feature, with Pickup on South Street and Panic in the Streets. No need to thank us. We’ve got your best noir interests at heart. Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N State St at Randolph St (312-846-2600). El: Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple (rush hrs) to State/Lake; Red to Lake; Blue to Clark/Lake. 3pm (Pickup) and 4:45pm (Panic). $9, students $7, members $5.

GAY & LESBIAN - Rainbow's End?: A Look at Community Change from the LGBT Chicago Neighborhood Perspective
SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) looks to the past, present and future of Chicago's queer community with a panel discussion and book reading from Don Reuter, author of Greetings from the Gayborhood. 6pm. Center on Halsted, 3656 N Halsted St at Addison St (773-472-6469). El: Red to Addison. Bus: 8 Halsted, 152 Addison.

MUSIC - Syl Johnson + Morris Jenning + Bernard Reed 
Syl Johnson is one of the finest soul screamers in Chicago. For more than 50 years, his trademark record move was to start howling like an air-raid siren during the fade-out. You can hear it on his first national hit single (1967's “Come on Sock It to Me”), and he's used it repeatedly since then, most notably on his cover version (possibly the first) of Al Green's “Take Me to the River,” which is now a white blooze-band standard. Johnson has a high-pitched vocal range as it is, and his scream is as distinctive as Otis Redding's stutter or Tyrone Davis's endless begging. But like both of those legends, there's more to this singer, harmonicist and guitarist than just a haywire sound effect. 9:30pm. The Society for the Preservation of Art & Culture 1245 Chicago Ave, Evanston, Evanston, IL $20.

SPAS, FITNESS & HEALTH - Millennium Park workouts
Forget initiation fees, unflattering lighting and sweaty gym equipment. McDonald’s and the Mayor’s Fitness Council bring back free and open-to-the-public weekend workouts from Sat 7 through Sept 27. The season kicks off at 7am with a tai chi class, followed by yoga at 8am, Pilates at 9am and dance at 10am. Workouts last 45 minutes. Visit millenniumpark.org or call 312-742-1168 for more information. 7–11am. Millennium Park, Pritzker Pavilion, 205 E Randolph St between Michigan Ave and Columbus Dr (312-742-7529). El: Red to Monroe; Blue to Washington; Orange, Green, Brown, Pink, Purple (rush hrs) to Randolph. Bus: 3, 4 (24hrs), 14, 124, 127, 145, 157.

SPORTS & REC - The WonderGirl 5K Race
Join in on the girly fun with this 5K run that raises money for Girls on the Run Chicago, an org that encourages teenage girls to stay fit. Most participants will sport plastic tiaras, making this quite possibly the sparkliest run of our summer. And, of course, there will be goody bags for all runners. This year, Bally, American Girl Place and the Windy City Rollers will kick things off. 9am. Montrose Harbor, 4400 N Lake Shore Dr at Montrose Ave (773-296-4519, wg5k@gotrchicago.org, gotrchicago.org). El: Red to Wilson. Bus: 78, 136, 144. Preregistration $25, kids under 15 with preregistration $15, day of race $30, kids under 15 day of race $15.

SPORTS & REC - 2008 Bears Expo
Serious fans will drag their families to this weekend-long festival celebrating Da Bears. For most attendees, the biggest draw will be the chance to get up close and personal with current and former players (Gale Sayers and Richard Dent, among others) and coaches to snag an autograph, but for the truly hard-core, there are seminars on everything from next year’s draft to women in the media. And this might be your sole chance to get the insider’s look at the Bears locker room or attempt a field goal on the turf. 10am–6pm. Soldier Field, 1410 S Museum Campus Dr at McFetridge Dr (for tickets, call 312-559-1212 or visit ticketmaster.com). Bus: 12 Roosevelt, 146 Inner Drive/Mich Exp. $25–$50, weekend pass for kids ages 12 and under $20. Also Sunday 10am–3pm.

SUNDAY

ART & DESIGN - Lino Tagliapietra 
Tagliapietra speaks about his evolution from traditional glassblower in Murano to independent artist in conjunction with the MSI’s exhibition "The Glass Experience." 1:30–4pm. Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S Lake Shore Dr at 57th St (773-753-6853, msichicago.org). Bus: 2, 6, 10. $25, MSI members $20.

COMEDY - Best Church of God
Comedians have tried for ages to poke fun at religion, and while most fall short, this spectacular sketch show successfully skewers. 10:30am. Donny’s Skybox, 1608 N Wells St at North Ave (312-337-3992). El: Brown, Purple (rush hrs) to Sedgwick. Bus: 11, 22 (24hrs), 36, 72, 156. FREE!

GAY & LESBIAN - First Ward Ball
Vice and debauchery rule at this new weekly party from the mischiefs that brought you Flawless and LBC Sundays. 9pm. Scarlet Bar, 3320 N Halsted St at Aldine St (773-348-1053). El: Red, Brown, Purple (rush hrs) to Belmont. Bus: 8, 77 (24hrs), 152.

MUSEUMS & CULTURE - Walk Sudan
This 5K walk is an effort to raise money for, and awareness of, community development in Sudan. Organizers are asking participants to bring a book to help stock a library there. The walk starts at Field 3 at North Avenue Beach and ends in Grant Park. 11am-5pm. North Avenue Beach. 1600 N Lake Shore Dr. Bus: 72 North, 151 Sheridan (24hrs). $40 suggested donation, $20 students.

MUSIC -  Ribfest Chicago 
Headliners Nada Surf prove the theory that if you stick around long enough, critics warm to your generic soft-pop sound. Of course, if you stick around a little longer, you end up playing Ribfest. The group’s latest, Lucky, fails to convince us it’s little more than the Goo Goo Dolls for hipsters. Call us nostalgic power-pop junkies, but it’s been downhill since the Ric Ocasek–produced Weezer knock-off, High/Low. Ha Ha Tonka, Illinois, Joe Pug, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, Van Ghost, the Bon Mots, Lush Budgett, Inchworm and Republic Tigers round out a lineup that easily eclipses the prior day. Surprisingly, the hotly tipped Tigers open the cookout with cinematic pop that sauces their Interpol and Shins influences over acoustic skeletons.12pm. Lincoln Ave from Irving Park Rd to Warner Ave, Lincoln Square/Ravenswood, Chicago. $5 donation.

SPORTS & REC - Mexico vs Peru
No disrespect to the Peruvians, but we’re thinking they might be outnumbered by just a few fans when these two meet. It’s only a friendly, but, as we saw during last year’s CONCACAF tourney, the Mexicans are a big draw. 7pm. Soldier Field, 1410 S Museum Campus Dr at McFetridge Dr (312-559-1212, ticketmaster.com). Bus: 12 Roosevelt, 146 Inner Drive/Mich Exp. $30–$200.

SPORTS & REC - Band on the Run Run
This run, entering its 17th edition, benefits the Y-ME National Breast Cancer, an org that provides support for women with breast cancer. In addition to the popular kids’ dash, six bands will rock out along the race course to keep you motivated. 8am. Palos Health & Fitness Center, 15430 West Ave at 153rd St, Orland Park, Orland Park (773-868-3010, chicagoevents.com). $8–$22.