The Bad Plus plays Old Town School of Folk Music.

THE FIVE

Don’t-miss events for Wed 04.15.09 through Tue 04.21.09

1

concerts  The Bad Plus*
Contrary to the-sky-is-falling prognostications, The Bad Plus—whose repertoire includes finger-snapping renditions of Nirvana—did not spell the end of jazz as we know it. Breathe a sigh of relief, then catch this gig featuring songs from the group’s latest, For All I Care.
GO: Apr 17 at 8 and 10:30. $21-$25. Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave. oldtownschool.org
2

classical  Itzhak Perlman
Weren’t lucky enough to see the violin legend at Obama’s inauguration? Catch him here with top alumni from his mentoring program. Unlike the D.C. concert, we can guarantee this one won’t be prerecorded.
GO: Apr 19 at 3. $33-$63. Symphony Center, 220 S Michigan Ave. cso.org
3

farrago  CHIRP Record Fair & Other Delights*
Remember the old WLUW record fair? This is like that—except with the fair’s brain trust backing a new grassroots station. Wherever you fall on the indy-radio dial, this is the place to pad your vinyl collection with finds from labels including Drag City and Touch and Go. With live music by Jeff Parker of Tortoise, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, and others.
GO: Apr 18, 19 from 10-5. $5-$7; $25 for a preview Sat 8-10. Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union, 1340 W Washington Blvd. chicagoindependentradioproject.org
4

theatre  Mystery Cubed
Lifeline Theatre manages the impossible: making the murder-mystery dinner cool. The troupe performs new endings to a classic Dorothy L. Sayers whodunit, updated by three big-league local mystery writers, Sara Paretsky, Sean Chercover, and Julie Hyzy (all of whom will be on hand to sign books and schmooze). Drinks and apps served.
GO:  Apr 16. Book signing at 6; performance at 6:30. $100-$135 performance only; $200 performance and reception. Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E Washington St. lifelinetheatre.com
5

musuems  Wet with Blood*
Or reopen a real-life true-crime case. Chief historian Russell Lewis follows clues to reveal whether a cloak from the Chicago History Museum’s collection was worn by Mary Todd Lincoln on the night of her husband’s assassination.
GO: Apr 21 at 6:30. $5. Chicago History Museum, 1601 N Clark St. chicagohistory.org

FREEBIE OF THE WEEK

farrago  Rockstar Tax Help
Attention, all procrastinators: The local accountant Martin Kamenski, who crunches numbers under the company name Rockstar CPA, will prep and file tax extension requests for free—which should leave enough cash in your wallet to buy him a beer as thanks.
GO: Apr 15 noon-midnight. Small Bar, 2049 W Division. rockstarcpa.com

*ET CETERA

Read The Bad Plus’s interview with jazz man Wynton Marsalis, whose brother Branford plays Symphony Center Apr 17 . . .  Print out a $2-off flyer for the CHIRP Record Fair . . . Play CSI with the CHM and follow Lincoln’s DNA trail.

 

PHOTOGRAPH: Michael Dvorak