A&M Burlesque

Seven alluring ladies in their flashy costumes and live music are sure to seduce you with fifteen special acts filled with dancing, singing and playing for your pleasure. A&M Burlesque is now playing Saturdays in January and February at the Viaduct Theater (3111 N. Western Ave). Tickets are $15. Doors open @ 9:30 PM, curtain @ 10PM.

Garbage Dreams @ Chicago Cultural Center

The Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St.) hosts a free screening of Garbage Dreams, an award winning documentary that deals with the lives of three teenage boys living in the "garbage village" on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. Follow these three boys as they are forced to make a decision that will deeply impact their community. Saturday Jan. 16 at 2PM.

SketchFest

Kick off the final Friday of SketchFest with "a web of scenes straight out of a David Lynch fantasy," courtesy of The Tim and Micah Project. Tim Soszko and Micah Philbrook put on their avant-garde show at 8 pm in the West Theater. Check out Last Call Cleveland -- the group behind the hit web series "Man In The Box" -- in the South Theater at 9 pm. Rejoice! Team Submarine is back from NYC, filling a slot that opened at the last minute. Catch 'em in the West Theater at 10 pm. Flip a coin at 11 pm -- FUCT and BriTANick are solid bets. (And catch the one you miss on Saturday.)

SketchFest, the world's largest sketch comedy festival, covers two long weekends with 100 sketch groups and 125 shows. Tickets are $12.50 for each timeslot and a limited number of festival passes are available. Buy tickets and see the entire schedule here. SketchFest runs through Jan. 17 at the Theater Building, 1225 West Belmont. HOT TIP: Call the box office at (773) 327-5252 for tickets and you'll a) be treated like a real person; b) get a solid recommendation on what shows will suit you best; and c) avoid a fistfull of Ticketmaster fees.

Girls Rock! Chicago Benefit @ Empty Bottle

The Empty Bottle and Girls Rock! Chicago team up tonight for a fundraiser for the rock camp designed for girls 9-16 years old. Performing tonight: Maximum Wage; Tiger Bones; and Tyler Jon Tyler. The show starts at 10pm. Advance tickets are available at Ticketweb. Empty Bottle: 1035 N. Western Avenue. (773) 276-3600.

3rd Annual Winter Block Party for Chicago Hip-Hop @ Chicago Urban Art Society

Kicking off 2011, Chicago Public Media (WBEZ 91.5 FM) continues its Off-Air Series with the 3rd Annual Winter Block Party for Chicago's Hip-Hop Arts at Chicago Urban Art Society today from 11am to 10pm. Created to celebrate Chicago's hip-hop arts, this annual party begins at 11am with free events such as: a visual art and graffiti gallery exhibition; marketplace; hip-hop barbershop; the Vocalo Sampling Showcase with Vocalo host Jesse Menendez leading a presentation on the art of sampling; lots of special guests; music all afternoon by some of Chicago's favorite DJs including Itch 13, Sweatpants Money, DJ Susannah Kim; and more! Ticketed programs this year include a screening of Copyright Criminals, which examines the creative and commercial value of musical sampling, tracing the rise of hip-hop from the urban streets of New York to its current status as a multibillion-dollar industry, and the popular "First Come, First Served!" one-on-one B-Boy/B-Girl battle hosted by Chicago's own Legendary Brickheadz. Highlighting the event will be a ticketed evening program titled Original Style: Exploring the History of Chicago House hosted by Kevin Coval, which will include archival film of the scenes and sounds of the 1980s and 90s, music selections courtesy of SilverRoom founder DJ Eric Williams, plus the founders of Chicago House: DJ Frankie Knuckles, known as 'The Honorary Godfather of House Music'; Robert Williams, owner of the Warehouse and Music Box; Frederick Dunson, original warehouse manager; Reggie Corner, House music promoter; Lewis Lazu, dancer and promoter; and many more. The evening will wrap up with an After Party with legendary house DJ Ron Trent and seminal Hip-Hop DJ Jesse De La Pena! Admission during the day is free with optional ticketed programming for $5 general admission or $3 for WBEZ members. Tickets for the evening program are $15 general admission, $12 for WBEZ members, and $10 for students with a valid ID. Tickets are available at www.wbez.org/events. The Chicago Urban Art Society is located at 2229 S. Halsted Street.

North Central College Presents: Dr. Cornel West

North Central College, 30 N. Brainard Street in Naperville, welcomes Dr. Cornel West as the keynote speaker for its celebration of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday tonight at 7pm. West, a noted professor, best-selling author, and champion for racial justice, will commemorate the 50th anniversary of King's 1960 visit to North Central College. Tickets are $10; visit the website at www.northcentralcollege.edu/show or call 630-637-SHOW (7469).

Armita Raafat Solo Show Opens @ threewalls

Raafat's installation subtly transforms the 'pristine' gallery, drawing on the wall with mirror, paint, plaster, cardboard, papier-mâché and cloth to sculpt a crumbling architecture from Middle Eastern structures, patterns and motifs. Referencing Islamic and Persian architecture, Raafat applies ornament in a state of ruin, often to the perimeter of the site, with patterns spreading, dripping and crumbling from corner to floor. This exhibition opens tonight at threewalls(119 N. Peoria #2D)-- the reception is from 6-9pm.

Hot & Heavy Burlesque: Pink Floyd's The Wall @ the Viaduct Theater

Hot & Heavy Burlesque presents a spectacular tribute to the iconic Pink Floyd album, The Wall. The classic album will be performed, in its entirety, by a bevy of burlesque beauties including Viva La Muerte, Red Hot Annie, and Donna Touch. 'The Wall' continues tonight, Friday January 15th, and finishes its run tomorrow Saturday January 16th at the Viaduct Theater (3111 N. Western Avenue). Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Visit Vaudezilla's website for more details and to purchase tickets.

Art Shay's True Colors @ Thomas Masters

An exhibit of color photographs by Art Shay, who is known for his black and white photography, opens tonight at Thomas Masters, 245 W. North Ave. The opening reception will be held from 6-9pm. For more information, call (312) 440-2322.

Trick Disco @ Subterranean Lounge

While we kind of hate the word "comeback," there's not much else you can call the recent resurgence of disco on our collective dance music radar. That's why a night devoted to new trends and paying homage to the classic sounds has pretty much been due for a while now. Trick Disco is a new monthly night on Third Fridays at Subterranean Lounge (2011 W. North) with residents Sparkletone, OCD Automatic, Le Principle - one of filter disco's newest rising stars - and video provided by Hey! Cliche! Video Club. The kick-off on Jan 15th features a little bit of of the South Side with Ghetto Division's MaddJazz promising an excellent disco-house set. But the special guest of the night is New Yorker Mike Simonetti, head honcho of world-renowned label Italians Do It Better, home of Glass Candy, the Chromatics and some of the most forward-thinking Italo being made today. The party starts at 10pm and is 21+. $7 gets you in the door and Sub-T is offering $3 White Belgian Draft Beer and $4 Cintadell Apple Vodka Cocktails to warm you up on a chilly January night.

Tomorrow Never Knows Festival @ Schubas, Lincoln Hall

The annual winter long-weekend festival known as Tomorrow Never Knows hits two venues this year, both Schubas and Lincoln Hall. Tonight's entertainment includes Neon Indian, The Hood Internet, Truman Peyote, and Only Children at Schubas and Atlas Sound, Icy Demons, Shapers at Lincoln Hall. Both start at 10pm and are 18+. Tickets are $15 (or purchase a 5-day TNK festival pass for $75). Schubas is located at 3159 N Southport Ave (at Belmont). Lincoln Hall is located at 2424 N. Lincoln Ave.

likemind Chicago @ Argo Tea

Today's the next meeting of likemind, a gathering of creative people. The meeting will be held at Argo Tea (140 S. Dearborn) this morning from 8am to 10am. No RSVP is required, though you might want to join the likemind Chicago Facebook group.