The best non-Lollapalooza things to do in Chicago this weekend

[View this message as a web page]( [Reader Recommends]( . Friday, August 4 - Sunday, August 6 Time to plan the weekend. Here's some of what we recommend: Fri 8/4-Sun 8/6: Blood, guts, gore, and [insert scary word] abound during [Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Con]( at Crowne Plaza Hotel (5440 N. River). During the day, celebrity guests like Freddy Krueger actor Robert Englund scare the crap out of everyone—mostly due to the size of the line to get movie posters signed. Horror films screen at night, and net proceeds benefit the Midway Drive-In, located in Dixon, Illinois. Fri 8/4 2 PM, Sat 8/5 9:30 AM, Sun 8/6 10:30 AM, $30-$65 Fri 8/4: [Wet Cash]( is stand-up with a very big twist. Each week at Dark Tower Comics (4835 N. Western), performers can do anything they want. (One time, they ran a show where everybody on the bill and in the audience was named Derek.) Plus, all donations benefit the fish bowl they toss the money in—hence the title. Expect, well, anything. 8 PM Fri 8/4: Showcasing an all-encompassing image of sisterhood, Janice Bond presents [Be Careful With Mother: Notes From Beyond the Binary](. The multimedia display at Filter Space (1821 W. Hubbard) seeks to demonstrate womanhood's complexity. Through 9/9: Mon-Sun, 11 AM-5 PM Fri 8/4: Where would pornography be without story? It’s a question for the ages (specifically 18+), and one Porn Minus Porn]( is exploring. Each night at Under The Gun (956 W. Newport), members of the ensemble stage readings of pornographic cinema using only the dialogue. No spoilers! Through 8/25: Fri 10:30 PM, $12 Sat 8/5: [The Shins and Mt. Joy]( perform at the Vic (3145 N. Sheffield). Of the Shins, the Reader's Peter Margasak writes, "[vocalist James] Mercer's idiosyncratic melodies and the way his forlorn, imploring voice shoots into a soaring upper register have remained constants of the Shins' sound." 11 PM Sat 8/5: European artists M-City, FAKE, and Trust.iCON come together for TRIVIUM](, a joint exhibition at Vertical Gallery (1016 N. Western). M-City’s mechanical, sci-fi-inspired style contrasts with the clean and colorful work of FAKE, as well as the street artistry of Trust.iCON for an unprecedented show. Through 8/26: Tue-Sat 11 AM-6 PM Sat 8/5: Celebrate peace and love at Morgan Park's free //suntimesmail.com/2JCR-149GP-73WGSV-M8JG0-1/c.aspx[House & Soul Music Festival](. Located at Ada Park (11250 S. Ada), guests are encouraged to join lively line dancing and snack to their heart's content. 1-8 PM Sun 8/6: Moshe Kasher and Natasha Leggero's Endless Honeymoon Tour]( exhibits that the comedians have married not only each other, but their iconoclastic, aggressive stand-up styles. Kasher’s rambling and emphatic stories highlight the extreme, while Leggero keeps herself relatively subdued discussing the idiosyncrasies of human behavior she just can't quite understand. They perform at the Vic (3145 N. Sheffield). 8 PM, $27 Sun 8/6: TV shows Bridge of Spies and The Americans are only the tip of the iceberg for [Spy Luncheon]( at SafeHouse Chicago (60 E. Ontario). Francis Gary Powers Jr., the son of famous CIA U-2 pilot captured by Soviets in 1960, shares material from his father's journals, and Werner Juretzko, a former war prisoner held captive in a KGB prison, will discuss his firsthand experiences of Cold War espionage, and how fiction sometimes gets it wrong. 11 AM, $25 Sun 8/6: The Reader's own Made in Chicago Market]( is back! Located at Plumbers Hall (1340 W. Washington), it's a celebration of all things DIY—showcasing some of the best apparel, housewares, and food and drink that Chicago has to offer. Shop local and support neighborhood makers. Free admission! Free parking! Free emphasis! 11 AM-5 PM For more stuff to do this weekend—and every day—check out our [Agenda]( page. --------------------------------------------------------------- [In this week's Issue]( Cover Story: How Blink-182 gave hip-hop a refreshing Enema [The Friday-night Lollapalooza headliners]( helped connect the mainstream pop-punk of the late 90s to the Soundcloud rap of today. Transportation: Chicago cyclists vent about their [cycling pet peeves.]( The most commonly cited annoying and dangerous cycling behaviors include “shoaling,” “salmoning,” red-light running, and sidewalk riding. How can they be prevented? Arts & Culture: The Chicago Picasso isn’t the only public artwork worth celebrating [The Wall of Respect is gone](but its impact shouldn’t be forgotten. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Saxophonist JD Allen reacts to turbulent times by undoing and rebuilding his music’s structures]( posted by Peter Margasak [IPRA reopens investigation into 2014 fatal police shooting of a 19-year-old, and other Chicago news]( posted by Kate Shepherd Copyright © 2017 Sun-Times Media, LLC. This email was sent by: Chicago Reader, Sun-Times Media, LLC., 350 N. Orleans, 10th Floor, Chicago, IL 60654 [Unsubscribe/update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. To change or update your newsletter subscription preferences, or to unsubscribe from all Chicago Reader and Straight Dope newsletters and promotional communications, [click here](. Please allow 72 hours for this change to take effect.