1. Sound off
Get lost within the layered instrumental melodies of Mark McGuire, performing at the Hideout to promote his latest LP release, Beyond Belief. The former member of the now-defunct Cleveland trio Emeralds continues his solo career, crafting meticulously arranged walls of sound that are more than simply cacophonous. (Hideout, 1354 W Wabansia Ave, 9pm. $10)
2. Greek out
Explore how Renaissance and Baroque printmakers were inspired by Classical sculpture at the Art Institute’s exhibit “Dionysos Unmasked: Ancient Sculpture and Early Prints.” The collection focuses on the god of wine and theater and how each generation draws inspiration from the past. (Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S Michigan Ave, 10:30am-5pm. Included in regular admission $14-$25 )
3. Dig deeper
Head writer for the Tectonic Theater Project, Leigh Fondakowski (The Laramie Project) is known for crafting plays with dialogue taken verbatim from interviews. She brings the same approach to the 2010 BP oil spill in her latest work, now at Stage 773. Spill manages to uncover interesting, under-reported nuances of the disaster and humanizes the widely-covered event. (Stage 773, 1225 W Belmont Ave, 7:30pm. $38–$51)