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[title]RECOMMENDED: Full coverage of Thanksgiving activities in Chicago 2013
* Steve Angello crobar. 10pm, $20. One quarter of the “Swedish House Mafia,” Steve Angello originally hails from the mean streets of Greece. Like a bunch of fun, charming guys who don’t mind spending days in the studio and nights in the booth together, the Swedes have taken mainstream club music by storm in recent years, blasting out remixes in the electro house, progressive, even techno genres. Angello’s productions have been under numerous aliases, but these days, his name is enough to make a remix hot property.
Back Track 10-Year Anniversary Double Door. 9pm; $15, in advance $10. Just as the name implies, Back Track parties have been bringing the Chicago scene back to its roots in hip-hop and classic house for a decade now. The host, the ever-reliable Jesse De La Pena, rocks worldly party vibes spanning the ’60s and ’70s to the present. Tonight focuses on the ’80s versus the ’90s and features house-music legends DJ Mike “Hitman” Wilson of WBMX and vocalist Shawn Christopher as well as DJs Pumpin’ Pete, 33 1/3 and JDLP.
* FREE DJ Benzi The Underground. 10pm. $20. While many of Michigan’s top DJs were honing their skills on techno and house records, Ann Arbor’s DJ Benzi was quickly becoming a go-to guy in the hip-hop world. He’s got a laundry list of mix-tapes under his belt, many hosted by some of the biggest names in hip-hop (Lil Jon or Twista, anyone?), and his live sets, well, they’re just completely off the chain.
Black Wednesday 2009 Evil Olive. 10pm, $5. Doin It Doin It Productions returns to its former home at Evil Olive for a pre-Thanksgiving beatfest. Keeping the house vibes rolling all night, Mazi, Shaka 23, Julius the Mad Thinker and Chris Grant all perform.
FREE Black Wednesday @ Lava Lava. 9pm. Providing its own contribution to the busiest club night of the year, Lava invites some of its staple DJs, including John Simmons and Itch 13, to join the forever juking DJ Gant-Man in the booth.
Chi-Town State of Mind The Shrine. 9pm; $10, free before 10:30pm. Jay-Z thinks New York should get all the love; the Shrine proves otherwise on Black Wednesday. Faithful hip-hop jocks Jay Illa and Izzo take you through the classics and current faves while Lego spices things up with his signature house grooves.
* A “Classic” Thanksgiving Eve Special Smart Bar. 10pm, $15. Chicago house diplomat Derrick Carter might be a hometown legend, but he hasn’t rested on his laurels. Tonight, he demonstrates his extended mixing technique and hunger for new sounds. If that doesn’t whet your appetite, swing-housers the Greenskeepers perform live with househeads Miss Honey Dijon and Brian Heath opening.
* DJ Class Manor. 10pm; $20, free before 11:30pm. Now’s your chance to “Dance Like a Freak.” We’ve watched more than enough dance floors lose it for Class’s hit singles this year, but we’re sure these ever-present anthems will get new life when they’re heard live.
Cedric Gervais Spy Bar. 10pm; $20, in advance $10 through wanttickets.com. The French DJ and king of the Miami scene makes the obligatory stop to take over Black Wednesday and show us what he’s made of: electro-tinged, sleazy house for the masses. With records on Ultra and Yoshitoshi, plus his acclaimed Space residency, he can be counted among the best in the biz.
Kaskade (live) Metro. 11:30pm; $26, in advance $21. At one time, Kaskade was a monthly resident at Smart Bar, and he still flies in a few times a year since relocating to the West Coast. Trading in the basement setup for the main stage, Kaskade performs live material from his recent album along with vocalist Haley. Potty Mouth Records staples Santiago and Bushido open.
* Kid Sister + Flosstradamus + Green Velvet House of Blues. 6:30pm; $18, in advance $16. All ages. Everyone’s favorite rapping sibling makes a triumphant return to the Chi after a West Coast tour in support of her long overdue debut album, Ultraviolet. Kid Sis is changing the hip-hop landscape with her incorporation of house, juke, dubstep and electro. Catch her alongside Floss, Rob Threezy and Chicago legend Green Velvet for this early Black Wednesday showcase.
* Lights Out Party Lumen. 10pm, $20. Lumen invites Black Wednesday adventurers to sample the latest flavor from Absolut vodka, Absolut Boston, with hints of black tea and elderberry. A strange combination, it’s got us curious. If the drinks turn out to be awful, at least WGCI’s DJ Timbuck2’s on hand to save the night.