Music

Show: J. Cole North Carolina native J. Cole made an auspicious debut on Jay-Z's "A Star Is Born" and followed it with guest spots alongside fellow on-the-verge rappers like Wale, B.o.B., and Jay Electronica. "Whether or not he'll live up to the promise of that Jigga track's title remains to be seen, but his latest single, 'Who Dat,' sounds like a club ripper-upper," writes Miles Raymer. "And the fact that it contains a line where he actually brags about not having a chain suggests that he's got healthy reserves of personality to draw on." FreeSol, Vonnegutt, Bin Laden Blowin' Up, and Sulaiman open.

10 PM, Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake, 312-666-6775 or 866-468-3401, bottomlounge.com, $15, 17+.

Dinner: Otom Now under chef Thomas Elliott Bowman, Otom continues to offer comfort food with Homaro Cantu-inspired tweaks—for example, a BLT starter made with caramel-braised bacon, smoked tomato jam, and romaine puree or chicken and waffles with purple yam waffles, chicken breast, egg, gravy, and okra.

951 W. Fulton Mkt., 312-491-5804, otomrestaurant.com

Movies

Show: The Concert Cross the cold war nostalgia of Good Bye, Lenin! with the larcenous high jinks of The Producers and you’ve got the gist of this zany Russian screwball comedy.

2:45 pm, 5:15 pm, 7:40 pm, 10 pm, Pipers Alley, 230 W. North Ave., 312-642-6275

Dinner: Mizu Yakitori & Sushi Lounge Old Town spot serving sushi and the grilled Japanese street food.

315 W. North Ave., 312-951-8880, mizurestaurant.com

Show: T-Men This crisp 1948 thriller marked Anthony Mann's emergence from B movie obscurity, setting him on the path that would lead to his great westerns of the 50s. Filmed in the pseudodocumentary style made popular by Louis de Rochemont, it's the story of two Treasury Department investigators who go underground to smash a counterfeiting ring.

7 pm, 9 pm, Univ. of Chicago Doc Films, 1212 E. 59th St., 773-702-8575, docfilms.uchicago.edu

Dinner: Cedars Mediterranean Kitchen This Lebanese restaurant offers the usual suspects: marinated chicken kebabs, falafel, and hummus to spread on unusually good pita. Portions are generous, which makes it a great stop for those on a student budget.

1206 E. 53rd St., 773-324-6227, eatcedars.com

Performing Arts

Show: Magical Exploding Boy One of Chicago's masters of physical theater presents a series of kaleidoscopic visual narratives in this delightful one-man show.

10:30 pm, Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston Ave., 773-539-7838, propthtr.org, $10

Dinner: Mirabell Authentic northwest-side German restaurant with classic Bavarian specialties and an indoor beer garden.

3454 W. Addison St., 773-463-1962, mirabellrestaurant.com

Show: Fillet of Solo Festival Started by Live Bait Theater artistic director Sharon Evans in 1995, this festival of solo performances went on hiatus in 2009, when Evans decided to concentrate on her own writing. Now Evans has teamed up with Lifeline Theatre's Dorothy Milne to bring it back for a 14th year.

7 pm, Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave., 773-761-4477, lifelinetheatre.com, $10

Dinner: La Cazuela Mariscos Cheerful Mexican place with an impressive seafood menu.

6922 N. Clark St., 773-338-5425, la-cazuela.com