The always-educating Beer School Bar at Sheffield's shifts its curriculum to math tonight. Don't worry, it's pretty easy stuff. Take four beers (including Peak Organic Espresso Amber, Half Acre Baume Stout, St. Louis Framboise), add four different chocolates, and see if the total pairing is greater than the sum of its parts. Class is in session at 7 p.m., with $15 tuition.

Highlights from Centerstage Chicago's latest Crumb newsletter:

Just Opened: Lockdown Bar & Grill
One-of-a-kind heavy-metal burger bar in Ukrainian Village.

Off the Beaten Path: The Glenwood
Rogers Park bar is open to any and all.

Weekly Treat: Two-dollar Tuesdays at Leg Room
Domestic beers, well drinks and bombs are all just $2 tonight.

Man We're Crazy About: Karyn’s on Green
More meatless fun from the vegan health food empire.

For more Chicago bar and restaurant news, sign up for the Crumb newsletter.

Here are some recent restaurant/bar openings and closings.

OPEN:
Lockdown Bar & Grill - Rockin' burgers in a prison-themed space - what more do you need?
Filter - The popular Wicker Park coffeehouse gets a new lease on life, just down the street.
Karyn's on Green - Karyn Calabrese's meatless empire gains another outpost.
Life on Mars - Vegan takeout, just what Logan Square needs.
Prairie Fire - The folks behind Northbrook's Prairie Grass Cafe expand into the West Loop.
The Southern - Comfort food from a Georgia native in the former Chaise Lounge space in Bucktown.
Revolution Brewing - The owner of Handlebar Bar and Grill just opened this Logan Square brewpub.
Longman & Eagle - It's a place to drink craft beer, nosh on gourmet food and, soon, sleep.
Small Bar (Lincoln Park) - Fullerton folks, hope you're ready for soccer and good beer.
The Exchange - You won't miss Lava Lounge when you get a taste of the cocktails at this re-imagined spot.

OPENING SOON:
Leo's Coney Island - Come Monday, true Detroit Coneys will finally be available in Chicago. (We investigated the current options and came away unimpressed).
Forty Carrots - Bloomingdale's shoppers, your light lunch spot arrives this month.

CLOSED:
Costa's - A fire has destroyed this Greektown favorite...for now.
Chaise Lounge - There was only room for one restaurant in this Bucktown space.
Asmara Cafe - Rogers Park Eritrean spot is now a place to get your taxes done.
Accent Cafe - Mt. Prospect residents will have to find another place for Eastern European fare.

Check back here every week for more openings and closings, and be sure to check out Centerstage Chicago's list of new restaurants and bars.

What's this worth to you? (photo via ToughSledding)

Denny's Free Grand Slam Breakfast
6 a.m.-2 p.m. at Denny's nationwide
It's simple: Go to Denny's. Wait in a long, snowy line. Get a free Grand Slam breakfast, which includes two eggs, two pancakes and either two sausage links or two pieces of bacon. Repeat. The area restaurants closest to the city are in Oak Park (711 N. Harlem), Norridge (4609 N. Harlem) and Oak Lawn (9217 S. Cicero). See 'em all mapped here.

Opera Underground’s “Opera with a Twist”
6:30-9:30 p.m. at Faith & Whiskey; $30 in advance, $40 at the door
Who says opera and debauchery don't mix? This event, which helps support Chicago Opera Theater's Opera For All program in Chicago Public Schools, combines the two with a night of open bar, appetizers and a short performance from some of its Young Artists.

Love Fest
7-10 p.m. at Holiday Club; $20 in advance, $25 at the door
As with the other Nerds at Heart events, this fest at the Holiday Club allows you to show off your prowess at trivia quizzes and board games. You'll get the chance to win some especially nerdy prizes and, if you're lucky, you might find a date for Valentine's Day! Tonight's gay-centric gathering (tomorrow is hetero night) features dating-themed mini-performances from local singer Amy Armstrong and Ms. Bertha Mason (actor/chef Michael Bowen) of "Baking with Bertha." Admission price includes one cocktail.

Phindile Mkhizie as Rafiki in "The Lion King." (photo: Joan Marcus)

Be prepared for sensational news: "The Lion King" is coming back to Chicago, with a six-week engagement beginning September 29 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. If you're already roaring with excitement, mark down February 24 on the calendar. That's the day that Broadway in Chicago Subscription Series holders will be able to buy tickets (and if you've got a group of 15 or more, you can buy right now). For more information, visit thelionking.com or broadwayinchicago.com.

Looks like you can hold off on that tea party for another week, luxury shoppers.

This Saturday, Sunday and Monday, The 900 Shops on Michigan Avenue is offering you a break from Chicago's typically crippling 10.25-percent sales tax by discounting all items -- including those on sale -- by the same amount. Participating retailers include Michael Kors, J. Crew, MaxMara, Montblanc, DNA 2010, Club Monaco, Adidas, L'Occitane, Charles David, Original Penguin, Solstice Sunglass Boutique, Oiliy, Bernardaud, Mark Shale, United Colors of Benetton, Galt Toys, Mario Tricoci, Christofle, Sermoneta Gloves and more. The daily parking rate will also be reduced to $10, so it'll be easy to haul away all those bags.

There's just one catch: you have to present an access pass to get your discount, available online or at the concierge desks on levels 1 and 6.

Chicago's Hope for Haiti
7 p.m. at House of Hope
A host of stars will be on hand at this South Side arena for Chicago's hope for Haiti benefit concert. Expect performances from Common, Donald Lawrence & Co., Lalah Hathaway, Shirley Caesar, Marvin Sapp, Regina Belle and others, plus appearances by Mayor Daley and Governor Quinn. The concert will double as a telethon, which will be broadcast live on WJYS TV, with proceeds going to Yele Haiti, Samaritan's Purse and International Childcare.

The Silver Project
7:30 p.m. at American Theater Company
Presented in parts and as a whole, "The Silver Project" includes work from over thirty playwrights across the country writing on what it means to be an American, with each playwright choosing a year between 1985-2010 to focus on. Tonight is part one.

Trivia Night
7:30 p.m. at Finley Dunne's Tavern
The Trivia Jerk website returns to West Lakeview once again this week, with winners of the popular event getting a $50 gift card to the bar. Start formulating your team names now.
Check out Centerstage's listings of trivia nights in Chicago.

photo: Joan Marcus

"I am a drug addict. You see these little blue babies? They're my best friends and they never let me down. Try to get 'em away from me and I'll eat you alive!"
- Violet Weston (Estelle Parsons), "August: Osage County"

For more Weston wit, and the full Centerstage review of the show's touring production (at the Cadillac Palace Theatre through Valentine's Day), click here.

In case you didn't see DeRo's note earlier this morning, the Pitchfork Music Festival announced its first batch of acts today. Pavement, Modest Mouse, LCD Soundsystem, St. Vincent, Raekwon, Lightning Bolt, Cass McCombs, Sleigh Bells and Here We Go Magic will be among the performers July 16-18 in Union Park. Tickets ($40 per day, $90 for a three-day pass) go on sale at noon today.

What's changed in the last 20 years? Find out at Friday's Fresh Fest.

Fresh Fest
8 p.m. Friday at Arie Crown Theater; $40-$72.50
If you came of age in the '90s, this is pretty much a dream concert bill. Salt 'n' Pepa, Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh and Whodini will bring it back to the glory days of rap in a marathon show.

Got room for yet another Haiti benefit concert? You will once you've heard the lineup for Monday's "Chicago's Hope for Haiti" show at the House of Hope in Pullman. Common, Donald Lawrence & Co., Lalah Hathaway, Shirley Caesar, Marvin Sapp, Regina Belle and others will perform as part of the star-studded show that doubles as a telethon, to be broadcast live on WJYS TV at 7 p.m. Proceeds benefit Yele Haiti, Samaritan's Purse and International Childcare.

If you've still got some philanthropic energy left, check out these other Chicago-area Haiti benefits on Centerstage.

So, you've had a hard week. You need something to take your mind off the stress, and maybe give you a little lift as you ease into the weekend. Instead of reaching for that bottle of pills on the nightstand, reach for the mouse and click this sneak peek of the Second City's latest satire, "Rush Limbaugh! The Musical," courtesy of NBC Chicago. You'll thank us when you're not in rehab.

Black Math will give you a good association with numbers. (photo: Dana Browning via MySpace)

Black Math
9:30 p.m. at Hideout; $8
Hissing intimacies of underground '80s new-wave cassette days, these local bedroom popsters spend much of their time shrouding their vocals and synths in Depeche Mode brood and songs about "Reckless Thoughts" and a "Bottomless Sea." But if you stick with the lo-fi catharsis long enough, the band will treat you to sunshine-reverb punk shakers that could be Jesus and Mary Chain B-sides.
For more shows, check out the Centerstage music calendar or sign up for the events newsletter.

Italian Cinema Night
7 p.m. at Salute Wine Bar
Every Thursday, this Gold Coast wine bar shows a classic Italian film, offering half-price pizzas to those who choose to partake in the cinematic experience. February is Sophia Loren Month, beginning tonight with "Two Women," for which Loren won an Academy Award for Best Actress (the first to win one for a non-English-speaking performance). If you can't make it tonight, consider the upcoming films: "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow" (February 11), "Marriage Italian Style" (February 18) and "Houseboat" (February 25).

Faces of Poverty
5:30-8 p.m. at Black Walnut Gallery
Police officers see things differently from the rest of the population -- including poverty. Their views are the focus of this photo exhibit, which displays the work of those pursuing a master's degree in police psychology at the Adler School of Professional Psychology. Participants were asked to take photos at the beginning and end of a course, and the results show much about the officers' journeys. The exhibit event, which will include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, is open to the public, but an email RSVP to jpssj@adler.edu is encouraged.

There wasn't an official competition, but we feel pretty confident in declaring Uncle Fatty's Rum Resort the king of all cover-band bars in Chicago (step up your game, Joe's). Hot on the heels of its Winter Music Fest featuring cover bands from around the city, the island-themed establishment introduces "WTF Wednesdays" tonight, featuring the musical stylings of The Cover Kings, an all-star cover band formed from the city's top cover bands (Hairbangers Ball, Mike and Joe, '80s Proof). This is the cream of the crop, folks.

The band will perform two sets beginning at 9 p.m., and members of other professional cover bands can sign up for a jam session beginning at 8 p.m. Specials include $2 domestic beers and $2 well drinks. Not surprisingly, there's a cover charge: $4.

The word "philanthropist" usually conjures up images of old, accomplished men and women who pay people to decide how to spend their money. But that's not always the case, as the Steppenwolf Auxiliary Council's annual Red or White Ball shows. Young professionals and budding donors gather each year to eat, drink, dance and raise money for Steppenwolf for Young Adults, the theater's arts education program.

For $125, you can join these young movers and shakers at Salvage One at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 9. You'll mingle, you'll bid in the silent auction, and who knows...you might even meet a potential benefactor to take home (that's a "sugar daddy," for you uncultured types). Buy tickets and learn more on the official website.

If Beacher's Madhouse is good enough for Money Mayweather, it's good enough for you.

Beacher's Madhouse
9 p.m. at Martini Park
Can't afford that trip to Vegas this year? Let Martini Park bring Sin City to you. One of the Strip's favorite shows makes an appearance in Chicago tonight before heading down to The Venue at Horseshoe Casino this weekend. It's an extravaganza featuring variety acts, dancers, sideshow freaks, midgets (Mini Lady Gaga, anyone), acrobats, DJs and, of course, scantily clad babes.

Wednesday Date Night
Blue 13; $80 per couple
If your relationship has been rendered utterly predictable due to the daily grind, switch things up with this brand-new dinner series presented by this rock 'n' roll restaurant. For $80, you and your partner can each choose a salad or appetizer, an entree and a dessert from the regular menu. Options include rabbit streudel, hot 'n' sour cod and warm chocolate cake. Wine pairings are served with each course. The promotion runs every Wednesday through March, except for February 24 (Restaurant Week).

Reading Under the Influence
7-9 p.m. at Sheffield's; $3
The theme for this month's edition of the reading series: Love Hangover. This month's performers -- Claire Zulkey, Aimee Perkins (2nd Story), Joe Deir and Barry Wightman -- will read recognizable published works relating to the topic, as well as original pieces. Award-winning author Jaimee Wriston Colbert will read from her new novel, Shark Girls. As always, you can expect food, drink and trivia.

Highlights from Centerstage Chicago's latest Crumb newsletter:

Just (Re-)Opened: Macello Ristorante
Just like old times at this West Loop Italian restaurant.

Off the Beaten Path: Rincon de Tabasco
It's always fiesta time at this Northwest Side spot.

Weekly Treat: Two tickets to Nneka
Do you really want to miss out on the Nigerian Lauryn Hill?

Man We're Crazy About: Tiny Lounge
The Lincoln Square incarnation is a little bigger and a lot swankier than the original.

For more Chicago bar and restaurant news, sign up for the Crumb newsletter.

This isn't the #5, but doesn't it look good? (courtesy DMK Burger Bar)

We're not sure how a place that's been open just a few months can have a "long-awaited" burger, but ever since we first heard about DMK Burger Bar's new #5 (topped with prosciutto, fontina and pesto), we admit a few anticipatory drools.

Well, the long wait is finally over, as the restaurant launches its latest menu item with a party at 9 p.m. tonight. In addition to free #5s for the first 55 patrons, there will be Italian craft beers on hand and Italian music (Sinatra, Zappa) on the speakers. While you're there, make sure to grab some of the award-winning sides.

Hey, Punxsutawney Phil! We've got a three-pack of free events today, so forget that shadow and make the most of it (please?). For all you non-groundhogs, don't forget that it's primary election day in Illinois. Vote early and often.

Eat Outside
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at South Water Kitchen; free
How far would you go for a free lunch? South Water Kitchen aims to test your will; any guests willing to sit outside on the restaurant's patio today (in the snow, no less) will get their meals comped. Menu items -- all of which come with coffee or hot tea, thankfully -- include chicken pot pie, chili mac with aged cheddar and creme fraiche and "Spaghetti-O's" with orecchiette pasta and mini lamb meatballs. Seatings are at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Get "Lost"
5 p.m. (show at 7 p.m.) at Durty Nellie's; free
Everyone's favorite island-based show returns for its final season tonight, and you can watch all the action on Durty Nellie's 15 big-screen TVs (including a 16-by-19-foot giant) with your fellow fans while enjoying $2 pints of Bud and Bud Light, $3 pints of Goose Island, $9.50 pitchers of Goose Island, $5 Jager bombs and $4 Jager shots. After the show, stick around for "Lost" trivia for the chance to win a $100 gift card.

Pac Div
9 p.m. at The Shrine; free w/RSVP to PACDIV@theshrinechicago.com
Using basketball as an analogy, Pac Div released the mixtape "Church League Champions" with the intent of documenting their growth from rec. league scrubs (the underground) to NBA all-stars (rap's upper echelon). So far their rise has been steady, with accolades pouring in from all directions, including trendsetters like P. Diddy and Pharrell Williams. As of now the SoCal trio is working hard on a new mixtape entitled "Don't Mention It," which ought to be a nice primer for their forthcoming album, "Grown Kid Syndrome" (due out this summer and featuring production from Swiff D and The Neptunes).

The Plague is back. Again.

Back in September, we told you about Fifth House Ensemble's production of "Black Violet" a film/music collaboration with artist Ezra Claytan Daniels, telling the story of a black cat and albino rat in Plague-ridden London. This week the group returns with "Black Violet II: The Great Exodus of The Tamed," a continuation of the tale (Chicagoist offers an explanation of the story and the music here). You can catch a free performance tonight at 7 p.m. at the Chicago Cultural Center, or head to SPACE on Thursday at 8 p.m. ($15 general admission, $25 for a reserved table with Goose Island Matilda and Whole Foods cheese).