I love drinking stories. I love them so much that in 2011 I created the Blackout Diaries, a live weekly show in a Chicago barroom, where comedians, writers, and tipplers of all tolerance levels share true tales of carousing—and the often hilarious, sometimes harrowing misadventures that result. The format was once described as “a reverse AA meeting,” and I think that pretty well sums it up. What follows is a curated selection of some of the most fondly remembered stories from the show’s first five years. Bottoms up! —Sean Flannery
The Blackout Diaries Saturdays, 8 PM, High-Hat Club, 1920 W. Irving Park, 773-697-8660, blackoutdiaries.info, $10
