well, Shedd is cool if you like that kind of thing; And pier is good at night in the summer. Used to walk there a lot.
This is fair, as long as you avoid the crowds and gimmicky stuff going on there it isn't as bad. Agree with the Lincoln Hall and Beat Kitchen love. Also, Metro is a staple, and Bottom Lounge has improved since the security stopped being awful.
I really enjoy Beat Kitchen. I'll have a special place in my heart for Metro, always. Conchord would be up there for me but unfortunately, I just do not dig the lay out. Specifically going to and from the washrooms and merch areas.
Echoing all the love for Lincoln Hall. Bottom Lounge is up there too, if only for nostalgia. I avoid Concord at all costs.
I haven't been back to Lincoln Hall since I saw American Football last January. I'll probably need to go out of my way to make that happen now.
I'm a big fan of SubT and Beat Kitchen. I've only been to Lincoln Hall once, but I'm seeing Julien Baker there on Thursday, so I'm pretty excited about that.
I've never been to Lincoln Hall so seeing Julien tomorrow will be my first time. I'm so excited to see her. I really hate SubT because the set up is weird. I hate how long and narrow that room is.
I wish the Aragon didn't sound so terrible. It's a beautiful room and I love everything about shows there except for the sound.
There was nothing I felt like I needed to get in line early for this year, but I'll swing by Bucket O' Blood at some point to see if they have the Brian Fallon record.
Completely agree about Concord. It's especially painful when the show is sold out. It sucks because they get quite a few good shows. I'll be there too! Schubas is also one of my favorites in the city, which isn't surprising since it's owned by the same people as Lincoln Hall. Aragon is far and away my least favorite venue in Chicago. As you said, the sound is awful. That's the only venue in the city where I will decide not to see a band I like just because of the venue.
We're seriously spoiled beyond belief in Chicago with the amount of incredible venues. If I had to pick a favorite it'd have to be The Metro based on memories I've made there and the fact that it's across from Wrigley. Others at the top of my list would be Empty Bottle, Cobra Lounge, and Lincoln Hall. Also, I want to give props to Thalia Hall. Saw my first show there last month (Titus Andronicus) and I loved everything about the place. Only one I'm not particularly fond of is House of Blues. That place feels like a Hard Rock Cafe and the VIP balcony situation is stupid.
Thalia Hall is awesome. It's obviously a bit of a hike if you don't live in the Pilsen area but it's worth the trek.
Did anyone else here used to go to Fireside Bowl shows when that was happening? I saw so many bands there when I was in high school that got WAY bigger later.
Thalia Hall is so cool. It's the only big venue in the city that I've played at, and it was such a great experience.
Definitely been to my fair share of shows there. I remember seeing Brand New there at some point. I forget what the bill was but part of me thinks it was either Recover or The Impossibles...
Man I wish. I've seen vids and flyers and set-lists and stories but that era was before I lived here. My Fireside Bowl was the East Peoria Legion Hall.
I love looking up old Fireside Bowl shows on YouTube. It's crazy what you'll come across. Like this (wasn't there but holy shit):
Fireworks at the East Peoria Legion Hall in the spring of 2010 is one of my favorite shows ever. That might have been the last show held there, I'm not sure. EDIT: Maybe that was the Morton Legion Hall. It was some legion hall in the Peoria area. One of my bands played Fireside in 2014. It was weird, and it seemed like the owner didn't really like that bands still played there, but the scene history in that place is insane.
I remember that show! Yeah I think that one was in Morton. Fireworks was always very good to central IL. Were you at the Peoria Riverplex show? I forget what year this was (I'm guessing 2007ish), but Fireworks played a show behind a recreational center in Peoria on the river front. The Wonder Years opened up for them, and the show got shut down right after they played. Apparently the kid putting it on didn't tell the rec center people how late the show was going, so shit got shut down before Fireworks could play. So, after much deliberation, they settled on moving the show to a roller skating rink in Pekin and everyone drove caravan style over the river into Pekin and finished the show an hour or two later.