BY MIKEY MIGO
MY FAVORITE CHICAGO MUSIC VENUES
After traveling around Chicago and north west Indiana this week, I figured out exactly what I wanted this week's column to be about. After a disappointment with a local venue I was going to go with my Top 5 worse venues. But I tend to stay away from negativity as much as I can, so we're going to go with my Top 5 favorite venues.
While it may alienate the readers, I wanted to talk about my favorite Chicago music venues. Everyone that frequents concerts in any city and in any country has their favorite places to enjoy a good concert. These are my Chicago land favorites. While there are a small handful of places I've not been to, I'll just go with experience on this.
This is my honorable mentions. I like this place and a few others, but they didn't make the final five cut.
UIC Pavilion
Notable Shows I've attended : A Perfect Circle and Nine Inch Nails
This is one of three venues I've only been to once on this list. I am not big on arenas for concerts, but this one holds a special place in my heart because it was where I witnessed my first concert. It this new band called A Perfect Circle opening for Nine Inch Nails during the Fragility 2.0 Tour. As for arenas the sound quality was acceptable, but I really had no comparison to any other show at the time so it could have sucked for all I know. It wasn't a huge arena, so it wasn't that annoyingly big. I've been waiting to go to the UIC again, but there haven't been any bands that tickle my fancy playing there in the past few years.
TOP FIVE
5.) The Pearl Room
Notable Shows I've attended : Mindless Self Indulgence, Super 8 Bit Brothers, Dope, Tech N9ne, Il Nino, etc.
The Pearl Room is just outside of Chicago in Mokena, IL. It's really like a big club. You go to this strip mall and at the end is a huge club. You go inside and you're there. The bar is in front of you and on the other side of that is a decent size stage with plenty of crowd room. If you get too crowded, just go up to the standing balcony area and catch the show from there. I've had some issues with a few shows about the sound quality. Up close, it's always good, but a few times while standing in the back and drinking the audio hasn't been that good. Those glitches seemed to of been corrected as the last time I was there a few months ago to see Tech N9ne it was fine.
4.) Logan Square Auditorium
Notable Shows I've attended: PIG, Hanzel und Gretyl, The Birthday Massacre, Deadstar Assembly, Fashion Bomb, etc.
You know that "Maps" video by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs? This place feels a lot like that. It's hidden in the middle of a block with a simple stairway that takes you to the third floor. You enter, pay, get checked, and then go up two more flights of stairs. Once you get to the performance area you see a moderate sized auditorium with a stage. There's no bullshit to the place. Just a stage, floor, a few tables of merch from the bands, and a small bar in the back. The sound quality is good, so overall it's a great place to check out some great bands and not be overwhelmed by a gigantic crowd.
3.) The Double Door
Notable Shows I've attended : Digital Mindy and Fashion Bomb
This smaller venue has a feel to it that is really "Chicago." The huge sign in front says "Double Door Liquors" which would make anyone not in the know think it's just one big ass liquor store. While the liquor flows inside, there's much more to it. Its smaller stage in the back of the bar sits there with a lot of historic performances passing it and coming in the future. There isn't much room for a huge crowd, but it's still a very important venue in the city. The only thing that didn't get this pick swapped with #2 is that I've only been there once and upon leaving that night my friend's car was towed/stolen by THE MAN. He got it back so don't worry.
2.) First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
(formerly The Tweeter Center/formerly the New World Theatre/formerly the World Theatre)
Notable Shows I've attended: AC/DC, Motley Crue, Jay Z, NERD, SOiL, Godsmack, Ghostface Killa, Snoop Dogg, KoRn, Ozzfest 2005, Bauhaus, Nine Inch Nails, etc.
At least once a summer since I've started going to concerts I have gone to this place for a concert. While the name of the venue changes, the set up and the audio quality hasn't. Over the years I've heard some complaints about the sound quality, yet from my experience the only place that it was even a tiny bit muffled was from the lawn. So either I've been really lucky or I have really cheap friends. Little bit of column A - Little bit of column B, I'm sure. I've been on the lawn, back seats, middle seats, VIP box, front seats, and the pit. The only place I've not sat at this place is on stage and in those VIP suites in the sky, but I have a friend who is determined to get us up there. If you have to attend an outside show in Chicago
1.) The Metro
Notable Shows I've attended: Mindless Self Indulgence, Acumen Nation, Alien Ant Farm, Shades of Fiction, The Dresden Dolls, etc.
If you live in the Chicagoland area or have a chance to visit the second city this is the place you want to see a concert. Since 1982 this former Swedish Community Center became The Metro. The Metro has been the stomping ground for many of the top bands from the past 30 years or so. You walk in and feel like you're in a different century. The architecture is my favorite of all venues in Chicago because of the cool old theatre and overall atmosphere. I've seen plenty of concerts here and when I learn that a band I like will be playing The Metro; I tend to anticipate the show a lot more than others. Right now I'm anticipating on the upcoming SOiL and TV on the Radio concerts.
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