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Feature Thu Jul 26 2007
Transmission: Why We {heart} Chicago Music
This week marks a year since Gapers Block: Transmission was born, and while we can't take up all your time telling you exactly how happy we are to be here, talking about Chicago's music scene each and every day, we would like to give you three reasons (x14 Transmission staff writers) why each of us love Chicago and all of its musical offerings.
Kara Loves:
I moved here a year ago from Colorado Springs, Colo., and while the city features lovely scenery, it's rather dead as far as live music (unless you love cover bands, hardcore screamo, or hours-long conga drum-and-guitar jam freakouts — which I don't). When shopping for a new city, a healthy music scene was definitely one of my must-haves, and so far, Chicago has nicely fit the bill.
So, what I love about Chicago's music scene is:
Availability — Locals, longtime residents, and other jaded souls can whine all they want, but you really can find great live music every night of the week. Listen, I'm originally from North Dakota — I know what "nothing to do" looks like.
Supportiveness — You don't like what's going on the scene? Suck it up, sonny, and start your own band. From finding a venue to equipment-sharing, do some homework. There's tons of mini-pockets of supportive scene-folk to help make it happen.
Visual perks — Let's face it, album covers are as much a part of a band's image as the music. In the same vein, a concert poster can often make or break a show. The poster art scene thrives here in Chicago; as a result, the work of folks like Jay Ryan and the Bird Machine crew, means that concerts have become a place to not only catch a great show, but to collect some art as well.
-Kara Luger
Brent Loves:
Chicago is a city known world wide for music styles such as blues, house, post and indie rock. But locally the diversification goes far beyond a few styles. Without listing them all a majority of genres are extremely well represented in the Chicago area. From bluegrass to punk and all that falls between, the city offers a buffet of music styles to choose from. It is wonderful to live in a city that is famous for multiple styles of music, but equally as special to have so many other genres thriving.
Coming from an area in Indiana where you'd be lucky to find one quality live show a month within a 30 mile radius, Chicago offers dozens of shows I'd pay to see every night, sometimes up to 10 within a short walks distance. And to make it even better, it's rather easy to find quality live performances for $5 or less.
Chicago's nightclub culture may not get mentioned in the same breath of New York or London, but it's the low-key, non-pretentious vibe that makes it so fresh. With a recent wave of new clubs openings the scene is really booming and the choice of styles is rising along with it.
-Brent Kado
John Loves
People Projects: This DIY storefront/show space in the heart of Logan Square has hosted holiday BBQs, garage sales, and even built a half-pipe upstairs! In addition to playing host to a slew of independent touring acts, PP serves as home base to such amazing bands as Skullzone and Rager!
Thax Douglas: Thax defines local celebrity. Providing amazing band intros for what seems like decades, it took a departure from Chicago to make him and others realize what an essential part of our city this rock laureate is.
Monday Night at the Empty Bottle. What’s better than FREE music? How about $1.25 beer and $.50 pool?!? The Empty Bottle has been consistently hosting one of the best music nights in Chicago, featuring national touring acts, as well as amazing local bands!
-John Lombardo
Anne Loves
The Festivals: For three summers now, Chicago has been the host of some of the country's most dynamic outdoor music festivals. With Lollapalooza reemerging and declaring Chicago its adopted home (at least for a few years more), and Pitchfork and Intonation harnessing a more intimate, cozier festival option (though still packed with quality national as well as local acts) for music-lovers, there just isn't a reason not to head out into the sunlight for the most beautiful season that Chicago has to offer each year. Nevermind the way that the city itself brings in national acts for absolutely free musical weekends such as the Jazz, Blues, World Music and Country Music Festivals throughout the warmer months. Don't like straying far from home? Just check your calendar for the closest neighborhood festival to your house. Your first investment, when moving to Chicago should be a comfortable blanket and some sunblock, because, really, that's all that's required for music appreciation in this burg (at least for a few months out of the year).
The Free Events: Speaking of free festivals, the city of Chicago goes even further when it comes to public music events, both indoors an out. In the summer, besides the festivals in Grant Park, there are weekly classical performances in the world-class Ghery-designed Pritzker Pavilion, each free and outlined by one of the most beautiful skylines in the world. There's also the "hey, they're pretty hip to the kids" smattering of shows at the Pritzker like last week's Decemberists show and the free world music performances that you could also catch at a local venue if you had paid out for tickets. In the winter, you can head out at lunch for hour-long performances in venues like the Cultural Center and stay warm while you eat your cheese sandwich and enjoy a show. Take it from someone who's edited an events calendar for years, the only things you'll be able to reliably find to do in the days after New Year's Eve are free music events from the city. It's as if they know the whole town will be broke, hung over, and ready to sit in a warm room and listen to some soothing sounds.
The Variety of Music, both Live and Recorded:It's no coincidence that Chicago's thriving music community also supports Chicago's long tradition of independent music labels. Recently, I helped to celebrate Thrill Jockey's 15th birthday, and last year, we all gathered around the Hideout to help cheer for Touch & Go's 25 years. But it's not just these two amazing indie music labels that Chicago has to offer, it's also the home of jazz and blues labels like Delmark (going strong for 54 years and counting) and folk and roots (and, yes, indie) music label Bloodshot Records (who turned 12 this past fall) and a plethora of other younger labels that pop up from the bedrooms and garages of Chicago music lovers every year. These independent labels not only employ a dedicated cast of music lovers around town, but they also help to preserve and distribute some of the most varied array of quality musical acts in the nation, from Alejandro Escovedo to the Mekons to Tortoise to Kahil El'Zabar. And you can see them all here first. Two weeks ago, you could either head out to Pitchfork for a few days of Slint, Sea & Cake and Cool Kids, or you could spend your weekend seeing punk-rock marching band Mucca Pazza, local electronica group about to blow up Flosstradamus, or free folk music out the ya-ya. It's a hard complaint to make that Chicago simply has too many options when it comes to deciding where to head for quality music, but hey, if that's our burden, I'll gladly carry it.
-Anne Holub
Troy Loves:
I love how anyone can persuade people that they are a rock star. Not only do the huge number of venues available to play at advance this cause, but sheer force of personality can overcome musical shortcomings here moreso than anywhere else I've been, and I’ve been in Hollywood.
Chicago is a rock town. This isn’t a bad thing, but for those who don’t ride under the rock banner, the stage is set for limited opportunities to do what you do or meet others in an open and permissive environment. From heavy metal to hip-hop, because music OTHER than the default gets covered in so little quantity in so many venues, those who carry the flag for other music have to know their stuff that much better. They congregate at places to watch their favorites, they email and IM and are islands among themselves...until the next show, appearance, or bit of internet news.
The periphery of music is rife with those who love the music for what it is, and how it makes them feel, and how it lets them find those who share in it. I’ve known members of bands that flamed out after one EP, folks who are signed to indies, even some awesome poster artists and sound engineers. The focus isn’t on the money; sure, we all want the paper, but we know that’s a dream and if it happens, it happens. In the meantime, the people who love the music in this city are going to go forth and rockout/bang it/swing with it/do the damned thang, and I love being in the middle of that energy.
-Troy Hunter
Nilay Loves:
Three (alright, four) Chicago music moments that define this city for me, personally:
1. God, do I miss the Fireside. I saw lots of shows there, but the one that will stand out forever is the mod-edition Gadjits (now The Architects) in 2001 or so, when I realized exactly what kind of rock music I liked best.
2. Stepping on stage at the Empty Bottle for the first time with The Sixtyeights. I felt like the world's biggest rockstar.
3. Does anyone remember when Q101 and XRT were the best radio stations in the world? 1994–1998 or so? When even the crap (cough, Bush) was passably listenable? I grew up simply assuming that every city had two excellent radio stations with local DJs and carefully curated playlists. Imagine my surprise when Q101 began its awful slide and XRT became some kind of weird oldies station almost as soon as I moved here and began college.
4. Driving down Lake Shore Drive at 3am in late June 2003, wasted, windows down, sunroof open, my Mustang packed with like 7 people, all singing along to "Ignition (remix)" on WGCI. Skyscrapers, the lake, and R. Kelly all at the same time. Hell yeah, Chicago.
-Nilay Patel
Craig Loves:
Truth be told I don't get out much anymore. I keep losing my oversized sunglasses, my retro T's and black chucks. Can't go out without those, right? I do still remember three great things about Chicago when I had a life. These three may or may not still be possible to recreate.
1. The best/cheapest night out 10 years ago in Chicago was Monday night at Lounge Ax with Pat McCurdy. (http://www.patmccurdy.com/) Pat was always good for a laugh. It seemed like the Lounge Ax on Monday night with Pat was the one place jocks, nerds, and cool kids could mix in peace. Everyone got wildly drunk and sang along to all of Pat's songs including songs like "Sex and Beer", "Nude Party" and "Choking The Gopher". It's not too late to catch Pat McCurdy around town but it is too late to experience him at one of his original haunts. [Keep Cool [mp3] (from 1983)]
Pat McCurdy at Summerfest
Video: McCurdy's song "Hey Paddy"
2. I used to shop for records and cd's in Chicago. Chicago was a great place for that. I think this was right before the invention of the internet. All up and down Clark St. there were cd and record stores with tons of used discs to browse through. Along that stretch Dr. Wax was my favorite, mainly because they had a 5 cds for $10 section. But it was Reckless Records on Broadway with their $1 bin that was the best place in town for music fans on a budget. Dr Wax is gone, but Reckless on Broadway is still there, but I'm afraid I've cleaned out that $1 bin.
3. I was never a huge fan of Hothouse. For me the world music previously featured there is at times too daunting and at others simply doesn't speak to me (probably due to the fact that it's in another language). But if Hothouse doesn't come back in some form or other it'll be a shame. If only because they once brought Olu Dara to Chicago a couple years back. On that night Olu was spectacular. He was playing to members of his family, as well as a to a highly receptive and adoring audience. It was a joyous show filled with a heady mix of jazz, blues, and African rhythms. If Hothouse doesn't return Olu Dara and other artists of his caliber and experimental nature may never return to Chicago.
Ula Dara playing the cornet
Video: Nas' song "Bridging the Gap" featuring Olu Dar
-Craig Bonnell
James Loves:
Proximity of Venues I just spent four days in Los Angeles becoming generally frustrated with the sprawl that Californians refer to as a metropolitan area. Back in Chicago, it's hard to understand how fans of live music even function there since venues are so far from each other. Numerous times in the last few years I've walked from Metro to Schubas (or vice versa) in one night for different shows. Within a few miles of each other lie nearly all of the city's major live rock music venues. Double Door, Empty Bottle, and Subterranean are all a short walk from each other. Even Sonotheque and Darkroom are barely a mile apart. And the Kinetic Playground and the Aragon share the same block. It's just so convenient for so many people.
The Smoking Ban Oh, this will be glorious when it kicks in next year. Despite what seems to be a quota on smokers at shows and concerts, it's, y'know, pretty much a drawback to going out for a lot of non-smokers. With bar owners and chain smokers complaining about their business and/or rights, they seem to forget that 18 other states have enacted a similar ban and the bar industry hasn't fallen into a great depression. Venues like Schubas and Metro going smoke-free last January and not taking much of a financial hit should be an encouraging sign for other venues. Just imagine the Beat Kitchen or the Empty Bottle being smoke-free. If your lungs could smile, they will start doing so in January.
Tim Tuten I should probably make clear right here that I don't know Tim. I might say hello if I see him out somewhere, but that's it. He owns the Hideout with his wife, Katie, and he's introduced bands at Pitchfork's festivals for the last three years. This is the type of person who everyone wants in their local scene. His ownership of a venue gives him a hand on the business side of music and his obvious fandom gets him respect from those of us who just like music. I mean, how many people do you know who always seem so enthusiastic and energetic? I know I'm always glad to see him at shows.
-James Ziegenfus
JP Loves:
2. The always cool, friendly and accessible scene — Chicago's bands; labels; venues; 'zines; writers; summertime street fairs, music festivals; radio stations; poster artists; musical legacies; and, of course, its listeners.
3. The cheap
beer.
-JP Pfafflin
Marla Loves:
1. Schubas, of course. This lovely vintage tavern, built back in 1900, when Schlitz was the beer of choice, retains its charm and serves as the best place to hear live music performance in Chicago, hands down. The bar up front also makes for a very groovy hangout indeed. With its narrow interior, original wooden floors and piano, it just feels like a neighborhood bar you want to frequent regularly.
2. House music. While the original electronic dance music has morphed and developed over time, giving birth to forms such as techno and UK garage, the style remains firmly embedded in the place that allowed the funk to flourish. Some of today’s best known house Djs—Colette, Mark Farina, Ron Carroll—are born and bred here, and you can hear elements of house in the music mixed up by Flosstradamus—Chicago’s preeminent DJ duo.
3. Going to the Green Mill is by far one of my favorite and ultimate Chicago experiences. Former territory of the one and only Al Capone, the Green Mill is much like it was back in the day when gin and fast women was king. Not much has changed in the décor and intimate booth tables that surround the bar and small stage. Supposedly Capone’s old booth is still there, as is the underground tunnel which is a clandestine passageway to the bookstore down the street from the Mill, Shake, Rattle and Read.
-Marla Seidell
Dan Loves:
Chicago, Chicago. The broad-shouldered brute at the party that L.A. thinks is not hip enough, at whose blossoming national artist roster New York scoffs, at whose dance parties B-More and Hotlanta just brush their shoulders off at. Even Virginia says it's putting out better rap than our city. Chicago gets slighted musically — it's been this way for a while, and thank god there's some solid evidence to finally dispute all these claims — Chicago's steppin' out, and the heads are turning.
1. Teaching The Indie Kids To Dance Again It's been four years since Life During Wartime stepped onto the scene. Three since Flosstradamus formed on the side, right around the beginning of Walter Meego. Gutter Butter has been going strong for at least a year, the Cool Kids are officially here, and god knows how many other bands in town are playing sets worthy of hip-jigglery. Although high-priced clubs in Chi-town have always played last year's house with with orange tans and gaudy eyeliner grinding up to popped collars and odious amounts of hair gel on their multi-level dance floors, nobody moves well with a Cosmo in hand. Now-defunct spaces spaces like the Munkihaus (recently re-claimed as Fuck Mountain), the Texas Ballroom, Camp Gay, and who knows how many other secret shindigs led the way, and suddenly venues like The Empty Bottle, The Hideout, and Town Hall Pub became inexplicable dance meccas. The DJs mashup some '80s glitz with Dirty South crunk, the Wayfarers bob on everyone's heads, and everybody sings along to the Fall Out Boy remix (because somehow, even the most jaded PBR-swiller suddenly remembers all the words). Chicago has world-class dance parties going on, and it's about time.
2. Millennium Park Much has been said on the topics of Millennium Park, of it's various expenses and legal maladies, of a huge T-1000 legume that apparently looks just like the leader. But when push comes to shove, it's not the funky mirror, it's not the spitting faces, it's not even the speed demon Segway security that make Millennium Park worth every penny — it's the concerts. The ol' hairnet is so new, so well-maintained, and so booked all the time that you never have to sit down on the bare patch of grass, or sweep up the broken beer bottles — this is one posh free concert. Add in the picnic blankets covered in free-flowing wine bottles (and occasionally food) and you can tolerate nearly anything. But yet, the city's done a tremendous job of booking music that's really worth seeing. From the stellar performers at each year's World Music Festival to the Orchestra backed-Decemberists, the park is definitely providing a free show that's finally worth more than the price of admission. Northerly Island could learn a few things...
3. Those kids on North and Damen who play the guitar and little piano in animal/gas masks. The one has to be like, 15 at most. I love that little guy.
-Dan Morgridge
Chris Loves:
Recently, while medicating my aching, swelling brain with two days of amazing drone music at the Empty Bottle, I met a free improvisational musician from L.A. named Don. He handed me his CD-R (de rigueur at events like this) and asked if there were any places to play unconventional music in Chicago, as he was planning on moving here in a few months. Between me and a few other people nearby, we rattled off two generous handfuls of venue names that hosted all forms of unconventional music. His jaw, it did drop.
That's what I love most about Chicago — the phrase "lots of places to see shows" doesn't even begin to describe the situation! I'm not just talking about the Aragon or Park West or any of the big places; they are great for what they are, but places like that exist in most large towns. I'm talking the basements of coffee houses, people's outsized lofts, old bowling alleys (ahem). Anywhere that you can plug in an amp, put a person on the door, and set up a merch table is A-OK to have a show. When young, starving bands travel through the Midwest in search of a place to play, it should be a source of city pride that there's little chance that Chicago will send these hungry young rockers (or jazzers, or noisers) away empty-handed.
For my 3 favorite things about Chicago Music, I'm going with venues. Venues past, venues present, and venues that are up and coming.
1. Venues Past: The Nervous Center (Lincoln Square): a coffee house with a great magazine rack for browsing, delicious pastries for eating, thrift clothing for sale, and live music in the basement. In fact, they had everything but a pot of coffee ready! I never went there where a simple request for coffee didn't end with a sigh and an "alright, just a sec, I'll put the coffee pot on." I saw so many great shows here, from raging power electronics (Slogun, Bloodyminded) to quiet sound generators that were quieter than the creaking floor above.
The Pink Section and its successor, Texas Ballroom (both Pilsen): just a quick jump off the orange line would lead to raucous jams (watching a crowd of kids nearly cave the floor in while going crazy to Lightning Bolt) and a guaranteed dance party after every show.
The Big Horse (Wicker Park): many a fine rock band cut their teeth here; it's the Star Club Hamburg of Chicago! Food in the front (for the truly brave), rock in the back (sometimes spoken word too), and the always generous Armando at the door. Give an extra buck or two to the (highly tolerant) bartenders, they deserve it.
And of course, the Fireside Bowl! Who doesn't think about this place at least once a week? Who didn't see some of the best shows of their lives here? I was no doubt squeezed up against more a few of you mofos for the 2002 Oops! Tour, sharing breathing space with excitable people with hipster B.O. freaking out to Wolf Eyes, the Locust, and Lightning Bolt in 99 degree heat. It was here that I saw Caroliner turn the back wall into a totemic, neon-colored hallucination, and remember fondly the performance by Acid Mothers Temple where guitar-god Kawabata Makoto threw a tantrum over the (legendarily bad) sound, parking his hippy ass right down on the warped bowling lanes for a good old-fashioned pout. I laughed, I screamed myself hoarse, and I went into work the next day with cigarette smoke still on my jacket.
2. Venues present (a partial list at best): Always, always props to the Empty Bottle, a major destination for folks who love it loud. Experimental projects from all over the Midwest consider playing through the Bottle PA to be "a not-to-be-missed opportunity if you're offered the chance."
Special thanks to Lampo (and their usual performance space, Odum) for bringing the music of the world into our humble little crossroads town. Watch a man from Switzerland rub rocks together, or another guy from England play his guitar with motors and paperclips. Sounds like a drag, except that it's luminous. When I imagined the awesomeness of Chicago and what it was like from my home town of Saginaw, this is the kind of place I was thinking of.
Hotti Biscotti picks up the torch of the old Nervous Center, only the lack of hot coffee is now superseded by beer all through the night. Bless 'em and their crazy, circuit-bent hearts.
The many many venues of Wicker Park: The Note, Subterranean, the Double Door, Heaven Gallery, Enemy. Awesome places to see shows both large and small, and they're all walkable from one another! Take that, any other town in the country. I can't count the times I've seen someone at one show, only to watch them duck out the back right after a performance so they can run across the street to catch yet another act who are going on in, like, fifteen minutes. Tell me that doesn't rule?!
Don't forget the Chicago Cultural Center! I saw Steve Lacy [R.I.P.] levitate the roof with his musical beauty, and had my chest ground into the pavement by the Brotzmann Tentet, both in the very same room. And what was that one beautiful word again? Oh yeah, free.
3. Venues on their way up: Chicago is exploding with new venues for crazy music, often in new places on the south and west sides of the city. The Boris Kar-Loft, the Shape Shop, the Flower Shop, Nihilist, Plaines Project, Reversible Eye Gallery, Elastic, South Union Arts. I have to admit that my aging ass hasn't visited even one fourth of all these new places yet, but I will soon. There's plenty of time, after all — it's not like I need to be in any other city any time soon.
-Chris Sienko
Brandon Loves:
1) Pitchfork Media. These guys are the New York Yankees of online music journalism — they're easy to hate while secretly wishing you could play on their team. But, importantly, they are not in New York. In fact, there's nothing "second city" about the way Pitchfork dominates contemporary online music discussion. Yes, their founder may have moved to NYC, but the office and Festival, they're 100% Chicago. So whether or not you agree with the infamous Travistan, Electric Pink, or Shine On reviews, or the way a "Best New Music" designation puts a band you've followed for years on everyone else's map, the fact remains that if you're from Chicago and you love non-radio music, Pitchfork is a reason to be proud.
2) Schubas. Is there a better place to see a show in Chicago? No smoking, elegant wood performance hall, intimate confines. And a continually fantastic artist lineup. Best shows there I've seen recently: Midlake, Mice Parade, and White Rabbitts. Everybody sounds good there.
3) Flameshovel Records. For my money, the best label in Chicago. Reasons why? Here they are, in random order: The Narrator, Russian Circles, The Race, Chin Up Chin Up, Mannequin Men, Bound Stems, Make Believe, The Joggers, Voltage. If you haven't seen a Flameshovel band play, you haven't experienced Chicago music.
-Brandon Forbes
Graham Loves:
1. I've said before and will do so again: It's been great watching how certain areas of the Chicago music scene have developed and expanded — specifically on the club and hip-hop scenes. In the past twelve to eighteen months, a number of Chicago emcees, DJs, and bands have stepped up and seen their efforts recognized on a national (and sometimes international) level. The added benefit of all of this is that it makes Chicago even more of a magnet, drawing a richer and more diverse range of artists and DJs to the Windy City to appear at venues like Sonotheque, The Empty Bottle, Subterranean, Darkroom, Tini Martini, and a number of other clubs around town.
2. On a related note, there's the efforts of local, small-time, independent promoters and organizers — people who've gone out on a limb, pooled meager resources, and brought things together to enrich the local scene. In many instances, this involves bringing in some out-of-town DJs and artists who might not have otherwise made a special trip to Chicago, and pairing them up on a billing with top-tier local talent. I've had the pleasure of meeting and dealing with some of these people. They dedicated and they work hard to make things happen, and the music scene in this city is definitely better for it.
3. Watching the behemoth media outlets like Tower and Virgin close their doors, and the prices on CDs at other chains climb closer to the $20 mark while watching indie stores continue to do quite well — e.g., seeing Permanent Records launch their storefront business this past year and Reckless branch out with a satellite location in the Loop.
-Graham Sanford
