A cozy dose of live music evokes an emotion that lives in the oxymoronic state of united intimacy. But since the initial restrictions in response to COVID-19, our craving for this rare experience cannot be answered. What started with increased sanitation measures quickly became the postponement of all live music events, closing box offices at the signature Chicago venues we love. The bathroom walls of Empty Bottle need a new tattoo, nobody has been stargazing in the Aragon Ballroom, and Schlitz is waiting in the tap at Schubas Tavern.

These smaller venues fuel the heartbeat of Chicago. They not only act as a springboard for rising stars, but they employ thousands of people throughout the city who are now seeking unemployment. “While one venue in the grand scheme might not seem like much to an outsider, there are hundreds of people who make a show happen,” said Shannon Nico Shreibak, Associate Marketing Director at Empty Bottle, Empty Bottle Presents, and Thalia Hall, “it’s important to band together as independent venues  and remind not only the general public but the government that we are vital to the cultural landscape of not only our city but the country and the world.”

Postponements within larger event corporations like Live Nation are taking over headlines, muffling the smaller venues’ cry for help and leaving them to struggle without government aid. “They do have that name recognition and visibility, but that doesn’t mean that they’re any more important than an independent venue that has been thriving in the city long before this pandemic happened,” Shreibak said.

It’s a sad irony when the very venues that give artists a platform to raise their voices are now voiceless. However, Chicago Independent Venue League (CIVL) is trying to change that. They are a coalition that advocates on behalf of Chicago’s independent performance venues and right now they’re needed more than ever. “These venues were one of the first to shut down and we’re going to be the last to reopen,” said Cassie Dickson, a project manager at Schubas and CIVL. They recently reported that 16 venues in the coalition have canceled over 1,200 events, lost about 300,000 audience members, and lost over $7 million in revenue.

To further amplify their message, they’re joining forces with National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) to fight for assistance and show the cultural and financial impact of independent music venues throughout the country. “It’s really scary because you know some of the really small guys might not be able to make it through all of this,” Dickson said, “right now it’s brutal but it’s been eye-opening and really cool to see CIVL-type groups being formed all over the country now.”

Your voice matters! Take action to save our stages and support local venues here: https://www.nivassoc.org/take-action

While their collective voice pushes venues through the uncertainty, individual fans are also making a difference. People are showing their support for their favorite venues and musicians so everyone can keep making art in these harrowing times. “Through tough times we really need that art. It brings us comfort and to think that these artists are suffering through this in ways that prevent them from being able to share their art or cause them to have to worry about their basic survival is scary,” said Dan Conroe who is the Marketing Director at City Winery Chicago.

You can support Chicago venues by buying gift cards, merch, food or drinks if available and purchasing tickets to future shows knowing that your ticket will be honored if postponed or refunded if canceled. Many venues also have a GoFundMe where you can donate directly. This is also a great time to purchase albums and merch from artists whose livelihood has been stripped away with the venue closings

With a national voice and support from fans, hopefully smaller venues will pump blood into Chicago’s music scene once again. “I think people are going to enter live music with a newfound appreciation. I know that I will,” Shreibak said, “everyone is craving human connection of any sort and I think that live music is one of the more potent avenues for connection. So, I think once we’re allowed to enjoy it in any capacity, it’s going to be a completely different emotional experience.”

The post Small Venues with Big Impact appeared first on Red Roll.

While a great performer can make an arena with a 50,000-person capacity feel as intimate as a coffee shop performance, you can’t deny that a venue plays a large part in the concert experience. Whether it’s a low stage, general admission with no seating, high ceilings for great acoustics or whatever else, there are multiple elements in a concert venue that effect the intimacy of a performance.

With that being said, here is a list of 15 venues in Chicago and their potential for an intimate concert.

Small:

The Hideout – located at 1354 West Wabansia

The Hideout is general admission only with a max capacity of 100 people. From the outside, it looks like an old tavern housed in a Chicago style home. With folding chairs and high ceilings decorated with Christmas lights, the seating area almost reminds you of a preschool’s play. Don’t let that deter you though because the small space is extremely intimate and is reminiscent of a high school party… but with a lot more sanity and legal drinking.

Subterranean – 2011 W North Ave

This two-floor venue has a capacity of 375 patrons. The stage is three short steps from the ground providing an intimate experience. There’s a balcony and an original tiffany’s chandelier that has withstood the sound of over 390 concerts. Overall this venue has a lowkey, underground feel.

The Empty Bottle – 1035 N Western Ave

The Empty Bottle is anything but empty. Their brick walls offer an old-style feel with a low set stage. Max capacity for this venue caps off at 400. As this venue is also a bar, all shows are 21+. It’s generally standing room, but there are seats by the bar. TEB is known by “Music Friendly Dancing” and nearly every Monday, this venue offers free shows.

Lincoln Hall – 2424 N Lincoln Ave

Split between two levels, Lincoln Hall offers a quality production without losing intimacy. The 25-foot ceilings help acoustic sets carry and the heat rise off the dance floor for EDM artists. Unless otherwise stated, shows here are 21+. This modern-meets-industrial venue holds 500 people. The stage is high off the ground for a traditional concert performance feel which takes away some of the intimacy from the performance.

Mid-size:

The Bottom Lounge – 1375 West Lake Street

Nestled near Union Park, The Bottom Lounge offers general admission to 700 people. It’s great for dancing and straight vibing to the music. Although it’s easy to get lost in the crowd here, that can be seen as a plus, especially if some concert creep won’t stop getting in your space.

Thalia Hall – 1807 South Allport Street

Thalia Hall is split between an open floor and a balcony with seats, this venue holds 800 people with shows being all-ages, unless noted otherwise. The stage is small in width and is about five feet off the ground. With general admission shows, it’s easy to make your way to the front and stare up at your favorite performer. There’s also plenty of room to dance around.

The Metro – 3730 North Clark Street

Located in Wrigleyville, the Metro generally hosts all-ages shows. Although there is a balcony, for certain shows though, it can be closed off. This venue holds a little over 1,000 people and is great for moshing. It has a wide stage for performers to play off of; it allows for a lot of interaction with the crowd if the performer is feeling up to it. Also, if you need a breather from the heat, you can step into the lobby to chill out for a minute…and you might just run into the opening act.

Concord Music Hall – 2047 North Milwaukee Avenue

With room for 1,400, Concord Music Hall is ready for people to dance around and sing their lungs out on the open floor plan. There’s a high, wide-set stage that helps people in the back of the venue see the performer. Like most venues, the shows tend to be all-ages unless otherwise noted.

The Vic Theatre – 3145 North Sheffield Avenue

Although this theatre has the same capacity as Concord Music Hall, the set-up gives off a different vibe. The room is squarer and has balcony seating. Depending on the performer, and how much they get the crowd moving, it can be an intimate occasion.

The House of Blues – 329 North Dearborn Street

This funky venue reminds you of something you’d see in New Orleans. The tri-level structure spreads the 1,800 attendees out nicely. The open floor is great for dancing. The stage is a bit narrow and draws the attention towards it which helps make the space a tad more personal despite its size.

The Riviera Theatre – 4746 North Racine Avenue

Over 100 years old, this North Side venue can hold 2,500 people. The main floor is split into three seated sections. In addition, there’s a balcony seating area. This venue is the kind where you chill out and enjoy the music instead of breaking out all your dance moves.  

The Chicago Theatre – 175 N State St, Chicago, IL 60601

The Chicago Theatre sits in the loop and holds 3,600 people. As this theatre is also used for musicals, the structure of the building is phenomenal for sound, and melodies carry far. A downside is that because this is a seated theatre, it can be hard to dance. As far as intimacy goes, there’s not a whole lot of it here. There is a balcony and mezzanine which helps concert goers see the stage. Overall, this theatre doesn’t prep the atmosphere for a personal performance experience.

Large:

Bylinebank Aragon Ballroom – 1106 West Lawrence Avenue

Near uptown, this venue originally built in 1926 has a gorgeous inside. Cast your eyes to the ceiling and you’ll see a starry sky, and when it’s paired with an epic light show and trance music, you’re transported to another world entirely. Split between two levels, you don’t even realize that this venue holds 5,000. The structure of this venue, modeled after a Spanish village, carries sound well throughout the building.

United Center – 1901 W Madison St

If you’re looking for a light show with the opportunity to belt out your favorite lyrics alongside 23,000 other people, this venue hits the mark. This indoor arena is located near Chicago’s West Side. Usually, its space is used for sporting events, but it also hosts concerts as well. As with most larger venues, an intimate performance can be hard for a performer to maintain in a venue of this size. Playing venues of this size reveals the grit and ability of a performer’s stage talent in addition to their musical skills.

Soldier’s Field –1410 Museum Campus Dr

Considered part of Chicago’s Museum Campus, this outdoor arena is a football stadium that doubles as a concert venue. With a capacity of 61,500, intimacy can easily be lost. With such a large capacity, concert goers have to watch out for nosebleed seats. Depending on the performer, there may be floor seating. This can create an illusion of intimacy as you can see the performer’s facial expressions, but there is such an expansive crowd that a personal connection is lost. On another note, a venue of such size offers a crowd full of excitement; when over 60,000 people sing the same lyric together, it creates a magical moment.

So, does the size of a venue, really matter? No. In the end, it’s not the space that makes a great concert, it’s the performer.

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February 1: Deadmau5

Hailing from Canada, this EDM artist started in 1998 with three self-released albums. His first studio album, “Get Scraped” was released in 2005 with the Zoolook. Over the years, Deadmau5 released a total of six albums, the most recent one being W:/2016Album/. Catch his 18+ show at Navy Pier on the first day of February to start your month off right. Tickets can be found on ticketmaster.

February 5: King Princess

King Princess rose to internet fame with the release of her song “1950” in Feb. of 2018. Two years later and she is visiting Chicago on Feb. 5 at the Riviera Theatre for her Cheap Queen Tour. Grab tickets soon to see her all-ages performance here.

February 13: Rakim

Starting out in the golden age of hip-hop, Rakim has influenced many artists today such as Jay-Z with his use of internal and multi-syllable rhymes. Hear Rakim along with Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane and Talib Kweli at the Hip-Hop Kickback Concert held at the Chicago Theatre.

February 18: American Authors

American Authors gained notoriety with their single “Best Day of My Life” back in 2013. Since then, they have released three indie-alternative albums with their most recent one, “Seasons.” The band is coming to Thalia Hall Feb. 18 with their all-ages Band of Brothers Road Show featuring Magic Giant and Public. Purchase tickets here.

February 19: Tove Lo

The Swedish singer-songwriter’s hit, “Habits (Stay High)” put her on America’s radar and has held our attention since. In addition to her own four albums, Tove Lo has written for artists such as Lorde, Ellie Goulding, and Alesso. She is coming to Chicago Feb. 19 on her all-ages Sunshine Kitty Tour with opening act ALMA at the Riveria Theatre. Purchase tickets here.

The post Five Chicago Concerts to Check out This February appeared first on Red Roll.

She released her Primal Heart Reimagined EP on October 26, 2018. A small project that she took upon to give her songs a new life. As she said at the venue, she wanted her songs to be “seen through a new lens.”

Kimbra kicked off her ‘An intimate, reimagine evening’ tour on December 3, 2018. During this reimagined evening, Kimbra strayed away from her pop sound and opted for a more softer jazz sound.

Before the concert that night, Kimbra shared a post on her Instagram of her hectic day before the show but, was super excited to be back in Chicago to perform for her fans.

The concert was affectionate indeed. The stage she performed on was actually lowered to the floor so she was right at eye level with the crowd. The crowd circled around this platform and with no barricades so you could literally touch the mic if you wanted to. 

As soon as Kimbra came on stage there was this certain awe from the crowd that you could tell just by looking at everyone’s faces. Kimbra walked right through the crowd onto the stage with pianist, Zachary Tenorio and bass player, Spencer Zhan, both incredible musicians.

She started off her set with the reimagined version of “The Magic Hour” from her sophomore album; The Golden Echo. A mellowed version of the song gave off jazz vibes and this resonated throughout the entire set. 

This set the tone for the night, along with the blue and purple lights that filled throughout the venue, creating a sense of relaxation and calmness. 

Kimbra stated at the show that she is always surrounded around gadgets and technology in her past shows. This was a new experience for her performing without the use of so much technology, and she was loving it.

Kimbra continued to play songs from her newly released EP such as “Good War”, “Black Sky”, “High Def Distance Romance” and “Everybody Knows.” Kimbra also included songs off of her very first album, Vows and a couple more from her Primal Heart album that she did not have in her recent EP.

Something that I loved that Kimbra did was that she was giving a bit of commentary before performing each song. She spoke about heartbreak, relationships, protest, death and even laughed with the crowd about the fact that she had never seen someone eat popcorn at a live show.

Dawn was the opening act for this tour. Her set was very chill but, she definitely got the crowd hyped up. She also wore this magnificent headpiece that she seems to be changing up at every show. Her new EP, new breed is set to release on January 25, 2019.

Kimbra was joined by Dawn to perform “Version of Me,” which was the first time they performed it live together. It was an honor to be the first to hear this live.

Kimbra joked about leaving during the encore but, due to the intimacy of the set, leaving through the crowd and coming back after a couple seconds didn’t seem right. She stayed on stage and performed “Cameo Lover” to end the night. Everyone sang along and as soon as she sang that last note the venue erupted in applause.

Big thanks to Adam Tabor for providing the feature image. Go check out his Instagram. 

The post An Intimate, Re-Imagined Night with Kimbra appeared first on Red Roll.

Despite the unusually cold weather for Chicago in April, the show went without a hitch. Myrkur was the only opening act, but it didn’t matter due to the fact that Myrkur is currently one of the best black metal acts today. Myrkur sounded amazing live, despite the fact that most of band primarily consisted of touring session musicians. Danish front-woman Amalie Bruun gave an amazing performance, using her mixtures of screams and harmonic singing brought for the atmospheric vibe of her studio albums, perhaps even surpassing them. If you haven’t checked them out yet, I suggest check them out below.

Behemoth came up next, known for putting on a performance better than their studio albums and filling entire venues full of energy. Hearing the entire Satanist album was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced, brought even further by interludes between the songs that made the album even more brilliant.  Despite the dark atmosphere, there was a moment of solemnity, when Nergal, Behemoth’s frontman, came to the stage to give honor to a fan that passed away by pouring the fan’s ashes out on to the stage.

When I told Nergal during the meet and greet that I saw Behemoth perform last year, and how it was my favorite live show he simply smiled and said, “I know this will blow you away.” He wasn’t wrong. I left Thalia Hall speechless from the quality of not only the music, but the theatricality that Behemoth has become known for. From the opening of ‘Blow Your Trumpet Gabriel’ to the classic ‘Chant for Ezkaton 2000,’ the entire show was of the highest caliber, a must see for any metal fan.

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