Filed under: John Doe | Tags: Bars, Chicago, Clubs, Coffee, Dining, Entertainment, PAWS Chicago, Reckless Records, Venues, Wicker Park
Currently Listening To: Passion Pit – To Kingdom Come
Being my last week in Chicago, I thought I’d compile a list of Wicker Park “must sees.” No industrial insight, no debate, just a listing of places that made my summer that much better.
Enjoy.
Bar: Estelle’s
Open ’till 5, cheap drinks, juke box a’ playin’.
Also check out: Green Eye, Subterranean, Double Door, Flat Iron, Salud, Delilah’s, Reggie’s, The Mutiny, Bottom Lounge, Inn Joy, Debonair, The Gallery Cabaret, Cobra Lounge
Venue: Subterranean
Good bands, great atmostphere.
Also check out: Bottom Lounge, Metro, The Congress, Reggie’s, Double Door, The Mutiny
Dance Club: Crobar
Huge, expensive, loud, just the way we [sometimes] like it.
Also check out: Debonair
Coffee shop: The Gallery
Artist named food (would you like a Monet?), amazing coffee, awesome baristas.
Also check out: No competition.
Shops: Reckless Records
New and used CDS, records and tapes. Inexpensive, huge selection. The bane of many people’s existance, really.
Also check out: Akira, Rudy’s Roundup, Zella Brown, Mojo Spa
Attend orientation then volunteer to walk puppies at a no-kill humane shelter!
Great lighting, good food, inside/outside tables, not to mention amazing margaritas!
Also check out: Milwood, Gallery Cafe, Cobra Lounge, Cheesecake Factory, Tocco, Piece, Silver Cloud
Filed under: Feature, Reviews | Tags: Alternative Rock, Dark Wave Disco, Electronic Rock, Harry James Management, Hip Hop, Kill Hannah, Music, Sanction Language, The Outfitters, Wicker Park
Currently Listening To: Sanction Language – Chicapolis Now
When I attained my publicity internship at Victory Records in early May, the next plan of action was to secure an apartment. My only requisition being that its location be easily accessible to get to work, I hit up the Facebook Marketplace like it was nobody’s business. When I was lucky enough to come across a 2-bedroom sublease from a lovely man named Rahul, I took it with relief.
Little did I know this apartment was located in Wicker Park, a neighborhood known for its music savvy residents.
The first neighbor to welcome me to the neighborhood was a hip-hop producing artist and vocalist from the fourth floor named Ron. A Chicago native, this well put together guy was quick to fill me in on his endeavors and show me around his apartment, which was filled with recording equipment accompanied with a chess set, set to the side for nights he needed to get his thoughts together.
Ron, who goes by the name “Veza” in his group Sanction Language, was kind enough to give me a copy of his latest CD, Chicapolis (Ski-ka-polis) Now. Mind you, I am not usually a huge hip hop fan, however, I do enjoy thoughtfully generated music regardless of genre when approached with it. The album offers vocals, beats and clips I have never heard anything like before, and provides relevant lyrics to those in ‘cago and cities nation wide. To check out Sanction Language, or their producer The Outfitters (which Ron is also very much a part of), visit www.theoutfittersmusic.com.
In passing conversation, Ron had mentioned an alternative band who lived next door to us. In an unrelated passing conversation about a cat with the band’s bassist Greg, I found that he was referring to the 15-year old international alternive band, Kill Hannah. I had never heard their music before, but checked out their single, Kennedy, which was featured on One Tree Hill a few years back. In short, it was great– dancy and catchy. If you haven’t checked them out yet, I suggest you do so.
And if you’re not into hip hop or alternative rock, techno may be your cup-o-tea? If that’s the case, check out Kill Hannah’s bassist’s side project Dark Wave Disco, which include three of Chicago’s most well-known DJs. They can promise no Michael Jackson, no country music and a good time.
In short, living in Wicker Park has proved an entertaining supplement to my 10 to 4 life at Victory Records.
