In Chicago - August 16-20th Where to go?

Hey Everybody,

I’ll be heading to Chicago August 16-20 this year.
My brother and I are hitting up US Cellular Field, Wrigley, and Miller Park.

Looking into any local nights of authentic, chill Chicago house.
If anyone has any recommendations, please pass them on!

peace
jd

In Wrigleyville you’ll be right near Metro/Smart Bar, the obvious choice. Derrick Carter headlines there pretty often.

Other places I used to hit have come and gone, but try the Chicago Reader … they’ve usually got decent listings of who’s spinning where.

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if you’re into coffee check wormhole cafe.
http://www.thewormhole.us

Arise, Chicago Tourist thread, ARISE!!!
I too am in Chicago for three days!!
What does an Elektronaut do in this great City?
Suggest things to me!

To be clear, I’m here now! Leaving on Monday! I brought my field recorder and the DT but I forgot my 1/8th to 1/4 “ adapter so I have to go find one.

depends on where you are. kinda dreary today but the lake front is always good in my opinion no matter the weather. There might be some good wave action going on today. Just try to get away from downtown. The city is really not whats downtown but everything else around it.

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Also if you need a destination, go to gramaphone on clark street just south of wrigleyville. Buy some records :slight_smile: There’s lots going on but if you ask whomever’s working there they can probably point you to an event that is a little less in the mainstream and more local. I will argue that the cities best artists aren’t at the big venues but the little local ones.

I am going to highly recommend this for Saturday night:
https://clubinitiative.cargo.site/

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Is Dave’s Records still around? I went there years ago (and Gramaphone) and found some great records for crazy low prices.

Awesome, good advice. Umm I think we are in Ukrainian Village, on the edge of Wicker Park. I’m down to just ride transit and eat food, but my wife’s friend who lives here may have an agenda…
It sure is nice to be in a big city.
Portland is just a constant condo building being built and tent cities everywhere.

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Chicago Music Exchange if you like guitars (and has some synths, too) is not too far away from you. The museums are obviously great (Art Institute and Field Museum), lots of food options, etc. Depends on what you want to do! Lincoln Park Zoo is free–maybe you could take your recorder and get some elephant noises to mangle :laughing:

A couple of recommendations since you are in Ukraine Village. The Empty Bottle is nearby. That is one of my favorite venues for live shows. Small, good vibe. For food, Fatso’s Last Stand. Awesome food. If you want to do a Chicago Hot Dog, they have a great one and their burgers are outstanding.

Here are some random recommendations for the rest of the city that are popping in my head:

Music Stores:
Chicago Music Exchange - Huge music store. Lots of instruments to play. Right by Reverb headquarters as well. The owner of Chicago Music Exchange actually started Reverb.
Rock N’ Roll Vintage - This place is a bit smaller, but has a nice synth/modular section.

Music:
Green Mill - My favorite jazz club. Supposedly it was owned by Capone’s right-hand man. When you walk in you feel like you are walking into a club from that era.
Coles - Good vibe, have seen many good bands here in the past.

Cocktail Bars:
Whistler - Chill Vibe, can get busy, but often has good live music or DJ’s.
The Violet Hour - Interesting place, amazing cocktails, just needs to be experienced.

Breweries - too many to count, but here are a few:
Dovetail - One of my favorites, with a focus on German and European style beers. They are doing an Okterberfest thing Sat. and Sun. with Begyle Brewing that is right next door to them. They basically close off the street between them, have bands play outside and food trucks.
Half Acre - Awesome Beers
Revoution - Aweosome Beers and Food.
Goose Island - Well worth the visit. They have some really creative beers that you don’t find in the stores. And a few years ago they redid the whole interior/taproom and it is huge and really nice.
Lagunita’s - Obviously not originally from Chicago, but the atmosphere is worth the trek. They built the whole thing into an old warehouse. Cool place.

If you are downtown, the area of Millenium Park/Grant Park can be very beautiful this time of year with the colors on the leaves starting the change. The Art Institute is also nearby, which is a worth the visit alone. And there ain’t no shame in the game of getting a picture near the “Bean”. I often bring people down to this area when they are visiting, it is very nice.

Also, the river walk is very nice. They completed that a couple years ago. And along the river is the “Art on the Mart”, where art is projected onto the Merchandise Mart building in the evening, probably sometime around 7-9pm, but check the times to be sure. If you are already down that way it is pretty cool.

Too much great food to list, all over the city. Both Au Cheval and Loyalist have amazing burgers, and are often listed on the “best-burger” lists. Both are in the vicinity of Fullton Market area, which is a great area for food and drink. Haymarket Brewing is also in the vicinity. But again, you will find great eats and drinks all over the city, and I am sure your wife’s friend has a handle on that. Same goes for neighborhood bars. Lot’s of great ones, and I am sure your people with have good recommendations.

For field recordings, just ride the train around, that’s what I do. Lots of sounds to record and experience in the city. There is construction outside my window today and I grabbed a snippet of that.

And for records, I always enjoyed Reckless Records. There are a few of them around the city.

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Beautiful! Thank you so much!

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Also, make sure your hosts set you up with a shot of Malort. Then your trip to Chicago will be complete.

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Saturday at the Green Mill from 3-5 is a good show called Paper Machete. It’s like a current-events variety show if you’re into that kinda thing. And across the street from there is a good Ethiopian restaurant called Demara. Then up the block is a decent bar/restaurant called Fat Cat. That’s a good little cluster of thing to do in Uptown.

In Ukrainian Village, swing by Dusty Groove records at Ashland/Division.

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Good call, Dusty Groove is a great shop. I forgot about that one.

And I am also a fan of Paper Machete. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon and do a little day drinking.

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Already done. Not my favorite digestif, but unique nonetheless

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That’s great! I’m a big fan. And the Chicago Handshake - the combo of an Old Style with a shot of Malort, is a personal fav.

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+100 to the lake! You can rent a Divvy bike and head south to Promontory Point. Great city views and Hyde Park is a dope neighborhood for eating out, walking around on the South Side.

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Here’s a view from the Southside looking North (sorry for the crappy angle)

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Not sure if it‘s still around, but Earwax Cafe used to be a favourite of ours.