When it comes to nightlife, Chicago is hopping into the early morning
hours. A legendary blues town, Chicago boasts a number of great blues
venues. The grand-daddy of them all, Kingston Mines, began life as a
northside coffee house, but was soon transformed into the venerable blues
club it is today. Its two stages feature the best in blues until 4 AM every
day except Saturday, when the music doesn't stop until 5 AM Sunday morning.
Buddy Guy's Legends, located just south of the Loop, books the best blues
performers from Chicago and throughout the nation. In addition to the music,
Legends, whose walls are covered with blues memorabilia, serves up
mouth-watering Cajun cuisine to complement the tunes. B.L.U.E.S., an
intimate blues club on North Halsted, is a fine place to catch Chicago's top
blues performers. To experience the "friendliest blues lounge" in Chicago,
head west to Rosa's. This casual club features a recurring lineup of great
local talent. The newest addition to the Chicago blues scene is House of
Blues, located opposite the "corn cob" towers of Marina City, along the
Chicago River. While critics may charge that its offerings of alternative
rock bands, electronic R&B and big-name acts remove it from being a true
blues club, there is no doubt the 1500 seat venue is a tourist favorite.
Jazz is also high on Chicago's musical list, with a host of jazz clubs
offering every imaginable permutation of the genre citywide. At Andy's Jazz
Club in the Near North, you can even take in live jazz Friday's as you
lunch it. They also present jazz with dinner and throughout the evening. The
legendary Green Mill was Al Capone's Uptown hangout. Once a speak-easy, this
cocktail lounge has retained its plush 1920s ambiance. It was the site of
the world's first poetry slam (an event the still draws large crowds every
Sunday evening). On other nights you can hear great live jazz, blues, swing,
and big band music. The Jazz Showcase, in the River North neighborhood,
books an international array of top jazz acts. This is the place to catch
performers such as Fathead Newman in an intimate venue. Chicago rock
fans have a number of entertainment options. One of the city's most famous
clubs, Metro, holds a capacity audience of 1,100 in a room where patrons are
never more than 25 feet from the stage. The Aragon Ballroom features rock
shows in a fancy hall complete with a ceiling of thousands of twinkling
lights that approximates a starry evening sky. For a swanky evening, head to
the Park West, noted for its great sight lines and acoustics. The Double
Door in Wicker Park offers rock, funk, and alternative music nightly, and
provides a quieter downstairs lounge when you're ready to take a break. The
Empty Bottle, near Wicker Park, is the place to see the best cutting-edge
local and national acts. Chicago's a town that embraces all kinds of
ethnic music. Fans of Celtic music should check out The Abbey Pub; they
feature live music every night. The Sunday Irish music jams are especially
popular. For seven nights of reggae, head to the Wild Hare on North Clark
Street. For a great mix of rock, jazz, blues, and roots music, you can't
find a better line-up than Fitzgerald's in suburban Berwyn. Comedy
fans take note: Chicago is the home of Second
City, where you can take in the best sketch and improvisational comedy.
Alumni of this legendary troupe include Joan Rivers, John Belushi, Dan
Aykroyd, George Wendt, and a host of other comic actors. For the
latest scheduling and venue information, pick up a copy of one of Chicago's
free weekly newspapers, such as The Reader or New City, or check the weekend
sections of the Friday Chicago Sun-Times or Chicago Tribune.
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