By Jennifer Reiter with Kevin Smith

Chicago. Once the hog butcher to the world. Then the city of big shoulders. And many other decidedly masculine phrases. But if you look beneath the mounds of Old Style beer, you’ll find a warm and welcoming city that supports many underground scenes. A city this diverse has been home to record labels like Wax Trax, Thrill Jockey, Touch & Go, Minty Fresh, Kranky, Divot, and Bloodshot. In addition, the city boasts a roster of venues in which to see local, national, and international bands. Other than its musical attractions, Chicago can entertain you no matter what time of year or what your hobbies or persuasions are. Walk along Lake Michigan’s lake front and get lost in Lincoln Park, stroll down Michigan Avenue, aka “The Magnificent Mile” and gaze into designer store windows/crash into tourists (depending on your perspective), or go ice skating in the heart of downtown in winter at Millennium Park, also home to Frank Gehry's latest architectural masterpiece. And while you're at it, explore the rest of the Windy City's world-famous architecture, from Frank Lloyd Wright to Mies Van Der Rohe to Rem Koolhaus. Chicago also boasts one of the world's premiere art museums in the Art Institute. So while you may have to dig for some of your indie needs, this city hosts lots that's sure to take your fancy.

Life During Wartime
Various dates and spaces
A collective that hosts dance parties around the city. To find out when they’re playing, look to the furthest column on the right. A group who believe in the mixing of art, politics, music, and dancing, their nights out are always a riot.
(www.lifeduringwartime.net)

Planet Claire
Fridays at the Holiday Club, 4000 N. Sheridan, free admission, 10pm-2am
New wave classics are spun at a darling little space called the Holiday Club every Friday night. Old music videos are shown on the television sets hoisted on the walls and the DJ seems to play everything one can request. Score!
(www.planetearthchicago.com)

Panic
Wednesdays at SmartBar, 3730 N. Clark, $5 admission, 10pm-late, 21+
Panic plays a mixture of classic alternative club tracks and modern indie hits. They also often host record release parties, providing many opportunities to win stuff!
(www.smartbarchicago.com)

Venues

Empty Bottle
1035 N. Western, 5pm-2am Mon-Wed, 3pm-2am Thurs-Fri, 12pm-3am Sat, 12pm-2am Sun
This triangle-shaped venue really gets the best bands, but in the summer: BEWARE! Their “air conditioning” is not really that at all. Be prepared to sweat! Seen: Camera Obscura, Electrelane, Hidden Cameras.
(www.emptybottle.com)

Subterranean
2011 W. North, times vary
This is one of the most gorgeous and intimate venues. It has a postage stamp-sized main floor and a small balcony encircling it. This space has been around in previous incarnations for many years. Seen: Elf Power, Of Montreal, The Olivia Tremor Control.
(www.subt.net)

Schubas
3159 N. Southport, times vary
A comfortably small, perfectly square room, this neighborhood venue also has a bar out front with an ace jukebox, and a sweet restaurant adjacent to it. Seen: Jens Lekman, The Essex Green, I am the World Trade Center.
(www.schubas.com)

Metro
3730 N. Clark, times vary
Just a few blocks from Wrigley Field, this Chicago institution is nearly as legendary. Belle and Sebastian played their first Chicago gig here! Seen: Primal Scream, Gang of Four, Super Furry Animals.
(www.metrochicago.com)

Abbey Pub
3420 W. Grace, times vary
Nearly impossible to get to unless you have a car, if you decide to brave it via bus or a cab, visiting this pub and venue is definitely worth it. Seen: Broadcast, Stereo Total, The Go-Betweens.
(www.abbeypub.com/)

Bottom Lounge
3206 N. Wilton, times vary
This is the best place to see punk, emo, and other associated genre bands. The crowd's a bit on the young side, due to many of its shows being all ages or 18+, and the staff is friendly. It’s somewhere beyond a dive bar, but not very far beyond. Seen: The Aislers Set, Dressy Bessy, The Apples in Stereo.
(www.thebottomlounge.com)

Delilah’s
2771 North Lincoln Avenue, Sun-Fri 4pm-2am, Sat 4pm-3am
This two level tavern is the best in the neighborhood. They always have cheap drink specials and a DJ upstairs. Music played includes soul, mod, punk, and country.
(www.delilahschicago.com)

Rainbo Club
1150 N. Damen, Sun-Fri 4pm-2am Sat 4pm-3am
The high, tin-pressed ceiling aids in making this bar a bit loud. Be prepared to stand since the tables and booths on the perimeter of this room are usually taken. However, the piped in music is good and the people are cute.

Hungry Brain
2319 W. Belmont
This neighborhood tavern is spacious and comfortable; dimly lit and not too loud. The “stage” has vintage couches so comfy, you may just stay there all night. And their jukebox is immense in its collection.

Simon’s
5210 N. Clark Street, Sun-Fri 11am-2am, Sat 11am-3am, 21+
Visible by the big smiley fish sticking out atop the door, this small bar has a ton of good beers (and Wood Chuck!). In addition, their jukebox is pretty good, too; that is if you like listening to lots of Smiths!

Club Foot
1824 W. Augusta
More of a bar than a club, although people do sometimes dance in the teeny tiny space between the DJ booth and the pool table at this space that resembles a ramshackle rec room. Drinks are fairly cheap and the DJ is always spinning a variety of underground sounds. Don’t be afraid to ask for classic indie pop tunes!

Reckless Records
3161 N. Broadway and 1532 N. Milwaukee, Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-8pm
A small, but classic, Chicago institution, Reckless Records was actually started in London! I prefer the Broadway location, but that is probably because it’s in my neighborhood and, thus, feels homier and more comfortable to me. Besides great, free in-store performances, another Reckless treat is obtaining two free tickets to a gig at the Empty Bottle if you buy one of the artist’s CDs the month of the gig!
(www.reckless.com)

Evil Clown
4314 N. Lincoln, Mon-Sat 12pm-9pm, Sun 12pm-7pm
They sell only CDs, but they are quality. I like this shop because it is quite British focused! They recently moved, but I hope they still have their enviable poster collection up on the walls.
(www.evilclowncd.com)

Laurie’s Planet of Sound
4639 N. Lincoln, Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 11am-7pm
A classic indie record shop, this one has all the CDs and records you could want crammed into its space. Its location also has the bonus of being located near the Old Town School of Folk Music, a performance venue, school, and music store.
(http://lauriesplanetofsound.tripod.com)

Dave’s Records
2604 N. Clark
The multi-colored record window display gets me every time! This tiny shop is all vinyl, but has all your classic soul and modern indie needs.

Local Bands

The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
Though they became quite well known by proclaiming their love of Belle & Sebastian through the media and their songs, this talented troupe of musicians is a rare gem in this city. With two lead singers and songwriters, plus a variety of backing singers and musicians that play cello, violin, and those quirky shaking percussive instruments, their rich orchestral pop will make you dance, clap your hands, and smile.
(www.sygc.com)

Canasta
Canasta shares a band member or two with The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, so that should give you a hint that both bands share a love of orchestral pop. However, Canasta revels in the warmer, slower tones. They also have a bit more female flavour!
(www.canastamusic.com)

The Ponys
This group has gained international attention for their second album. And why not? Their spiky, fuzzy post-punk sound makes you want to jump!
(www.theponys.com)

Pelican
Instumental Metal? I wouldn't describe Pelican's sound as such - it's too beautiful. It is, however, brutal at times. It's the back and forth powerful dynamic that makes listening to Pelican an emotionally exhausting experience.
(www.hydrahead.com/pelican)

Mike and Tim Kinsella
Rising from the ashes of emo legends Cap'n Jazz, these two brothers continued working together in Joan of Arc, producing some of the most wonderfully indescribable, interesting, and critically acclaimed music to ever come out of Chicago. Tim still fronts multiple postmodern bands including Friend/Enemy and Make Believe, while Mike's alter ego is the more accessible yet subtle singer-songwriter Owen.

Euphone
Uber-talented one-man band/multi-instrumentalist Ryan Rapsys keeps making intellectually engaging tunes that cross and blend genres, while always remaining imminently listenable. Every musician in Chicago who counts ends up as a guest on either his or the Kinsellas' records.
(www.jadetree.com/bands/artist/euphone)

Palaxy Tracks
The lush, dripping melodies of Palaxy Tracks seem almost out of place in a city with such a tradition of hard-edged sounds, and the fact that the band once lived in Austin, TX may explain it. They have done a brilliant job of merging near-shoe-gazing pop and incisive rock - a mix that Chicago sorely needed. Palaxy Tracks is probably the best band in Chicago that isn't insanely famous. Yet.
(http://palaxytracks.com)

MODChicago
This collective puts on mod and soul club nights, bands, and events; most notably their annual weekender in June with dancing, gigs, a swap meet, and a scooter rally.
www.modchicago.com)

Chicago Reader
Chicago’s most comprehensive (and hefty!) free weekly newspaper also boasts a comprehensive web site. Look here for all your gig, club, and restaurant recommendations.
(www.chicagoreader.com)

Open End Gallery
This space is probably Chicago's hottest indie hot spot right now. The folks at Open End offer art, music, fashion shows, film fests, and regular old parties. There's always something happening on weekends and it's always a mind-altering experience. If you want to see and be seen by the hottest and hippest, this is the place to go.
(www.ideotech.net/open-end)

Main Chicago photo © Urban75

If you'd like to recommend a club, bar, record shop, band or any indie delight for inclusion in the Indie Travel Guide, please email us. If we've included a link to your band/shop etc, it would be lovely if you could link back to us. Thank you!