RFI: Dance Clubs in Chicago

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So I've lived in Chicago for several years now, but I've never been to a dance club.

It's not that I don't like to dance (au contraire), or that I don't like dance music (although there are some species of house that have never moved me). But I think that for far too long, I considered myself more of an "indie-rocker" and thus I just wasn't keyed into the "scene." Of course, within the last year, I've gotten into dance music more than ever: mostly stuff like Basement Jaxx and Felix Da Housecat and random microhouse I've heard here and there. And through that, I seem to have gotten over the idea that dance clubs weren't my style.

But now, I'm not sure where to begin! I see that most clubs have nights devoted to different kinds of music, and so I bet I could figure out what nights were the best for me, but I'm not sure about the clubs themselves. Which are friendly? Which are skeezy? Which are expensive? (The whole idea of getting dressed up and paying $20 to dance is sort of foreign to me, but I'll do it if it's worth it.)

If anyone has any suggestions, that would be awesome.

(Actually, you know what, I have been to Smart Bar a couple of times after shows at the Metro, when they let all Metro ticketholders in for free. That seemed nice, but I didn't dance at all; I just hung around the bar.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 29 July 2004 21:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I'll go with you!

Au contraire!

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Thursday, 29 July 2004 21:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, and I realize that the ILE Chicago tips thread has a helpful little paragraph from Nabisco, but I think it's out of date. (Red Dog is closed, I know.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 29 July 2004 21:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Yay, Adam!

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 29 July 2004 21:19 (twenty-one years ago)

We'll need some fashion too.

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Thursday, 29 July 2004 21:20 (twenty-one years ago)

"fashion"?

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 29 July 2004 21:21 (twenty-one years ago)

you heard me.

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Thursday, 29 July 2004 21:24 (twenty-one years ago)

smart bar is probably a good place to start, but really if you're going to hear the music, check the reader listings for something that piques your interest and just go.

― tricky disco, Thursday, 29 July 2004 21:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Just go to Grant Park on Wednesdays and dance for free.

― Monetizing Eyeballs (diamond), Thursday, 29 July 2004 21:40 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.tnmc.org/pics/roxbury.jpg

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Thursday, 29 July 2004 21:42 (twenty-one years ago)

but really if you're going to hear the music, check the reader listings for something that piques your interest and just go.

Yes, I know I should, I'm just afraid I'll get inside a club and it will all be too overwhelming!

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 29 July 2004 22:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Take some drugs. That'll help.

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Thursday, 29 July 2004 22:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Just go to Grant Park on Wednesdays and dance for free.

OTM, it's been fucking amazing every week. it's about time...

― tricky disco, Thursday, 29 July 2004 22:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I actually only went for the first time last night! It's a great vibe. Hurley was a lot of fun, though - really glad I went. I'm really looking forward to the Green Velvet and Frankie Knuckles sets. Those should be insane.

― Monetizing Eyeballs (diamond), Thursday, 29 July 2004 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

oddly enough last night i had planned on posting/gloating to ilm about how good summer dance on wednesdays has been, but then i ended up staying out wayyy too late. anyway, here's the lineup:

June 23 feat. Derrick Carter & Diz
June 30 feat. Ralphi Rosario & Michael Serafini
July 7 feat. Superjane (Colette, Heather, Lady D)
July 14 feat. DJ ESP (Woody McBride) & Josh Werner
July 21 feat. Miles Maeda & DJ Arkin Allen
July 28 feat. Steve Silk Hurley
Aug. 4 feat. Bad Boy Bill & Steve Smooth
Aug. 11 feat. TBD
Aug. 18 feat. Green Velvet (aka Cajmere)
Aug. 25 is TBD

there aren't too many weeks left...

― tricky disco, Thursday, 29 July 2004 22:32 (twenty-one years ago)

25th is Knuckles! Check this out...

― Monetizing Eyeballs (diamond), Thursday, 29 July 2004 22:35 (twenty-one years ago)

i missed july 14 and 21 because i was out of town, but each one i have been to has been progressively better than the first. last night was the most crowded i've seen. people are getting a bit annoying, but the vibe is still great.

the 25th (tbd above) is frankie knuckles. (xpost haha)

― tricky disco, Thursday, 29 July 2004 22:35 (twenty-one years ago)

wow. I'd never thought I'd see the day when D. Carter and Diz were doing a set in Grant Park.

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 29 July 2004 22:36 (twenty-one years ago)

frankie knuckles day! woo!

― tricky disco, Thursday, 29 July 2004 22:36 (twenty-one years ago)

(august 11 is teri bristol and psycho bitch)

― tricky disco, Thursday, 29 July 2004 22:39 (twenty-one years ago)

no kidding oops, as soon as i heard the city was doing this i was absolutely thrilled. the nights have been so good too because the people that go are from all walks of life, all ages, colors, etc, and everyone dances. it says so much about the way music can bring people together.

― tricky disco, Thursday, 29 July 2004 22:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah. That was exactly the feeling I had last night.

It was cool when that lady was shouting out the names of old clubs from the 80s and all these old-timers were representing. Hearing "Baby Wants to Ride" booming out over Grant Park and onto Michigan Avenue was pretty sweet. And I liked seeing everyone sporting the Kerry stickers.

(btw, tricky d, I think I figured out who you are! Were you there with Aaron S?)

― Monetizing Eyeballs (diamond), Thursday, 29 July 2004 22:52 (twenty-one years ago)

yep that was me in the green shirt with aaron. pretty cool...so uh, do we actually know each other?

― tricky disco, Thursday, 29 July 2004 23:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, we've met a couple times - I'm Aaron's friend Rob! I never actually found you guys though. He mentioned earlier in the week that he was going, so I was looking for him but to no avail. Just too thick a crowd, I guess.

― Monetizing Eyeballs (diamond), Thursday, 29 July 2004 23:13 (twenty-one years ago)

oh yeah...did we meet at that theo parrish night?

― tricky disco, Thursday, 29 July 2004 23:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Bad Boy Bill is one of the worst DJs I've ever heard. Knuckles, on the other hand, is worth the 20 minute train ride from the 'burbs!

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Thursday, 29 July 2004 23:50 (twenty-one years ago)

TD - yeah! At Redno. That was a great night. (whatever happened to that place anyway? don't seem to book too many big names anymore.) Also at that Kompakt night a couple months back. ANd probably one or two other times I'm forgetting...

― Monetizing Eyeballs (diamond), Thursday, 29 July 2004 23:55 (twenty-one years ago)

that was a great night, i agree. i don't know what happened to redno. it used to be a proper disco basement. the kompakt night is a complete blur. anyway, small world ain't it?

― tricky disco, Friday, 30 July 2004 00:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Haha - they're turning "Jefferson st" into "Frankie Knuckles St". I bet Marshall is pissed...

― Jacob (Jacob), Friday, 30 July 2004 00:42 (twenty-one years ago)

I haven't been in years now, but I always felt Berlin was the best place to go if you actually wanted to dance rather than see / be seen. Can anyone give a status report?

also, holy shite, i'm really looking forward to august 25th!!!

― frankE (frankE), Friday, 30 July 2004 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Sonotheque.

― William Selman, Friday, 30 July 2004 14:04 (twenty-one years ago)

The Enterprise is gone.

Berlin is kinda yucky.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:07 (twenty-one years ago)

also if you want indie friendly, Danny's is pretty good. Good beers on tap too. I don't know if my friends are still doing the monthly funk 45 nights (Supreme Court + Squalls + Pickles from Naptown) but that was always awesome = crowded, sweaty dancing + funfunfun.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Do people dance at Danny's? I've been there a few times -- on off nights, I guess -- but it doesn't seem like there'd be much room.

I've been to Sonotheque once, but it was very early in the evening, so no dancing. (I was in the neighborhood and wanted to check it out.) It looks really, really nice, although oddly narrow.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:12 (twenty-one years ago)

um, I think my previous post is about people dancing at Danny's, so yeah.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Stence, I saw your post: my question was more like, "Do people really dance at Danny's? Cuz I can't imagine it."

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:31 (twenty-one years ago)

would I lie to you?

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Where is there room??

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:36 (twenty-one years ago)

if you play funk, they will dance.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 July 2004 14:38 (twenty-one years ago)

What about that one black gay house club on Halsted?

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:04 (twenty-one years ago)

it's gone. Hence, "The Enterprise is gone."

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

It reopened as "Rave Gauche" but it just ain't the same.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:06 (twenty-one years ago)

hstencil, have you seen the movie "Cruising"?

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:07 (twenty-one years ago)

um, yes?

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:08 (twenty-one years ago)

It's funny, isn't it?

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:17 (twenty-one years ago)

(I'm not trying to insinuate anything, just free-associating)

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, that's the Pacino as faux-gay cop right?

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:21 (twenty-one years ago)

that's the one.

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Friday, 30 July 2004 15:21 (twenty-one years ago)

dj pierre and adonis are playing tonight at smart bar - should be a good one

― tricky disco, Friday, 30 July 2004 15:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Last I was at Sonotech, it was all-lounge -- nice music, but certainly not a coherent dance spot. Don't worry about Red Dog closing, J, as it sort of sucked: I think my story on that other thread was about their tricking people inside by saying Felix Da Housecat was spinning and then not really, so far as I could tell, actually producing Felix Da Housecat. I liked RedNoFive a decent amount a little over a year ago, not sure if it's still the same. As of the time I moved, people seemed to be souring on the latest batch of West-of-Loop clubs, so I'd be interested to hear where it's at these days.

This Grant Park thing is once again making me pissed off that I ever moved.

― nabiscothingy, Friday, 30 July 2004 16:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 6 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I was just thinking of this last night, actually, walking down Balbo after work in that beautiful 80 degree weather. Forgot to look to see if the schedule'd been released.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Thursday, 12 May 2005 02:26 (twenty years ago)

what a difference a day makes eh? it looks like there aren't any of the same djs from last year which is interesting. i was wondering if they were even going to go ahead with it again this year.

― tricky (disco stu), Thursday, 12 May 2005 02:42 (twenty years ago)

yeah, me too! I was like, wait, how come I haven't heard anything about this yet?? that is cool about the non-repeatage. and the introduction of techno elements! last year felt a little too reverent to chicago 'tradition' at times. it'll be interesting to see how someone like Superpitcher is received.

did u see Shake a couple weeks back? I'm kinda pissed at myself for missing that. too tired or something lame like that.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Thursday, 12 May 2005 02:55 (twenty years ago)

no, i didn't go. and i agree with you about the reverence towards chicago tradition, but i think it was necessary considering how long it actually took the city to recognize the legitimacy of house. (especially after the crack house law, etc, etc) i think superpitcher will be great. cologne techno is responsible from some massive summer tunes, but yeah, he's pretty far removed from what the crowd may expect. we shall see...

― tricky (disco stu), Thursday, 12 May 2005 03:40 (twenty years ago)

It was SO much fun last year, I'm so excited. (The link to this was posted in the chicago thread on ILE a couple days ago)

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Thursday, 12 May 2005 03:44 (twenty years ago)

You didnt even post the whole thing!

Wednesday, June 15
6 -9pm, DJ Paul Johnson / DJ Maurice Joshua / Deep House / R&B House

Wednesday, June 22
6 -9pm, DJ Jeff Mills / DJ Mike Dearborn / House & Techno

Wednesday, June 29
6 -9pm, DJ Lego / DJ Jesse De La Pena / House Broken Beat / Latin / Electro

Wednesday, July 6
6-9pm, DJ Glenn Underground (True House Tones) - featured artist and DJ Craig Alexander (True House Tones)

Wednesday, July 13
6 - 9pm, DJ Ron Carroll (Chicago & Gospel House) -featured artist and DJ JM3 (Old School & Deep House)

Wednesday, July 20
6 - 9pm, DJ Mark Grant (House & Deep House) - featured artist and DJ Oscar McMillan (House & Deep House)

Wednesday, July 27
6 - 9pm,DJ Superpitcher (Techno) - featured artist DJ Mazi (Telectro)

Wednesday, August 3
6 - 9pm, DJ Andre Hatchet (Old & New School House) - featured artist and DJ Joe Smooth (Old & New School House & Soul)

Wednesday, August 10
6-9pm, DJ Marshall Jefferson (House) - featured artist and DJ Jesse Saunders (Funky Uplifting House)

Wednesday, August 17
6 - 9pm, DJ Ron Trent (House & Afrobeat) - featured artist and DJ Rich Medina (House & Afrobeat)

Wednesday, August 24
6 - 9pm, DJ Farley “Jack Master” Funk (House) - featured artist and DJ Terry Hunter (Soulful House)

― Lethal Dizzle (djdee2005), Thursday, 12 May 2005 03:46 (twenty years ago)

Hey can I ask what happened to the Shelter? I went in 1995 and it was amazing, there was like a huge outdoor part with pavilion seating and people just wandering around... it was like a rave, in Chicago!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 12 May 2005 03:49 (twenty years ago)

haha, those last three dates look excellent, too. guess i should read ile more often...

― tricky (disco stu), Thursday, 12 May 2005 03:49 (twenty years ago)

shelter is now very expensive condomiums in a long since gentrified area of town. i used to go all of the time...one of the best nightclubs in chicago easily. i remember seeing daft punk just kill it there.

― tricky (disco stu), Thursday, 12 May 2005 03:52 (twenty years ago)

i still have my gold vip coin!

― tricky (disco stu), Thursday, 12 May 2005 03:54 (twenty years ago)

i was at shelter once, on a winter break from school i think.... i don't remember what i saw there...

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 12 May 2005 05:32 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

Where's a good club that spins reggaeton? (Even better if it also did pop or hip-hop.) Someone mentioned Pasha...?

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 12 May 2006 21:07 (nineteen years ago)

seven months pass...

Can we get an update (or a clear answer) on this one. I'll be in Chicago Feb. 3 and 4 and wanna go dancin'. Where to?

― matt2 (matt2), Thursday, 4 January 2007 20:03 (eighteen years ago)

saw DJ Marlboro at Sonotheque and the soundsystem's perfect bass restored my faith in humanity

― Roque Strew (RoqueStrew), Friday, 5 January 2007 00:41 (eighteen years ago)

so is chicago generally good for dance music, then, as US cities go?

― toby (tsg20), Friday, 5 January 2007 07:22 (eighteen years ago)

It depends what yr dancing too. But yes. Its also good for plenty of hollerknockoffs and chees-e house clubs but its not too hard to find a good time.

Sonotheque is lounge-ish but they have some great nights...try to get in on a saturday when its not a big event night and they just have the regular guys spinning house, it can be a lot of fun (and there is definitely dancing) - especially because it doesn't draw Dark Wave Disco-sized crowds.

― deej.. (deej..), Friday, 5 January 2007 15:32 (eighteen years ago)

(Dark Wave Disco being the sort of misshapes of chicago, which also happens once a month at sono and imo is best avoided)

― deej.. (deej..), Friday, 5 January 2007 15:33 (eighteen years ago)

And yeah as roque mentioned the soundsystem there is of unbelievable quality.

I haven't gone out too much since summer aside to some obvious places but I'll try to write something about some of the more fun spots in a few...

― deej.. (deej..), Friday, 5 January 2007 15:35 (eighteen years ago)

I went to Neo for the first time a couple weeks ago, it was all right.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 5 January 2007 16:39 (eighteen years ago)

Some obvious ones

Funky Buddha has good saturday nights - 'hip-hop, dancehall, house and dance classics'

Smartbar can definitely be a good bet, and they have a new guy booking acts there who's been making some interesting changes (Afrika Bambaataa is there this month! + increased drum n bass, which isn't really my thing but hey)

for house of the euro breed that ILM tends to like, Spy Bar is pretty good for a river north/upscale kind of club.

― deej.. (deej..), Friday, 5 January 2007 17:06 (eighteen years ago)

i'm playing at a shady chinatown spot called red-i on the 23rd!

― mahalo 4 ur kokua (grady), Friday, 5 January 2007 17:12 (eighteen years ago)

matt, what kind of music are you looking for?

― deej.. (deej..), Friday, 5 January 2007 17:49 (eighteen years ago)

Thanks for the recommendations deej and others. I guess "house of the euro breed that ILM tends to like" would be a good description of one thing I'd be interested in. But also any kind of dusty house stuff like Theo P./Moodymann or even just good old disco and house. Mostly a place folks actually come to to dance, not just be seen or hang out.

― matt2 (matt2), Friday, 5 January 2007 19:23 (eighteen years ago)

as someone once said you can't throw a rock in this city w/out hitting a house club. Zentra has some pretty great chicago house DJs on a regular basis, actually.

― deej.. (deej..), Friday, 5 January 2007 19:54 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, Zentra looks like it could be the spot depending on who's spinning that weekend.

― matt2 (matt2), Friday, 5 January 2007 20:25 (eighteen years ago)

i went to slicks a few years back and the crowd was 80% throw-money-around-coked-up-clubbing-fucks but the DJs were some of the best ive heard in Chicago. awesome classic house/ late disco dusty stuff. the sund system was pretty good too, iirc.

― mahalo 4 ur kokua (grady), Friday, 5 January 2007 20:47 (eighteen years ago)

I've seen Paul Johnson a couple times at Zentra, thats usually a good bet

― deej.. (deej..), Friday, 5 January 2007 20:53 (eighteen years ago)

how is ohm?

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 22:26 (eighteen years ago)

haven't been there since it was Red Dog. It was pretty fun then. Word is its a little more posh now.

http://www.centerstage.net/dance/clubs/ohm.html

http://www.yelp.com/biz/1xZivJ61y-6Hiqqgry53TA

― jambalaya backgammon (grady), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 22:53 (eighteen years ago)

thanks.

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 22:56 (eighteen years ago)

its in the williamsburg of chicago, wicker park.

― jambalaya backgammon (grady), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 22:59 (eighteen years ago)

You gonna be there anytime stirmonster? If so, I'm re-booking my tickets.

― matt2 (matt2), Thursday, 11 January 2007 16:00 (eighteen years ago)

anyone know of anything going on this saturday?
i'm guessing no.
felix da housecat is at debonair social club tonight...if i wasn't on 5 hrs of sleep i'd consider it.

― deej.. (deej..), Thursday, 11 January 2007 16:05 (eighteen years ago)

It looks like Zentra may be the place for me. It appears Mr Fingers himself will be spinning on February 2nd. Perfect!

http://www.zentranightclub.com/events/rsvp.php?date=2007-02-02

― matt2 (matt2), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 16:11 (eighteen years ago)

in reply to yr earlier message, i'm playing ohm on march 2nd.

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 16:17 (eighteen years ago)

Missed opportunity for me. I'm sorry to hear that.

― matt2 (matt2), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 16:19 (eighteen years ago)

ohm is a really nice space! went there for the first time a week ago. as long as they keep the DJs hot it should be nice.

i may have to hit up Zentra the 2nd too

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 16:30 (eighteen years ago)

stirmonster what do you spin? and what name do you go by

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 16:30 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.optimo.co.uk/

― matt2 (matt2), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 16:34 (eighteen years ago)

Last call on this one. I'm most probably going to see the esteemed Mr. Fingers on Friday but is there anything else going on I should know about this weekend?

― matt2 (matt2), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 15:52 (eighteen years ago)

Okay, not a club question but a record store question. If I had to choose (which I sadly may have to do) should I go to Mr. Peabody or Dusty Groove? I'm thinking Mr. Peabody since it sounds like an absolute gold mine and since it's stock is not readily available online like Dusty Groove. But Dusty Groove just seems so WOW as well. Help me out Chicagoans. And I'm a lifetime Bears fan from NC (thank you McMahon, Sweetness, and the Fridge) so go Bears!

― matt2 (matt2), Thursday, 1 February 2007 19:47 (eighteen years ago)

If you have no transportation issues, mr. peabody for SURE
But i say that because i live close enough to dusty groove

― deej.. (deej..), Thursday, 1 February 2007 19:51 (eighteen years ago)

Dusty Groove is great, don't get me wrong, its just so easily accessible to anyone visiting the city ever - if you have the opportunity to make it to peabody's, do it.

― deej.. (deej..), Thursday, 1 February 2007 19:51 (eighteen years ago)

What/where is Mr. Peabody?

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 1 February 2007 19:56 (eighteen years ago)

Random shit happening in Chicago:

For almost three weeks starting today, general admission to the Art Institute of Chicago is free; the promotion ends February 21.

Hard Drive Nightclub 151 E. Wacker: Fridays, 10 PM, DJ Boolu Master. 312-239-4544.

http://www.chicagoreader.com/listings/static/dancem.html

^^^Dance listings for this weekend.

― deej.. (deej..), Thursday, 1 February 2007 20:01 (eighteen years ago)

xp: google search, mr. fact-checker!

― deej.. (deej..), Thursday, 1 February 2007 20:01 (eighteen years ago)

Used record heaven apparently. Here's the website: http://www.mrpeabodyrecords.com/

― matt2 (matt2), Thursday, 1 February 2007 20:08 (eighteen years ago)

(note that when i recommend the friday at hard drive, i've never been to that club and i'm recommending it on the strength of the DJ alone)

― deej.. (deej..), Thursday, 1 February 2007 20:09 (eighteen years ago)

Ah, I don't do vinyl.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 1 February 2007 20:09 (eighteen years ago)

are there any good oxygen bars in Chicago?

― Wrinklecause for Applause! (Wrinklepaws), Thursday, 1 February 2007 20:10 (eighteen years ago)

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