Chicagoist: Free Show? We Had No Idea

tankboy

Fri, 20 Apr 2007 10:40:53 -0600

I'm not going to parse Sarah's usage of "trainwreck" since I think everybody has already divined her point about Monday's at The Bottle (and I don't think she meant it negatively but we already got that point too, I think). I WILL say that next Monday Birds Of Avalon are coming through town and happen to be on a free bill at The Bottle that night, and I can't recommend seeing them enough. We're doing a full preview of that show Monday, but I'm so excited about them I had to jump the gun and mention it here. (Now I REALLY hope they are as good live as their album would lead me to believe ...)

Sarah

Fri, 20 Apr 2007 00:31:28 -0600

In response to keinstadt, and for the rest of you, the Bottle Rockette can be found online here.

linda

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:14:14 -0600

Monday nights draw a lot of newcomers to the EB. you know, like NYE is amateur night for drinkers?

sara

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 16:26:00 -0600

yeah, what does that mean with the amateurs and the metra?

J

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 13:57:32 -0600

Add to that the crowds of amateurs wandering in off the street and the metra, you got something worth avoiding. Nice of them to do it, though. Amateurs? Metra? Wha?

kleinstadt

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 13:48:30 -0600

Nm, found it on the empty bottle forum page.

kleinstadt

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 13:45:45 -0600

Sarah- Is there an online version of "The Bottle Rockette"?

paulette

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 13:39:52 -0600

She's right, mondays usually are a trainwreck. Add to that the crowds of amateurs wandering in off the street and the metra, you got something worth avoiding. Nice of them to do it, though.

Lauren

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 13:05:45 -0600

I've never been to the Bottle for a Monday night show, but the train wreck comment made me laugh. Now I feel like I might just have to check it out. :)

Bill V

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 12:49:07 -0600

Either way, that's good info. But if I'm planning on seeing an act, I usually don't wait until that week to pick up their CDs. Could come into play at some point though.

Sarah

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 12:32:56 -0600

I didn't mean to imply that because the show is free it is also of a lower quality. I regularly attend Monday night Bottle shows and have been very surprised by some of the acts. (Did anyone catch the Headache City show a few weeks ago? Amazing. Makes me sad I missed the Cococomas show I keep hearing about.) However, it's been my experience that the awesome shows happen rarely, while the majority of the bands tend to be mediocre at best. If you do show up on a Monday, make sure to grab a copy of my friends' newsletter "The Bottle Rockette," which includes pro/con reviews of all of the bands who played on the previous Monday.

navin

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 11:40:35 -0600

but the train wreck that typically happens on stage is often not worth it. The Monday shows are often really good. I think you're mistaken (but everything's subjective) if you think that because the night's free that the bands are usually lower caliber than what regularly happens during the rest of the week. They've just (finally) figured out a way to make a successful and busy night out of what's traditionally a dead night at any club. Other clubs could learn from this.

marquee

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 11:34:23 -0600

i disagree with your trainwreck statement. the free monday nights at the empty bottle have included some great acts and is consistantly good. i applaud them for this really great deal that they are offering their patrons.