This past Sunday marked the 25th birthday of Chicago’s most beloved (and sometimes bemoaned) rock club, the Cabaret Metro. Known to most simply as “The Metro,” the joint kicked off its venerable life with a performance by a then-little-known rock combo from Athens, GA called R.E.M.
A quarter-century later, Metro is one of the last remaining major independent clubs in the country, with a rich history of offering many of rock’s most hallowed names their first really visible appearance on the Chicago scene. This storied past was celebrated in its full, weird splendor on Saturday night as owner Joe Shanahan opened the venue’s doors to an eclectic crowd of Metro employee alumni, music writers, artists, radio personnel, staff from other clubs in the city, band managers and agents, and old friends. As if the open bar wasn’t enough by way of entertainment, the Metro staff put together a clever video spoof on the club’s past called “Historical Moments in History,” featuring the behind-the-scenes crew as various rockers who have played the club. A separate, brief video history of the venue was an eye-opener, featuring classic old handbills and footage from such iconic performances as the White Stripes, the Beastie Boys, and Nirvana. DJ sets by the Life During Wartime collective, Brad Owen, and Peter Hook of Joy Division and WXRT’s ever-gracious Marty Lennartz as host rounded out the evening’s agenda. It was just the right mix of scene-to-be-seen and good ol’ times, befitting of a piece of this city’s music history.
What’s the best/wildest/most unbelievable show you’ve ever caught at Metro?
add to digg
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
email this
add to facebook
add to del.icio.us
I've got a lot of fond Metro memories. Probably the wildest show I ever went to was the release party for the late, great Troubled Hubble's last CD, Making Beds in a Burning House. It was a great time all around. The TH boys always played a great show - tons of energy and the like. It was always a wild dance party. And closing with "I Love My Canoe" is always good.
The best/most unbelievable show I ever saw there was the Old 97's in the winter of 2004 (about six months before Drag it Up was released). Their set was odd. Because of an early show, the band didn't take the stage until about 1 a.m (openers went on at midnight). Rhett Miller must've been stoned, as he flubbed the lines of the second song, "Rollerskate Skinny." He also flubbed a few lines in "Over the Cliff" (the only time I've ever heard it live). But it was really fun show. Lots of uptempo rockers, including what I believe was the Chicago debut of Murry Hammond's "Smokers." It was a wild (and bitterly cold night) and I had the best spot in the house in the balcony.
I'm sure I have more memories, but those are the standouts.
Flickerstick ruled.
Yup, there...I said it.
Flickerstick.
my bloody valentine, on valentine's day no less
I saw Flaming Lips there in 2000, and it made me happy for days afterwards. The Superchunk show in June was one of the best rock shows I've ever seen. I don't get to Metro as much as I used to. I live on the other side of the city, and it's a pain to be in that neighborhood.
so many ...
big star with frisbie opening. that was a dream come true and a love created.
material issue. my friend and i were up against the stage (before there was a barrier) and in the first song we were crushed. crushed. who moshes to material issue? needless to say, we moved.
great fountains of wayne show.
this one i feel sort of guilty for ... my friend asked me to go see that smashing pumpkins show there (year?). i told him he should get someone else, because i wasn't *that* much of a fan. but i went. i don't remember much about it.
bob dylan. i sat out in the december cold for about 3 hours to get those tickets.
decemberists. simply captivating. made me a fan.
my huge regret is that my friend and i were on the list to see nirvana, and for whatever reason, we didn't go. ack.
bob mould.
yeah, i didn't realize how many incredible shows i've been to there.
Since the smoking ban, the metro smells like a dirty locker room. barf.
Ditto with rocketslide on the Superchunk show - that was one of the best I've seen, too.
The Dears put on a great show there a couple of years back.
Also, seeing At The Drive-In there was one of the more wild live spectacles I've seen there. They were so in tune with each other, and the audience, it felt like the building was about to explode.
I'm a big fan of Clutch and probably half of the times I've seen them have been at Metro. The best was when they opened up for Slayer in 1998. Even then, Slayer was too big to be playing there, and it rocked my world.
"only 25 years?"
being an old man now, but just out of high school in July 1982, I didn't realize the place was relatively new back when I saw X, or Fishbone or The Replacements opening for somebody else (i was so young and unknowledgeable, when they announced "the replacements' I fell for the joke and thought the headlining band was being replaced by some band from Minneapolis.
Back then, whence the old folks slam danced instead of moshed, the safest place at many concerts was behind this giant back guy with shaven head and MAD DOG written in white paint on a leather jacket. everyone stayed clear of Mad Dog.
Several years back, my friend got kicked out of the backstage after-party by one of the dudes from Cypress Hill (not B-Real) for being too fucked up. You know you're bad when you exceed even their standards...
I was fortunate to have an invite to one of the Metro's birthday parties a few years ago, and one of the gifts they gave out was a great DVD about the history of the Metro. Sounds like they made a new one.
My apartment was robbed of our DVD's a couple years ago, and that DVD was one that was stolen. I miss it.
Thank gawd someone almost as old as me posted something. I was about to say it wasn't the wildest, but I think I recall it being a lot of fun. The Cramps 1982 New Years Eve. I also recall many a crazy night when Joz's was open. I probably still have my card in an old wallet somewhere. Mad Dog was always very nice to me.
Bob Mould, absolutely. At one point, he'd had some guitar troubles, and so sat down with the replacement for a few minutes for soundcheck. The crowd started milling about, chatting and such while we all waited patiently for Bob to start back up. After a few minutes, it slowly dawned on everyone that he was still noodling away: the chatter slowed, then stopped, and then nothing but stunned silence as we watched him play. After a good five minutes or so, his head suddenly snapped up and he cried out, "Oh man! I kinda got lost there for a minute. I hope someone taped that!" We laughed and laughed. It was wild watching that kind of solo impromptu musicianship at a rock venue.
On the other end of the spectrum, one of my favorite random moments at the Metro was seeing Naked Raygun's kids up on stage. Pass the torch!
Having worked Smartbar/ Metro for 12 years. I saw it all....If I could only remember most of it. Some that stand out in my mind are....F*** You Sundays with everyones faviorete Thrash and hardcore bands."Ohhh,Oh,Oh,oh,Ohhhh"..Naked Raygun and Free SH**, The very biggest hugg ever from D. Boon of the Minute Men, Wanye Hussie from The Sisters of Mercy's uninvited shove of his tounge down my throat and in the arms of Iggy Pop as he sung to me at sound check "I love Girls".One of my most hated, hands down...Karen Finnley...It was awful when it happened to you and it never was art to hear about it.Those were truly enchanting years of my youth,ummm I think. :o)
atari teenage riot were pretty good with add n to x and don caballero.
all i can say is the metro has THE WORST STAFF ever, so try not to talk to anyone.
Derrick Carter on the mainstage in 199whatever.
louweezy --
Yeah, Mad Dog was a nice guy, really. Didn't mean he wasn't. Just good protection. I later sold him some jewelry at JCPenney's during a horrible summer job. At the time, I thought it was surreal. Grown up now, I realize it wasn't.
I know you didn't mean it that way. He always scared me, until he saw some jerk bothering me & was right ther next to me. Needless to say, he was my best friend after that. All I would have to do was look for him & I knew I was ok.
I do miss some of the folks there. Keith & George & Michael H. It's been so long I don't really remember any other names. I do recall one night when I was in the women's loo & I came out & Martin Chambers the drummer from the Pretenders came out from the stall next to me.
Shit, I forgot about that Atari Teenage Riot / EC8OR bill. That was fun.
My first vivid memory, though, is seeing House Of Love in the '80s and having the lead guy's guitar string break and almost take out my eye.
Pearl Jam in '92.
Honorable mention to Wesley Willis Fiasco, RIP.
Joe Shanahan opened the venue’s doors to an eclectic crowd of Metro employee alumni, music writers, artists, radio personnel, staff from other clubs in the city, band managers and agents,
This party sounds like my worst nightmare. I can't help but imagine the crowd was Artie Fufkin meets Herb Tarlick.
Flaming Lips NYE show.
Being front row at your first Lips show while your friend is dressed in a unicorn costume covering you in confetti?
Still top 5 shows I've ever seen.
Wesley Willis definitely whipped the camel's ass.
Best Metro shows? Wow, let me narrow it down...
In chronological order:
-Living Colour, around 1988-ish.
-My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, 1992
-Angelfish, 1994
-Paul Westerberg, 1996
-Sublime, later that same year, about three weeks before the lead singer O.D'd.
-Samiam, 2000
-Bob Mould, 2001
-Guided By Voices, a few years later (don't remember off the top of my head -- it was that wild).
Most bizarre:
-Hank Williams III and Unknown Hinson, 2003
You can watch "Historical Moments In History" if you're so inclined.
Sonic Youth in 1986... around the time Evol was released, great band back then.
#21, it was actually mostly the fun people from the Chicago music scene, not the scensters. If it was just "industry" folk I would have run screaming as well.
It was actually quite a lovely time, and most of the attendees were older than I, and I'm not exactly in the younger set any longer, despite my childish ways.
I agree with Eamon. I was at that Bob Mould show too and that silence while he played was eerie and when he snapped out of it you knew you had just seen something completely amazing.
Urge Overkill circa 1993 (?) is quite memorable as was Catherine Wheel
Thanks for the link to "Historical Moments," #24.
Didn't mean to imply that it was "scene-y," just that many of the people fortunate enough to have made careers in music were in attendance. The majority of these folks are self-made - independent agents, managers, PR folks, etc. The Chicago "biz" is a lot less whiny and cutthroat than its coastal counterparts...not totally innocent of that, but a lot more laid back than it could be.
Great stories, all - keep 'em coming!
#15 do you mean now or then?
"Flickerstick ruled. Yup, there...I said it."
You are not wrong.
Metro was my savior - I actually brought my mom to a Freedy Johnston show to prove to her that I wasn't being a delinquent, I just loved the rock too much. I have loved too many shows, these I remember.
- Teenage Fanclub/Superchunk in '92
- Afghan Whigs countless times (especially w/ Love Jones)
- Seam, Seam, Seam, Seam
- Superchunk/Bettie Serveert
- Lemonheads
- The Bosstones show that the cops shut down (I was on stage)
- Superchunk/Rilo Kiley (the Born to Run encore!)
- Soundtrack of our Lives (both times, especially w/ the Dears)
- The Darling Buds
- Dinosaur Jr
There are so many more. I understand that the sound isn't the best, that the location can be overrun w/ trixies - but there is a special place in heaven for Metro and it's owner/employees. 25 years is a long time to bring the music.
Billy Bragg, many years ago. He wore a frilly, billowy white blouse on stage which I thought was odd, but it was a great show.
Okay, that was actually a dream I had, but it's a fond memory still.
Come on, Chicagoist was actually *at* the event, and you still had to lift a photo from Metro's website? ;)
Guest attended as a Metro staff alumnus (fuck you, #15) and it was nice to feel the love for that building.
It's a gorgeous old (c.1927) building. I'd love to see the insides fully illuminated.
It's been a long list as I have been going there since '82 or '83 (loved the sawdust on the floor at Smart Bar, never been the same since).
These from the 80's and 90's
Psychedelic Furs
Fountains of Wayne with Imperial Teen
Catherine Wheel
Naked Raygun
The Smiths
Material Issue
Die Warsau
The Alarm
Living Colour (backflip into the crowd)
Smashing Pumpkins
No Doubt / Everclear (I can't believe I'm saying that, but it was a great show)
and let's throw in this year's LCD Soundsystem!
others too I'm sure I'm forgeting.
Bad Boy Bill/Paul Johnson.
BBB put the crowd in a great mood. Then PJ wheeled on stage, announced that Aaliyah(sp) had just been killed in a plane crash, which sent some goers into gasps of disbelief, then sprang in to his set. Soured the mood all over. Cheesed out, I left, and had to wait in line to get out the door.
I saw a really cool show that involved the music from The Life Acquatic being played by, among others, Andrew Bird. I don't remember who else was there, but it was awesome.
Every time I go, though, I get homesick for the 9:30 club. That's where I went to my first concert ever, and there's nothing like the firs time.
I'll throw my memorable shows into the lot:
Tricky / Whale
St. Germain
VNV Nation / Apoptygma Berserk
Motorhome (farewell show)
Numerous TKK, KFMDM, Pigface shows
Lords of Acid
My Scarlet Life
If memory serves, all shows above were from '96 onward.
the orb, march of '06. had a great time dancing up front... until alex paterson pulled out the 'freebird.' i couldn't appreciate it ironically enough and had to leave. before that it was tremendous.
#15 Oh yeah..... now I remember....you were that guy with a really bad attitude that nobody liked anyway. Funny how things sometimes never really change. Too bad for you.
I think my first show at Metro (while still using the ol' fake i.d.) was Trip Shakespeare. ugh, I don't even want to think about how much money I've spent there.
My fondest memory about the bar staff was that during the mid-90s there was a waitress who worked there (who's name none of us can remember right now) that was my doppelganger. The door guys would just let me in and the bartenders would give me free drinks because they thought I was her. My friends would yell at her for ignoring them and then me for not letting them know I had a job at Metro. Both of us endured this for years, until one day I cut off all my hair and dyed it blonde. I went up to the door at the Metro and asked if she was working so I could introduce myself and show her that we would no longer be mistaken for one another and she had cut off all her hair and dyed it blonde. We both died laughing.
Yeah, I will disregard the time that I was bodysurfing and got beat up by the security during a Pigface show.
I saw Less Than Jake on Halloween back in like '98. I still have a limited press vinyl made specially for that show.
Not the craziest show or best, but one of my favorite moments. Paul Humphries from OMD was playing and it was a great crowd and just a real fun show. He finished his set and the crowd just wouldn't settle down. He came back out and apologized. He had no more songs left. The crowd was still going nuts so he played "If You Leave" one more time. It was the only "real" encore I've ever seen and his excitement and shock made this fan appreciate being a fan! Not conrtrived or planned...just something in the moment.
"Yeah, I will disregard the time that I was bodysurfing and got beat up by the security during a Pigface show."
Can't vouch for that particular show, but your comment reminded me that it's worth noting that for many of the larger shows, i.e., Jam Productions shows, Jam brings in their own security to work the stage and these are *not* Metro employees. It's been my experience that actual Metro staffers are *much* more reluctant to get physical with a patron. Of course I have not been to a show there in a few years, your mileage may vary.
My Bloody Valentine & Dinosaur Jr., 1992
Big Star, 2000 (?)
Morrissey in 2001
Hanging out when my friends band Versus played Metro a few times with Seam, Wedding Present and Sleater-Kinney.
Yo La Tengo, 2001
Stereolab, 1998
Good times.
Always have a great time at that place! Belmont/Clark area in Wriggleyville is still the old time, original rock and roll hangout, and it always makes me smile to see the Metro, Alley and other places, even ones I don't go to, like Berlin, still going strong. Whenever people talk about "cleaning up" that neighborhood I think "Why? Are you nuts?"
oh man.
Having Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream offer to buy me a drink in 1992 after I gave him some pills. Then turning him down because I was underage and didn't want to get kicked out into the cold like I was at a show at the Vic the week before.
Meeting a dude I dated on and off for YEARS in line at an All show in 1991. He's a rock star now, and a total fucking douche. Shame I didn't know what he would turn into then. Also, too bad his band sucks, he's a great musician.
The aforementioned Atari Teenage Riot show. One of the most amazing shows I have EVER been to.
Nine Inch Nails in 1989.
The millions of times I saw Hum, and never appreciated it. Oh, the folly of being young and stupid. Same with Pegboy. And Sludgeworth.
Jawbreaker. *sigh* I would kill to see that show again.
I saw so many amazing shows there. So many, I can't even begin to remember them all.
Ok,enough accolades,their booking is top notch but the venue itself is a crappy hole of a burned-out theatre,no air conditioning in the Summer,with on-stage fans blowing directly on to the bands but forget about the audience huh!And the audience-stench is overwhelming after a few hours,the bathrooms are absolute crap and not made for humans and rude staff to boot that's is way past their prime,all the money this Joe S.has made over the years from loyal Chicago fans you'd think he do some remodeling and have a venue that fans are glad to come to and treated with basic building infrastructure.I'll take HOB,The Vic Theatre,Park West any day!
Oh my God, that Historical Moments video is hilarious.