Weekend Diversion: Night Of The Ponies
Pedway, First Store Open At Block 37
Around Town
Around Town
Red-Light Cameras Not So Special?
Clayton Hauck, Chicago's everywhere-at-once nightlife photographer, has released the results of a reader's poll he ran to discern which clubs, DJs, promoters, and bands are at the top of The People's list. It's hardly a scientific poll, and Hauck even admits that when it came to the promoter results there was probably more than a little ballot box stuffing, but we find it interesting as it functions as a good peek into the indie-rock dance micro-scene. And this is the scene, one could argue, driving the majority of the musically related social activity in our fair city these days, so we also find it interesting as an indicator of where things might be heading.
Some of the results are fairly obvious, with Sonotheque topping the list of best clubs, The Empty Bottle considered the best live music venue, and OFFICE emerging as the official band of the Cool Kid Nation. Some other results are sure to spark some lively discussion with Rodan edging out The Burlington as best bar (what?!) and Wicker Park voted "Best Neighborhood" (we say Logan Square all the way!).
You can view all the results here and debate their validity in our comments.
Photo by Clayton Hauck
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The hipsters may not have chosen Logan Square as the best 'hood, but we did get the first two murders of the year! Go Team Logan!!
Excellent point!
#2 Kill Hannah........lol.
Indeed. I bit my tongue about that one since my opinion of them is already rather well known.
am i missing something about the burlington? it's too dark to see who you're talking to, but it's so loud i can't talk anyway, so i guess that doesn't matter. loud music would be fine of there was room to dance, but no one's dancing. so... it's a stand around and look pretty bar? at least you can put your coat inside the benches (if you can get one)! being in that bar made me feel old. and i'm not that old.
There have always been people dancing when I DJ there, and while the volume was a bit of a problem way back when The Burlington opened, i know for a fact that the owners keep close tabs on it now since they want folks that aren't dancing to be able to converse.
Boo on Rodan. I've said my piece before about that place, though the $3 lychee royals are pretty awesome. And TB, I know you love the Burlington, but the best bar in all of Chicago? The entire city?
I guess that's why people like to make lists -- to spark discussion.
I will say without reservation that The Burlington in the best new bar in the city, yes.
Best bar overall? That's a much harder call, though you know how I do love my Liar's Club ...
Less than a thousand votes in the 3rd largest city in US and "it's the majority driving the scene?" You are diluted Tankboy and quit saying the two bars where you dj are the best bars in the city. We think Chicagoist needs someone to discuss musical trends that isn't pushing his own personal agenda.
Freak Deaky, for starters I take great pains to not "push my own agenda" through my articles here, but I consider everything to be fair game in the comments section.
As far as folks driving the scene, I've often noticed that tastemakers are small in number, and I think it could be argued that folks frequenting Hauck's site fall into that category.
Yea, I kinda swing both ways about the Burlington, when it first open I kinda liked the place. Now it does make you feel old, like you wanna put on a sweeter vest and gum a tuna melt An the last time I was there it was too crowded, like a hive for hipster dudes and the time I was there before that my friend and I danced and people seemed to turn their noses down on us for such a "low brow act" as opposed to low brow art which is acceptable the hipster crowd.
I think Weegees in Logan Square (Armitage and Lawndale) should have been counted and get this
this!Its,only one block away from the first muder shooting of the New Year!
My experiences at the Burlington have been pretty much along the lines of Evelyn's, although I had a really good time there last Sunday because it was pretty dead.
Tankboy, you really shouldn't drink so much water that you get "diluted", and Spook, while I do dig Weegee's, The Burlington is much closer to yesterday's murders than Weegee's is, but the latter is much closer to where the little girl got shot last year. Are the murders following the white people bars?