CTA Doomsday Schedule: Day 2
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CTA Service Cuts Start Today
30% Chance Of Hailey
The opening of Lincoln Hall near to the old Lounge Ax space has brought up a flurry of memories we have of late nights spent watching awesome bands. It seems like we're not the only ones experiencing a renewed sense of sentimentality over the hugely influential venue once run by Julia Adams and Sue Miller (who later married a dude named Jeff Tweedy whose band played Lounge Ax pretty regularly).
The Chicago History Museum has put out a call asking for donations of any memorabilia, band posters, photos, recordings, etc. that anyone has relating to Lounge Ax in hopes of more concretely documenting the venue's place in the history of the Chicago music scene.
I wonder if I still have that video of Uncle Tupelo's last performance at Lounge Ax ... that seems like something worth donating. What do you have that could go towards celebrating and remembering Lounge Ax's history?
[H/T Loud Loop]
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What is that place now? I forget. I guess I wonder because I remember condo owners trying to kill LA because of noise complaints.
It's either a small restaurant or that Lincoln Station bar. Either way, there have been enough new frat boy bars built on that street since Lounge Ax left to make those arguments about noise pollution seem like a ruse.
I used to love that place. Saw a bunch of good bands there...can't remember most of them though :) Just recall Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet and of course the "house band" The Cocktails.
I'd pay $1,000 to get in a time machine to see Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet at Lounge Ax.
What's happened in the beloved Lounge Ax's old space, you ask? Well, now it's the Soiree Bar Bistro, a place that has earned a dismal two stars on Yelp. "Bistro" makes it sound fun, exciting and European. Before that it was The Gramercy, which was a cool BarClubLoungeWithBottleService to chill at if you were a douchebag.
The Gramercy even had a philosophy:
A similar thing happened up the street at the beloved 950, which is now The Grand Central, a great place to throw back appletinis and Bud Lights with all the assholes you went to school with in Iowa.You can't go home again.
You can't go home again.
You don't HAVE to go home again, because all of those folks you left in college are here now all up and down Clark street between Sheffield and Belmont.
Thanks for the info.
It's some kind of "wine bar" I believe.
I must have went to Lounge Ax a jillion times but I don't think I took a single photo or kept a single flier from there....bummer.
I might have a match book somewhere... what am I bid?
If I had known I would have saved one of the many cans of Budweiser I drank with Jeff Tweedy's dad one night at one of Jeff's solo shows. I recall we talked a lot about barbecued ribs.
I have extracted a genuine Lounge Ax cigarette butt from my boot sole. I will send it certified mail. Still emits a musty, tweedy odor i'm sure you'll groove on.
Sheesh, it was an OK club as far as cramped, dingy clubs go. Had some good acts, some crap acts. the sound was OK, the girls were drunk.
I miss the West End. That place had it all. Dude.
I think I might still have the Skittles bag that almost broke Pat McCurdy's tooth when I threw it at him.