Want to catch a concert in Chicago? Very smart choice! This city is a melting pot of wonderful music. It’s known for its blues, jazz, and rock. Some of the largest festivals in the country, like Lollapalooza and Pitchfork each choose to host their concert in Chicago. So, with all of these great musical options, what are some of the best places to see a concert in Chicago?
Best place to see a concert in Chicago #5:The Beat Kitchen. 2100 W. Belmont Ave Chicago, IL 60618
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to be listening to the right radio station at the right time. They mentioned that there was a free concert in Chicago for Jack’s Mannequin occurring somewhere throughout the city that night. Turns out, it was this tiny place in the north side of Chicago. So, what makes it one of the best places to see a concert in Chicago? Once you walk in, it’s essentially an empty room the size of a small restaurant with a bar towards the front. I would be surprised if you could fit more than 200 people in there at one time, and that’s a good thing. Regardless of where you stood, it was a great show. Since this was one of the smaller Chicago music venues, it was easy to see, hear, and enjoy everything. The only downside is the lack of parking around the area, which is an expected hassle for most places in the city.
Best place to see a concert in Chicago #4:House of Blues. 329 N. Dearborn Chicago, IL 60654
A lot of people would probably rank this higher on my list of where to see a concert in Chicago, and I would completely understand their argument. This is probably the best places available to see the larger acts perform. George Thorogood, Switchfoot, and even Hanson have been known to play this venue when they have a concert in Chicago. The restaurant underneath the stage is spectacular as well, serving Louisiana favorites. But there is a reason I consider this only the fourth best place to see a concert in Chicago. Call me old (I’m 24), but I have found the house of blues to be just too loud. I can’t recommend this be your first destination for a concert in Chicago if I couldn’t enjoy (or even really understand) the music. I guess volume wouldn’t be a problem if it was mixed better, but it all just tends to sound like a mess to me here.
Best place to see a concert in Chicago #3: Grant Park. 205 E Randolph St. Chicago, IL 60601
There are 2 reasons this is such a great place. The first reason is for all of the free festivals that happen throughout the year. Want to see a blues concert in Chicago? Check out the blues fest in the beginning of June. Want to see a Jazz concert in Chicago? What about gospel? Check and Check. The best part is these festivals are all free!
However, the greatest reason to check out this Chicago music venue is Lollapalooza. I may be biased, but my two trips to Lollapalooza rank as two of my top five life experiences EVER. I cannot describe the feeling of watching Daft Punk live as 50,000 people are all jumping up and down in unison. This is definitely the best place to see a concert in Chicago if you are one that loves big names at big venues.
Best place to see a concert in Chicago #2:Subterranean. 2011 W. North Ave Chicago, IL 60647
Another north side venue, this is a great place to catch a concert in Chicago because of its great atmosphere. There is a main floor and a balcony; both with great views. The stage is small, and the crowd seems to engulf the artists as they play. The best part about this Chicago music venue is that it’s so easy to run into one of the bands after their set. I went to see Foals live there once. Not only was I able to talk to them, I also got to meet the opening band for that night at their merchandise table. I got a free CD out of it too. When you want to see a great lesser-known band, I highly recommend checking out this venue as a place to see a concert in Chicago.
And here it is:
THE Best place to see a concert in Chicago:The Metro. 3710 N Clark St Chicago, IL 60613
This is the place to be. When local artists get big, and they want to come back and play an intimate concert in Chicago, the Metro always seems to be the place they choose. The Smashing Pumpkins always used the metro as their hometown small venue, as does Alkaline Trio. There was one show where, for each band, I ended up at a different section of the venue. Regardless, the sound quality and the view were excellent. As stated earlier, when a larger band wants to play a smaller concert in Chicago, they always seem to choose this place. When there is an up-and-coming band that is on a verge of a record deal; the Metro is the place they will most likely call home. With its great mixture of big and small talent, its incredible views, or its energetic atmosphere, the Metro is the best place to catch a concert in Chicago.
