“You’d be traveling with your cohort - you wouldn’t be by yourself that often - but when you were, meatheads would drive by and shout ‘Devo’ out the window.” Albini - who went on to tour with bandmates in Big Black and Shellac before producing iconic albums for Nirvana, the Pixies, the Stooges, and Helmet - recalls how he and his friends were treated by jocks and others for their mohawks, dyed hair, piercings, and leather jackets. The legendary artist Steve Albini came to the Chicago area as a teen from Montana to enroll at Northwestern University in Evanston in 1980.
Ironically, these types of sports fans now pack the bar across the street from Wrigley Field, representing a mainstream audience and even warranting a mention in Ted Lasso. The Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl has talked about seeing his first show at the Cubby Bear, which created a punk haven away from jocks in the ’70 and ’80s. The all-ages punk rock scene in Chicago encompassed venues like Fireside Bowl in Logan Square, the Riviera in Uptown, and the Metro in Wrigleyville. In similar pockets across the country, diners represent an underappreciated tradition as a third-place escape where all ages commune. Why not gather at the late-night diner? With their all-ages approach and reasonably priced menus, diners were and, and to an extent remain, integral to local punk scenes - in Chicago and beyond. And when the concert gets out, it always feels too early to go back to mom and dad in their suburban homes. LaTrace, receiving advice from Wentz, and mingling with other underage kids who listened to punk rock.Ī limbo exists for teens who attend shows at bowling alleys, basements, and dives: They’re too young to go to bars and too cool for fast-food restaurants, which aren’t open all that late anyway. Music is no longer Siska’s full-time gig, but he recalls growing up around diners on tours with his bandmates including lead guitarist (and former Curbed Chicago editor) A.J. Just throw in a little building renovation, positive word of mouth and impressive headliners to stir up a local cult following, and the Fireside Bowl could become the hottest ticket in Chicago’s underground music scene once again.“Someone probably ordered some Moons Over My Hammy,” recalls Siska.
Maybe a punk night held once a week, run by mP and filled to the brim with local music, could breathe life back into a once sacred haunt. The Fireside was great when mP Productions booked shows there. And, with the recent resurgence of punk rockers in the local music scene (like “flower punk” wunderkinds The Orwells, still in high school!) the timing of a Fireside revival couldn’t be more perfect. Here’s a thought: Maybe people will stop complaining about the smell if they’re at a PUNK ROCK show! They’ll be too busy moshing and getting drunk to care about cleanliness or the staff tending to their needs post-haste. Some Yelp reviewers have been particularly unkind, complaining about everything from bad service to the building’s dilapidated condition to the musty “old” smell that fills the air. Now, according to many disgruntled Chicagoans, the magic has soured. Possibly the most exciting thing to happen at Fireside in recent years was Vince Vaughn filming scenes for The Breakup in 2005.Īt one time, the Fireside Bowl was legendary. But Fireside now trails far behind other venues in terms of attendance and acclaim. On rare occasions, bands stop by to pay homage to the good old days, like White Mystery returning to Chicago for their summer tour.