Rock stars might arrive to the hottest concert halls in Chicago via limousine, but for the music fan on a college budget there’s the El.
A trip to several of the city’s most highly regarded venues is available to Northwestern students for the price of a load of laundry. The House of Blues, the Aragon Ballroom and the Riviera Theatre all are within a 40-minute ride from campus.
“We’re about 50 feet from the Lawrence El,” said Armando Lopez, general manager of the Aragon, 1106 W. Lawrence Ave. “We bring in all sorts of talent. We’ve had everyone from U2 to the Rolling Stones. Everyone’s performed here.”
The 4500-seat concert hall is a quick hop from the purple line to the red line. Lopez said the venue does not only play host to pop and rock music. Brujeria, a popular Hispanic ensemble, was featured in September.
Besides great music, guests to the Aragon are also entranced by the decor. The 40,000 square foot interior of the concert hall is modeled to look like a Spanish courtyard. Lopez said he is proud of the Aragon’s vitality.
“We’ve been around since 1926 and still operate as a concert hall,” he said.
Students looking for a vintage concert atmosphere might also enjoy the Riviera, 4746 N. Racine Ave., a renovated 2300-capacity concert hall built more than 80 years ago as a movie theater.
General manager Mark Cleveland said that though the interior is “kind of grungy,” the quality of the acoustics draws crowds and big-name rock and pop bands.
All American Rejects will perform at the Riviera in October, followed by a sold-out Barenaked Ladies performance. Phil Lesh, formerly of the Grateful Dead, is scheduled to visit the Riviera in November.
“It’s the sound and the atmosphere,” Cleveland said. “It’s an intimate setting with a big concert sound. People like this place.”
The Riviera is located one block east of the red line’s Lawrence El station.
Another popular local venue is House of Blues Chicago — a concert hall connected to a hotel and restaurant located just off the State/Lake red line El station. House of Blues Chicago, 329 N. Dearborn St., is one arm of a large chain focused on bringing diverse music, from hip-hop to zydeco, to audiences nationwide. The House of Blues Chicago features a weekly Sunday Gospel Brunch to “nourish the body and soul.”
Lisa Marie Presley will perform with John Eddie at the venue. Saves the Day also will appear at the venue this year.
House of Blues is familiar territory for NU students. Weinberg sophomore Isabelle Miller, said she enjoyed seeing NU natives Buddha’s Belly perform there.
Miller said visitors to the House of Blues are asked for identification to prove they are at least 18 years old. Though she warns people about the stringent carding, Miller said she would not mind returning.
“If one of my friends wanted to, I’d definitely tag along,” she said. “It’s a really fun atmosphere.”
