By Caroline Fisher, Madeline Pimlott and Rubi Carmona
Best Chicago Music Venues
With summer approaching, more and more artists are announcing tours featuring stops in the good ol’ Windy City. With the help of this map, readers can see where some of their favorite acts might perform this summer.
It’s clear through the map that a vast majority of the city’s most popular venues, like The Vic, Metro and Concord Music Hall, are located on the north side of the city in neighborhoods like Lake View, Lincoln Park and Logan Square.
This summer, music lovers can explore one of the city’s newest venues, The Salt Shed, which is housed in the old Morton Salt Factory in Lincoln Park. The venue is hosting an outdoor summer concert series dubbed “Summer Shows Outside the Shed,” featuring performances by artists like Courtney Barnett, Fleet Foxes, Lord Huron and more.
Although this map doesn’t include non-music exclusive spaces, concertgoers should also look out for events hosted at places like Soldier Field, United Center and Wrigley Field for major artists passing through like Lady Gaga, The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar and more.
The map also doesn’t include spaces where the city’s major music festivals are held like Douglass Park’s Riot Fest and Grant Park’s Lollapalooza, which are set to feature headliners like Metallica, Doja Cat, Misfits and Bad Religion. — Caroline Fisher
Where Are the Best Music Festivals?
As a massive city with diverse tastes, Chicago is hosting a large amount of festivals this summer. The festivals feature food, art, literature, and music. Music is especially popular during Chicago summers due to the city’s spacious outdoor venues, dazzling skyline, and dynamic talent (both local and national).
Because many festivals took a break during the pandemic, Chicagoans and tourists are keen to return to the music scene this year. This map includes a compilation of music festivals happening this summer in the city. For inclusion, the festival must self-identify as a music festival and take place in Chicago during June, July or August of 2022.
The festivals are spread around the city and feature a wide variety of musical genres, such as classical, house, and blues to name a few. Prices range from free (usually mentioning a suggested donation) to hundreds of dollars, meaning live music is available for anyone’s budget. — Madeline Pimlott
Best Chicago Nightclubs
This summer will be the first without mask mandates and it feels as though we can finally enjoy being in public after two years.
This map provides insight into the Chicago nightlife with the most popular and extravagant nightclubs.
Looking at this map, it is clear that the majority of the nightclubs are located in the Near North Side of Chicago. These nightclubs are among the most popular in Chicago; Tunnel, Underground, DISCO, Bodega and LITE.
You may find yourself wanting to go out with friends and enjoy the warm summer nights. With that said, the Chicago nightlife is something everyone should experience. There are many popular nightclubs in Chicago that even have celebrity visits. Most nightclubs include table reservations, bottle services, and a variety of music genres along with LED lights for better experiences.
Avoid the long lines and wait times as most of these nightclubs open their doors at 10 p.m. by reserving a table or purchasing entry tickets beforehand. Most nightclubs are very active on social media and provide links to purchase these tickets for faster entry.
If you are from Chicago or just visiting, you will enjoy the Chicago nightlife and with a bit of help from this map, you can easily find a nightclub that is your cup of tea. — Rubi Carmona