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Patricia Barber at the Green Mill in Chicago

I just got back home to L.A. from a few days spent in Chicago. Prior to going there, I had received a tip from a local that the Patricia Barber Quartet performs on Monday nights at the Green Mill when they are not touring. I lucked out! They were there last Monday and I was able to catch the show. It's an old style bar/night club that hasn't changed decor since the 40's. What a treat! You feel like you have stepped into a time machine with the long wooden bar, deco light fixtures, neon beer signs and booths for seating. It's an amazing place and probably only had about 75 people there, if that! You are right there with the band and they are amazing!! The sound was very good, even though I was sitting on the side. (The sweet spot was taken!) It makes you want to go home and pull out those CD's to hear all the nuances you can visually see and feel in a live performance. The quartet did two sets and then they hang-out after the perfomance so you can introduce yourself, just like any other local club gig! Although Patricia didn't offer a whole lot of conversation in response to my praises of her performance and her CD's, the band readily acknowledged their awareness of the huge support from the audiophile community. They commented that since she doesn't typically get airplay, she is primarily supported through word of mouth and special groups such as ours! So, we are important to her success!

If you are in Chicago, don't miss the opportunity to enjoy a great performance upclose and personal! Cover is $7.00 with no drink minimum!! They advertise weekly in the local entertainment free paper.
twopippis
dweller's avatar
dweller
3,781 posts
 
I was born and grew up in that area of Chicago (known as "Uptown"). In it's day (30's & 40's) it was THE center of entertainment on the far north side. The Green Mill sits next door to the Uptown Movie Palace (if (pity) all you know are the multiplexes of today, your jaw would drop at this 5000 seat venue -modeled after a medieval Moorish castle -with three balconies...). Just south is the Riviera movie theater (the Uptowns little sister).
A half a block east, on Lawrence Ave., is the Aaragon ballroom (again the Moorish theme). The Aaragon has seen everything from U.S.O. dancing to Ted Nugent concerts; From boxing to the 1960's psychedelic groove pit "The Cheeta". Uptown saw a notorious decline in the early sixties (a suprise due to it's fabulous art deco architecture, proximity to mass transportation and lake Michigan) but is being "Gentrified" back to life. It's been quite a while since I paid 25 cents to spend Saturday afternoon at the Uptown -quite a while.
megasam's avatar
megasam
798 posts
 
Dweller
During the 1980's I saw many concerts at Aaragon Ballroom and briefly at Uptown theater during early 1980's. The Green Mill was cool watering hole to get a drink before the show right around the corner, after show you hit the clubs till dawn.

The Aaragon was a definite trip as you said it had a detailed facade of Moorish town square around main floor, you could go into each building and balcony on top floor of each building. Ceiling was black with simulated night sky with stars, it was very unique and cool!
ehart
215 posts
 
I lived in uptown for four years during high school (graduated 1977), in a "commune" during the pre-gentrified days. Clark and Wilson. I remember Blue Oyster Cult playing at The Uptown (which was pretty rundown in those days), but could never afford to actually go in.

I have great memories from those years, but that area of uptown was a pretty advanced lesson in the school of hard knocks! I blew town in a hurry when I graduated, and didn't look back for about ten years. A year after graduating, I was traveling in pre-revolution Iraq (and many other places for a year), and my mother said her only consolation was that she figured if I survived growing up in Chicago, I could survive anything.

Now I thoroughly enjoy visiting Chicago as an adult, and love to take in the blues again.

Sorry this has nothing to do with Patricia Barber, it's just great to hear mention of the old neighborhood!
steelhead
318 posts
 
Wow, you scored.

I still love spinning Pat on Friday nights and love the music and recorded quality of the CD's. I get shivers listening to companion on CD, I would LOVE to catch her in a club.
phild
603 posts
 
FYI Steelhead...the Companion CD was recorded at the Green Mill. She took a year or so off from her Monday night gig, so it's nice to have her back again. I was worried she was going to be too big to continue.
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