Hidden way behind a dark window on a quiet block on North Halsted. There is a space that blurs the boundaries between your regular Lincoln-park bar and a mellow fire-lit speak easy. It’s a place that presents both the excitement of large crowds and live hip-hop, and the anonymity of a cool whining darkness. The bar is lined with antique bottles from the turn of the century. Tonics, they were called, for their supposed abilities to counter any ailment. The look and style is indefinite. The soft blocks of leather sofa are a jigsaw puzzle, each night bearing new ways to interlock with themselves. The space has no set identity. It is to each guest, what he chooses to see. It is to each guest what she chooses to be. The Tonic Room, it is called, for its universal ability to adapt.

- David Kupcinet – Chicago Sun Times & Red Streak.

Photo credit: Chicago Studio Club.

Tonic Room

2447 N. Halsted

(between Altgeld St & Fullerton Ave)

Chicago, IL / USA

(773) 248 – 8400

The Tonic Room offers the best in Chicago Open Mike entertainment. Every Monday @ 10:00 pm (sign up @ 9:00 pm), the Tonic Room opens it’s doors to all acoustic artists in Chicago that would like to sign up for our Open Mike. They provide a top of the line P.A., microphones, cables, and even a guitar. All you need to do is bring your good spirits and voice. Their open mike focuses on every type of performer. Whether you are into rap, comedy, rock, or just want to get up on stage, the Tonic Room open mike provides a place for you to perform. Their open mike host, Dan the Man, is there to run the show, mix, and can even perform with you if you need an extra musician.

Photo credit: Chicago Studio Club.

They are always on the look out for talent to headline other nights at the Tonic so bring your friends and best material. Get there early, because open mike slots fill up fast. Also, check out some of the best Chicago LIVE MUSIC every Tuesday and Wednesday

Sunday-Friday until 2:00 am / Saturday until 3:00 am. Have yet to find out what time they open, will have to add that later . . .

F Y I – - Click on pix . . . you MAY  go places!

All photos taken by and property of Chicago Studio Club.

Bassist Roberto Aguilera celebrates his 2010 birthday co-hosting the Thursday Night BLUES Jam with Scott Madden.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

9:00 pm start

Zachary’s For Cocktails

5368 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Chicago, IL

(773)  792 -0933

No cover charge and fine refreshments!

F Y I  – - Click on pix … you MAY go places!

9:00 pm – 1:00 am

Come on out for some blues, booze and a birthday to boot!

It’s Tracey’s birthday AND  the beginning of Memorial Day

Weekend . . . time to party! 

Let’s kick it off with some red hot J.B. Ritchie Power Blues

at Dunn Inn, 3456 N. Pulaski, Chicago, IL (773) 286-2693.

F Y I – - Click on pic for more info.

Saalik Ziyad, center stage on the microphone at the Velvet Lounge  in this

 Chicago Studio Club/youtube video. We met Charles Pryor, musician and

cinematographer who was doing some of the same kind of work that we were,

just across the way in the photo shown above. Also seen are Aum Mu Ra El

on guitar, Nathan Brown on upright bass, Clif Wallace II on drums,

Shaun Johnson on trumpet.

Windows users: control + makes webpages larger, control – makes webpages smaller (as many times as needed). ESC out.

F Y I … for MORE info, click on pix . . . you will go places! 

Tip: Windows users, control + makes webpage larger, control – makes webpage smaller, as many times as needed, ESC out.

We met guitarist Aum Mu Ra El at The Velvet Lounge,

67 E. Cermak, Chicago, IL. We were attending the

 Saalik Ziyad and Friends live music event.

At times he reminded us a little of our good friend

 Lawrence "P Funk" Barksdale and others a bit like

Prince, but we were altogether thrilled that he was himself.

He has his own style and alot of it too. Check him out:

http://www.myspace.com/aummura

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aum-Mu-Ra-El/59929517720  

Contact Aum Mu Ra El at: 1-312-869-0072

Tuesdays

9:30 pm – 2:00 am 

Doors Open: 8:00 pm      Ticket price now: $5.00 Buy Tickets

Ticket price at door: $7.00

Rosa’s Lounge 3420 W. Armitage Ave.

Chicago, IL 60647  (773) 342-0452

We met him at Underground Wonder Bar

where he told us that he has been coming to hear

live music since 1993!

Rodney is a guitarist / vocalist in Sticky Fingers 

which is a Chicago based Rolling Stones TRIBUTE BAND!

Fellow bandmates include: Eric Lillis (bass/vocals),

Mikey Schroeder (drums/vocals), Cary Cohen (guitar/vocals)

and Jim Boukas (guitar/vocals). 

Sticky Fingers LIVE!

April 2, 2010

9:00 PM

The Globe Pub

1934 W. Irving Park Rd.

Chicago, IL 60613

April 15, 2010

8:00 PM

The Tonic Room

2447 N. Halsted

Chicago, IL 60614

Don’t miss out! Come and free yourself up with a few drinks and some rockin’ Stones tunes

Sticky Fingers Style!

8:00 pm

Jessie Arlen, 22 year-old New York based jazz vocalist, Downbeat Student Music Award winner (2007) and budding songwriter returns to her hometown of Evanston, Illinois for a performance celebrating the release of her debut CD entitled "Certain Surprise".”

Jessie’s voice is pure and soulful and lends itself to multiple musical styles including jazz, folk, and R&B. Several of Chicago’s top jazz instrumentalists such as our very good friend drummer Phil Gratteau, will join her at this special performance.

In addition to Jessie & Phil are Neil Artwick on piano, Mark Beringer on bass, her dad Ken Arlen on saxophone, Russ Phillips on trombone, Mark Olen on trumpet, Richie Davis on guitar & Steve Roberts on ukulele & guitar!

Should be a great time, see you there!

 Evanston SPACE

1245 Chicago Ave.

Evanston, IL  60202

847-492-8860 

    info@evanstonspace.com

Jingle Bell Jam

Monday, December 21, 2009

The Joynt

650 N. Dearborn(& Erie)

(312) 573-2233

7:00pm-2:00am 

Join us for an evening of all genres of music, Jazz, Blues,

R & B, Rock, Reggae, Funk, House! Special guest artists

will perform their renditions of holiday classics, favorite

covers and original music! Bring an unwrapped new toy or

make a $10 minimum donation at the door to make a

needy child’s Christmas Merry! Further details and

musical line-up to be announced soon from

Melissa Brown at Lip Service Productions.

Help select the winners by marking

Vote HERE

or submit ballot to:

Chicago Music Awards

c/o Martin’s International Culture

P.O. Box 5836, Chicago, IL 60680

GET YOUR ADVANCED TICKETS

on THIS SITE after voting or

at www.ticketmaster.com

call (312) 559-1212 or (312) 427-0266

 VOTE NOW!

Official Nominees Ballot

To sponsor a category call (312) 427-0266

Martin’s International Culture, 1325 S. Wabash Suite 307, Chicago, IL, 60605
info@martinsinterculture.com

The purpose of the site is to provide information on all aspects of LIVE MUSIC in Chicago by keeping the Chicago Studio Club (CSC) free and unencumbered to all. Of course if you find we’ve done something you like gratuities are accepted. Just click on the DONATION button on the site(s) and proceed to give whatever is within your means.

Tracey & Fred (founding survivors) have thus far held the front with only the help of a few, to be named in the thanks part, but for now we could use help with a forum (monitors) and volunteer lists as well as project implementers. Drop us a line. Is there a club you would like to see and hear some of Chicago’s most deserving talents? Who would you like to hear play? Even if you don’t drive a truck or want to help set up and tear down, you are a member if you love to party with LIVE MUSIC.

If you think good music in a comfortable but unpretentious room sounds like fun, let us know. If you want good music in a pretentious setting we can help there as well. Need a fire breather for your party, or just want to know who’s playing where, use our on-site email addresses: info@chicagostudioclub.com and info@chicagostudioclub.net.

Please feel free to help us help each other. Only donations keep this site open, without YOUR help, we can’t go on helping.

Tracey and Fred

Chicago Studio Club

Click on this ORIGINAL Steve Hashimoto

art poster to register!

1:00 – 6:00 pm

The Chicago Music Scene Book Launch / Chicago Pop Festival Preview Party is to celebrate Dean Milano’s book by bringing it to life.

The Preview portion of the party will explain the mission and give a taste of things to come at  Chicago Pop Festival, which is being rescheduled for the spring – late March or April 2010.

THE CHICAGO MUSIC SCENE BOOK LAUNCH / CHICAGO POP FESTIVAL PREVIEW PARTY
The Agenda at the party will consist of:

• Book signing
• The First Ever Gloria-Off Battle of the Bands
• Chicago Pop Festival Preview, consisting of a handful of representative acts from Chicago Pop Festival
• Introduce the Mission and Charities to the press, sponsors and public
• Reveal the date and location of Chicago Pop Festival 2010
• Wind up with The Chicago Pop Festival All Star Jam

The acts for the Pop Festival Preview will be a selected representation of the different genres involved in the Chicago Pop Festival.

The details of the location will be announced soon and on the website http://www.chicagopopfestival.com along with ticket information and pricing as well.

Cincinnati Ohio’s Secret Spirits have a new studio location.

The band is up & running at

6012 Madison.

Lawrence’s Studio and Lounge

has much to offer and one of them is

LIVE MUSIC.

Lawrence "P Funk" Barksdale at the sound board. 

Front and center on the stage at the new location of his home base for music and more, Lawrence "P Funk" Barksdale on lead guitar. He is THE man in Lawrence’s Studio and Lounge, newly located at 6012 Madison, Cincinnati, Ohio. We were absolutely thrilled to meet him when his band, Secret Sprits, had their GRAND OPENING JAM on Sat., August 15, 2009. This band is going places. Their new studio has unlimited potential in many areas of the music industry and also in the Cincinnati Ohio community. Lawrence has an array of fantastic ideas that you will soon be hearing about. Stay tuned!

F Y I — Click on Pix you MAY go places!

Come Party with US!

Secret Spirits

Grand Opening

Jam

Saturday, August 15, 2009

7:30 pm -doors open

9:00 pm – MUSIC!

6012 Madison

Cincinnati, Ohio

Lawrence’s Studio, 6012 Madison, Cincinnati, Ohio!

The video below is old "P Funk" on lead guitar – come check him out now!!   Be there Saturday.

We cannot wait!

Join Jamie Ray,  P Funk, Steve Allen, Oz, Greg D., Samson, Juan Garcia – together known at Secret Spirits this Saturday, August 15, 2009. Door open at 7:30pm, music at 9:00 pm.

  If you are ON Harlem Avenue, facing OGDEN AVENUE, this would be your view. The address for Harlem Avenue Lounge is 3701 S. Harlem Ave., Berwyn, IL. That White Castle you see there is ON the actual corner of Harlem & Ogden, and its parking lot/drive-thru are next to an alley between it and Harlem Avenue Lounge. You can turn into this alley and there are a couple of spaces to park in, but only a couple, right there on the side of the alley-next to the guard rail dividing White Castle from the alley. The only reason we say this is because we did all of this & just want to help. Easiest just to turn around (no parking behind the lounge) (which is where you ENTER to get inside) and back out of the alley as there is PLENTY of street parking RIGHT ON Harlem Avenue. FOR FREE!

Here you are on Harlem Avenue – right on the alley, walk a ways down the alley to the back entrance.

 See the back door in the above photo, there is the chair where a very nice fellow named Dave was sitting. The bathrooms are by the back door. Next, the pool table / game area.

     Next is the bar and at the front of the bar, the stage! We went on a Friday night to see the J.B. Ritchie Power Trio. The owner Ken was there working away with his bartendress for the evening, Angie! Everyone was so  nice – we had a blast!

L to R: Frank Bandy (bass), Greg Haar (drums) and on guitar and vocals, singing from his new POWER BLUES CD, Teardrop Recording Artist, J.B. Ritchie!

Saturday, August 15 2009

7:30pm

Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall / 4544 N. Lincoln Ave. / Chicago, IL 60625 / (773) 728-6000

Pete Special, John Maloney, Matthew Longbons, Brother Brother

and many of Chicago’s top musical artists!

$15 General Public/$13 Old Town School Members/$15 Seniors & Children

BUY TICKETS ONLINE | BOX OFFICE: 773.728.6000

In this 2 min. video Pete Special is playing/singing "Rock Me Baby"  with Matt Longbons on bass, John Maloney on drums and the famous slide guitarist Jon Spiegel Live at Martyr’s in Chicago! All the above mentioned musicians will also be the this Woodstock Anniversary event!

We met Greg Haar for the first time last night and he is such a great guy. He says he isn’t techno-savvy but he has 2 daughters to help along with all of this internet type action  – - so kudos girls! Show this to your dad! Also we learned that Greg makes these wild tie-dyed shirts on his own!  He told me the entire procedure which I was delighted to hear about since I have never done it myself.  So in addition to being a talented drummer in the J.B.Ritchie Power Trio, he is a creative man, a tolerant father and appreciates the likes of the Chicago Studio Club!

Keep your eye on this page for the LIVE VIDEO of Greg Haar on drums -  coming soon!   For now though, check Greg out!!!

FYI  – -   Click on Pix – -  you MAY go places!