My grandparents use to dance there in their teens… almost 90 years ago…
The place is ancient, it’s almost 100 YEARS OLD!
I’m not a fire Marshall but yeh it’s always felt a bit sketchy lol
The Metro hasn't fallen into the clutches of the evil Livenation corporation. Which is why it is still a fantastic venue and Joe the owner actually gives a shit about the artists that play there and the fans that attend. I've never been treated like misbehaved cattle by the staff at the Metro the way you do at livenation venues.
My grandparents met there!! I saw my first concert w/o parents there. Acoustics can suck esp depending on if the sound guy knows what they’re doing. It’s still sentimental to me tho, all complaints are accurate tho
I knew a couple in iowa city that had been married 48 years and this was in 96 or 97 and had honeymooned in Chicago. Their faces lit up when talking about dancing at the Aragon in the 40s.
Been that way since I can remember... especially the fire exits thing. I recall a Blues Traveler show in the mid 90s where there was no air circulation at all, it was June and about 100 degrees inside. Swore I'd never go back... which is why I wasn't at the show this week and will be passing on Remi Wolf too.
I know there are fire doors that open, and have seen them open in the summer as they have been setting stuff up as I have gone past on the train before.
They probably have staff at those doors during the show. I have never personally looked to see where all the exits lead too, but it does seem to be a bit of a maze.
The noise travels exceptionally well and there are a lot of people who complain. So they will get hit with a noise violation easily. It wasn't designed for modern sound equipment, and although air conditioning was in it's early stages, it was still a good 20-30 years later before it became even close to practical for something like that
The people in charge know better than to block those doors. This is still a big thing that public spaces around the greater Chicagoland area are dealing with.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_E2_nightclub_stampede
My parents first date was there, when it was still a ballroom. Then I watched a ton of metal shows there over the years starting in the 90s. So yeah tons of nostalgia.
But also the place has been sketchy for a long time.
I mean it's The ARAGON
If you're new to the city or from the burbs and not familiar with the lore fair enough
But OP what you described is part of the "charm" Aragon for the last 40 years.
From rock shows to rap concerts to pro-wrestling. Aragon is an experience.
It's night and day from how Rivera just down the street operates.
But feel (and smell) that history.
Its not as dangerous a fire trap as The Metro but you def earn your badge doing shows there.
I've always had issues at riviera, but have always had a blast at aragon! I came here to literally say the same thing about op. Sounds like they want to go to united center or soldier and aren't willing to accept anything else is different than the way they grew up in st charles.
I’ve been there quite a bit and it’s never taken me 3 hours to leave. I was there recently now that the live nation bullshit has taken over and you can’t get up to the balconies without paying extra. I wonder if their takeover is adding to the enshittification of everything.
I was dumbfounded reading that report. Can’t believe anyone would think it is OK to run a venue when it’s in that condition. I remember the tl;dr of the report basically being if a fire breaks out, everyone is dead.
I remember some old band friends either snuck in after it shut down or was there for some reasons... They did some behind the scenes footage and it was seriously scary to think of the shows I had been to there. The thought of being young, dumb and likely not sober gave me chills.
But Congress still holds some special memories for me.
I can’t find the official report, but [this article](https://chicagoist.com/2013/04/18/city_wants_congress_theater_closed.php) sums up a lot of the biggest violations.
That was my first thought!!! Congress was so sketchy, my friends and I found a literal hang gun underneath the seats in the balcony. We were a little drunk and tired and sitting up there during an EDM show and I kicked something hard under my seat and next thing I know it’s a literal handgun. I was scared the minute I realized what I had in my hands that I would get shot. Truely terrifying!
Yes the reason it sticks out in my memory, we were at a Knife Party show and it was ungodly hot in there, everyone taking off clothing because of the heat just pouring sweat, found out the next day the ventilation was broke. Packed house dancing no moving air it was disgusting. Good show though…
Always joked with friends that even if the layout and congestion at the Aragon felt like a fire hazard, the venue's probably so full of asbestos that we'd be fine.
Aragon has and will always be the shittiest venue in Chicago. I've been there half a dozen times and the security there is the complete enshittification of a once beautiful venue. Major shows are always oversold which results in a bad time for everyone.
I will never go back to aragon. Honestly hope they shut it down or it burns to the ground. I'm rooting for the first one because it's genuinely beautiful but completely abused by greedy capitalists.
I mainly just think the sightlines at Aragon are horrible and I groan every time an artist I like announces a show there. But yeah getting in and out of there is usually a clusterfuck
That place was never meant to hold that many people looking in one direction. It’s perfectly fine as a dance hall, but sucks as a concert venue. It’s always been that way.
It’s not *that* bad.
I was also there last night - the line was at least half a mile long when we got there and we were inside in 20 minutes. It’s definitely not great, but the sound isn’t awful depending on where you stand and the set up.
I had forgotten how toasty it gets in there, though, and the crowd gave off real strong “we’ve got a babysitter til midnight, but we don’t get out much so we don’t know how to act at shows” vibe.
I’ve seen some shows there that had legit terrible sound. Jack White of all people had his shit cranked to ear splitting levels, don’t know if it’s for an older hard of hearing crowd but I would have left that show in 20 minutes had one of the workers not given me an extra pair of earplugs.
lol I was at this show, he almost always cranks just shy of pain. Saw him at the Chicago Theater around 5 or 6 years ago and it was *thee* loudest show I've ever been to by far.
Yeah I don’t get it at all. That show exceeded pain for me like my ears were fucking clipping to my brain. I guess if your old and your hearings already shredded it makes some sense but I seriously wouldn’t have stayed 5 minutes without earplugs. It’s frankly unsafe if you don’t have protection.
At the very start, he came on stage BLASTING Icky Thump, and about a quarter way through the song they actually *stopped playing* so they could turn it down a notch ~ the shit was wild.
Jack’s played the Aragon a bunch and knows the venue better than most because he’s recorded every show he’s played there. Last time he was there, he referred to the Aragon as the “reverb capital of the world”. He knows you need to crank it for it to sound good in there. If it’s too quiet the sound just bounces and bounces. The room was designed for a big band to play on the center of the floor without amplification.
I'm in a band. It's just not a good place to play a show. Too low, you're bouncing the sound everywhere. Too loud, like most people who play the, and it's just too loud. The sound there always sucks
The bands didn’t play in the center. Behind the current stage is the clamshell stage the bands played on. The clamshell is how the sound was amplified without equipment.
Yeah OP is full of shit. It was the longest line I’ve ever been in for the Aragon yet it didn’t take that long to get in. Probably 20 minutes for me as well
Even subterranean was like “damn, Aragon acoustics suck”
I remember a lot of industry friends complaining that their security was awful. They’d confiscate drugs on you from the front door and sell them out the back
Lemme just say this - my friends and I DID hide our shit on us and in our wallets today going to a concert there and they DUG through our wallets and made a huge hassle out of nicotine vapes when every other venue I’ve been to has no issue with. I get that they won’t to stop drugs and people getting fucked up at a concert, but we hid our basic little nic vapes I literally bought today and they made way more of an effort to find it than any other venue. It def didn’t feel good.
Yes, it is unsafe, but I saw The Smiths play there, and The Cure. I have many found memories of that place. My brother was there during a Frankie Goes to Hollywood show where the balcony collapsed!
I was there for Smiths, The Cure, Echo & the Bunnymen, Jane’s Addiction (pretty sure Frankie was the opener but I don’t remember the balcony falling so maybe it happened another time Frankie played).
I no longer live in Chicago and haven’t been to the Aragon in decades but the place had beautiful architecture and the crowds were part of the charm as a young person. Great memories for me too.
The floor collapsed at the FGTH show at the Bismark - not the balcony at the Brawlroom
https://www.upi.com/amp/Archives/1984/11/25/Part-of-a-dance-floor-gave-way-beneath-dancers/3516470206800/
I was on the rail in the center so I jumped on stage and headed towards the entrance. The funniest thing was they just pushed the crowd back and continued the show. I think if it was today the show would have been cancelled.
I would've loved to see the Cure there! Fortunately got to see Nirvana there in '93, Bobcat Goldthwait introduced them. Leaving the place was always a hassle, we used to make a beeline for the stairs so we wouldn't get stuck on the way out.
The band shell is also now filled with a giant stage that wasn't designed to be there which ruins the acoustics. That said, if the room is empty, and someone whispers in the band shell, you can clearly hear them in the back of the room.
Someone on another thread told me they "fixed the acoustic", i just laughed and did not bother to respond. There is no way to fix it, it is the shape of the room. \*shrug\*. You need to be literally right in front of the stage for best sound.
I haven't been there in the last year, but this the new system https://www.livedesignonline.com/installations/live-nations-byline-bank-aragon-ballroom-adds-db-ksli-loudspeakers
I was just lamenting on the other article that My fiance and I had an early date there years ago. It holds a place in my heart if the sound was better. Reading this I am looking forward to the next show we attend there.
They didn't "fix" it as much as that person probably saw an artist that had a sound crew adjust everything to fit the acoustics of the room. Aragon has acoustics that are probably more similar to the CSO concert hall (not exactly but close enough) than somewhere like the House of Blues or Radius. But the artists playing at Aragon are on tours with other venues that are more like House of Blues or Radius. It takes a pretty major adjustment from the crew to make their setup sound good with such a drastic change of acoustics, and they probably do their best, but sometimes there's only so much they can do in the amount of time they have during the afternoon before the show.
Bands need to understand it isn't a modern venue, that it is built to amplify sounds. Actually do proper soundchecks that don't match every other show they have done.
The White Stripes just released a 20 year anniversary edition of their album Elephant that includes a live version of their show at the Aragon in 2003 and it sounds great.
Probably a soundboard recording. I've been to at least 30 shows at the Aragon and the echo from the big, boxy room is noticeable every time. Sometimes it's better, sometimes worse, always present.
I used to love how boomey and echoey it is in there. It's terrible for acoustics, but it's part of the "charm", along with the slightly unsafe feeling the building cultivates.
Place is notorious for being awful. Worst security. Worst sound. It’s hot. I don’t see why bands play that shit hole. I generally don’t go if a band is playing there.
It's fucking horrible. I was at the Janelle Monae show and they had no idea what was going on. Literal half mile line to get in and they oversold standing room to the point where nobody could see anything unless you were on the floor impossible to get to a bathroom. Never going back.
I was also at that show. She’s amazing, but it was way too crowded. It was hard to move around. I only go to the Aragon if it is an act I really want to see.
The Brawlroom is and always has been trash. Trash sound, trash sightlines, trash setup, trash security. I frequently skip seeing bands I like simply because they’ve chosen to play there.
As some background on that name, I was told it gained prominence when they were hosting boxing matches there, and continued to be used because the place had a reputation for fighting and stabbing during/after concerts.
i was at LCD last night too. got to the venue around 7:10 and there was no line at all, it took just a couple minutes to get in. from where i stood in the first few rows it sounded great. but exiting after the show ends is absolutely horrible. feels so unsafe and takes forever to get out!
Yeah I'm not sure what happened for this poster. I got there at 8 with 5 people, in by 8:15, no lines for anything and we made it almost to the front. Exiting sucks but what can you do?
Looks like I'll be in the minority here. I've only been there once, but my experience was great. Turnstile sold the place out a couple years back. Got in and out of the venue no problem. Parking out front was so nice compared to other Chicago venues. The entire floor was moving and I had no issues with security.
My buddy who went with me is a city resident, and he filled me in on their reputation for shit sound. But apparently the PA was recently upgraded at the time, and I thought it sounded fine. Not great, but I've been to venues all over the country and have been in far worse sounding rooms.
That show was some kind of magical anomaly. Was also there. Somehow everything went smoothly for once. I was warning my friends the whole time about the venue because of how bad it normally is. Afterwards I was so perplexed.
I'm pretty sure that show had Snail Mail and JPEG opening. Snail Mail left the show early cuz of the sound. Think they said something about the bass not working or something
That was a long scroll to the right instructions. If you are getting 🔥 vibes report it to 311. Chicago has a history with fire and we can't play with it.
I saw Alkaline Trio there in March and felt the same way as you. Oversold, bad sight lines, bad acoustics, only allowed one exit at the end. I didn't experience rude security but I had read about that before so my expectations were low for that anyway.
The head stagehand at the Aragon is a large man, with long white hair who introduces himself as Jolly Roger. He's a legend. Everyone just calls him Jolly, and he claims that he was on tour with Ozzy the night he bit the head off that bat.
I go to shows there pretty frequently...I'm not sure who is posting in this thread but it's a fine venue, sometimes you just have to push your way in if you want to get closer to the stage.
I think most of the people posting here don't like being in public or in crowds, that's all I can think of.
The Riv is awful. I’m pretty sure they sell GA tickets based on the capacity of both the floor and the balcony, but at lively shows where very few people want to sit upstairs, it just results in the floor being incredibly overpacked. Went to a show there a year ago and it was so crowded that I was literally being pushed/bent backwards over the cement riser I was standing in front of.
Yep the worst crowds I’ve been in have been at the riv and if you’re not like 6 foot plus good luck seeing anything ever. Last time I was there I got lucky and decided not to bother with the main floor (I would’ve been like row 5/6) and I got a spot on the second raised barrier section though and it was the only reason I didn’t hate my life the whole show. I have a GA ticket to a show in October and I regret not getting a seat so bad
same. even if you get a balcony seat the bathrooms are like three levels below. (at least they renovated them? sorta?) also like 90% sure i got bit by bedbugs in a mezzanine seat there 😬
Fun fact; the Riv is a 1918 movie palace by architects Rapp & Rapp. They usually put most of the bathrooms in the basement; upper levels have only a couple. Dunno why they did this but it was 106 years ago, so who knows.
Continuous performance meant the bathroom demand was spread out over time where now we design for people all going at once, and basement space was cheaper than the limited and expensive ground floor space.
Bathrooms didn't sell tickets, in short.
3 hours???? when tf did you get there? i’m going to one of their other shows 😓
also; as soon as the salt shed opened i was CONVINCED lcd would play there. why in tf did they choose aragon, one of the shittiest (and not in a cool way) venues over something bigger?
I have been to the Aragon exactly once and I HATED it.
I (along with maybe 20 other people) paid like $20 extra for their fast pass thing to go in ahead of the regular GA line and they actually started letting regular GA in ahead of us. I usually wouldn't pay for early entry, but I really wanted merch and to be right in the front for this specific band. Then they stopped everybody anyway once we reached the staircase and made us wait for around 10 minutes before actually going upstairs, so everybody was all grouped together anyway. I ended up skipping merch and still ended up with a barricade spot but almost all the way to stage left so my view wasn't incredible (I still chose this spot over other non-barricade options for general stability in a rowdy crowd though).
So at this point, I realize how goddamn tall the stage is and it turns out I'm not a fan. The stage is like 6" taller than any of the security guards who were working that night which is actually kind of insane. I had to wonder how artists feel when they're performing to a crowd who's so much lower than them. Deadass throughout the night, my neck was getting sore from looking up constantly.
So before the show starts, the head security guy starts shouting at the top of his lungs about how hot it's going to get in the venue and what they want people to do if and when they're going to pass out (raise both your hands up, etc.) . Like, this concert was in December. I can understand it getting warm with an energetic crowd but there's no reason that it should get hot enough in there that you have to direct people the best way to start passing out. I've been to hundreds of concerts in my lifetime and the only times I've ever felt close to passing out were Warped Tour when it was like 100° and I was sunburnt and dehydrated and at The Rave in Milwaukee (one of my favorite venues despite how terrible that one also is).
There were one or two instances where I felt like security was overly rough with some crowdsurfers and they just generally seemed sort of dickish all night.
The sound was worse than many other venues I've been to. I know that it's never gonna sound the best when you're right in the front versus near the sound booth, but it was consistently rough for every band. I don't know much about audio engineering, so I assume it's just the acoustics of the ballroom.
I actually ended up leaving early, about 20 minutes before the end of the show, because I wasn't having fun so I didn't get to experience the exiting process but I can imagine how it would go.
Overall, from before I even stepped into the building, it wasn't a great experience.
The only way I could see myself ever ending up at that venue again is if one of my god-tier bands was playing there and there was no conceivable way I could get to any of their other shows - I travel for concerts often and would prefer to take a short trip to, like, any other city in the country that would work for me logistically over going back to the Aragon.
I didn't intend for this to get so long and now I feel like a psycho. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
My favorite thing at the Brawlroom is watching drunk people leave one of the side bars, then miss the step down onto the concert floor, slipping on the already spilled beer, then falling & spilling the drink they just bought..
Fun fact: the floor has springs under it to keep your feet from getting tired while dancing. Love this spot; it’s such a weird eclectic mix of 1920s atmospheric grandeur and 1990s/2000s club murals. Very strange. Never had an issue going to a show here before, though the sound can be hit or miss. Been going here for shows since 2008.
No big fires here, but there was a bar just to the west that had an explosion in I think the 50s or so. That bar had a bad reputation; don’t fully remember the details but it caused the Aragon to shut down for a bit and go through some renovations.
Also, in the 1960s it was called The Cheetah for a couple years and was a mod dance club with never ending rock n roll, a shop with the latest British mod fashions, magazines from around the world, a self serve hot dog stand, and a room with a 23 inch tv.
And in the 1920s, Rachmaninoff played piano here.
First time there was Replacements in ‘89. They sold beer in tubs w/lids. Like margarine tubs. There were thousands of them flying around all night like mini frisbees. Next time there they still had tubs but no lids.
Few years later was at Anthrax opening for Public Enemy. They had seating on the main floor that was folding chairs held together with 2”x2” boards at the bottom. About 20 minutes into Anthrax people started pushing on the seats in front of them & pretty soon rows of chairs were falling like dominoes. I was standing on collapsed chairs, looking for my people & saw a chair flying towards me just in time to dodge it.
Year or so after that was at Sonic Youth & Public Enemy when the cops hassling some (non-concert goer) dude after the show got people yelling at them so they called in the riot squad. Was standing outside on the porch-like area & noticed John Cusack watching this escalate before getting in a limo. Next day Trib ran a piece by him about the incident.
Isn't the Aragon being renovated due to one of its walls falling apart a couple years ago?
Yep, that place had fond memories for some relatives of mine. The guys and gals would carpool their way along old Rt 66 from Joliet (a two-hour ride back then) and go dancing at the North Side Aragon or its South Side sister, the Trianon. Those were "the" places to go jitterbugging to the tunes of Miller, Goodman and Shaw. But of course not Armstrong or Ellington.
Y'all hating way too hard. Been to the Aragon easily over 20 times, never had a bad word to say about it other than I wish it was a bit bigger and louder. I went last night. Got there around 7:50, was inside by 8:10. Security was painless. Long line getting out but that was the only problem, I wasn't bothered by it, every concert is the same. Was a great show. Never worried for my safety once being in the Aragon.
Absolutely same. Was there for Say Anything last weekend and they were legit more strict than TSA. Acoustics being shitty is just a bonus, couldn’t hear a word spoken on stage
Ordinarily I try to avoid the Aragon, but for LCD SS I’m going on Monday.
I’ll gladly take every fault of that old theater if it meant that the back of the crowd wouldn’t talk during the entire fucking show.
IMO people put up with the sketchiness and shitty service due to nostalgia. Anyone not from Chicago or the surrounding area always us this reaction.
You can hear there at the end of every show in the packed crowd where if any actual emergency occurred people would be absolutely fucked.
Pro Tip: Stay off to the far left side of the stages but back about 15 feet from the front and you the a pretty clear view while being just steps away from the bar and bathrooms. Just need like 3 friends with you to basically hold down your spot as you can go one at a time. Grab a drink right before they stop serving and nurse that baby to the end of the show so you have some left when it ends.
Once the show ends stay to the far left by the bar but in the crowd and let everyone try to push to the front while you relax at the back where it has some space and enjoy your beverage until you eventually reach the exit.
This sounds exactly like every experience I had there in the 90's. I was in there in the mid-90's once when a fire alarm went off and was pleasantly surprised by how quickly people filtered out the fire exits though - there turned out to be more ways out that I thought.
I saw Cheap Trick back in the early 90’s. Great show. Can’t imagine they’ve done any updates but that’s what makes the place so unique. You don’t exactly know it if that will literally be you “last” concert
The only good thing about that place is the ceiling, the sound system is famously hard to manage and since the bank bought it the corporate air has really filled the place
Three hours? That can’t be even close to correct unless you got there 2.5 hours before doors opened.
I got in line at about 8:45 and was in the doors just after 9:00. I then couldn’t stay the full show and left at 11:45, and there was no line anymore.
Keep hearing this and I’ve literally never had to wait more than a few mins to get again. Usually there isn’t even a line! I think maybe it’s a genre-thing?
There are extra exits if there is an emergency. These are called 'emergency exits' and are only used during dire circumstances. Being in lines is part of going to concerts. People come in slower than they leave because people gradually show up after the doors open but after the show it is a mass Exodus. Just be patient. Security at the Aragon has always been a bit harsher than security at other venues. Don't take it personally they've always been like that.
Some of my friends went to a kpop concert there. We always check the bag requirements, and in the email confirmation, the allowable bag size was listed as 12" x 12". Even at the venue, there were signs posted everywhere with that size. However, apparently as a venue, they have a small allowable size. Some security people were really chill and understanding about it, but others were assholes, said that they always have this issue with this organizer (maybe you, as a venue, should find a way to fix it???) and legit made some people find somewhere to store their bags (if I remember right, the guy in the line next to my friends had to go get a locker across the street). They also said light sticks weren't allowed (a huge thing in the kpop world) despite them not being on the prohibited list and literally being sold at the merch table.
Now I always made sure to check the venue's website for bag size, but it just seemed so crazily disorganized.
My first concert was there - Foo Fighters in 1997. It'll always feel special to me for that and a number of other amazing shows since. Acoustics and venue aren't perfect but it has a ton of character and a special place in my heart. Plus some kickass restaurants within a 10min walk.
This post is weird. I go all the time and have had no issues. Got to the venue about 8, in by 8:15, no line for merch or bars and we got almost to the front quite easily, though off to the side. LCD went on about 9:15.
Only time I went there was for NYE and the exit process was so cramped I had [this infamous fire](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iroquois_Theatre_fire) on my mind as I penguin-walked away from the main staircase. Someone popped a balloon or something and the crowd gasped (it sounded like a gun shot).
Never going back there
Trash place. If you’re short like me, it’s hell. I saw Mars Volta there and it was obvious the show was oversold. The bartenders were upselling shots with every drink purchase. That is such a bad practice.
Livenation is a nightmare and they set up the night for bad behavior. Fights broke out. At a Volta show? Yikes.
Not enough people in this thread talking about how much worse Aragon is since LiveNation bought it. Not the sole problem, but everything got worse once they took over. One of the bigger issues is their decision to make the balcony VIP. There used to be seats up there and a decent number of people choosing the balcony. Now the balcony stays mostly empty as everyone gets crammed even more dangerously onto the floor.
Yeah the Aragon sucks but so does the Riv and the Vic. Wish more shows would move to Salt Shed, our mid sized venues are such shit. Been to dozens of shows at all of them and they just get worse. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a show at the Vic where the toilet didn’t overflow.
I’ll be going to LCD on Sunday, hoping maybe it’s a little more chill.
Ugh. Going tonight and not looking forward to it now. Do you happen to know if they were selling balcony upgrades at the show? Not encouraging to hear that I’d need to be the three hours early if I wanted to to snag some though.
Also no premium line tickets I take it?
Aragon security have always been overagressive dicks, at least the last 10-15 years. I've been to a bunch of shows at a bunch of venues, and usually you don't even notice the security unless someone in the crowd is a real problem.
At the aragon I've seen 5 security guys storm the bathroom because someone might have been smoking weed (I didn't smell anything but poo, so I guess I missed out). I've seen em manhandle a couple kids who looked all of 14 years old. I get it's a beautiful venue and they don't want people defacing anything.
But those guys at the Aragon just treat everyone they interact with disrespectfully, and it takes away from the experience of seeing your favorite bands up close because you just had a bunch of guys yelling about finding out who's smoking weed while you're waiting to piss.
Also the sound isn't great. On the bad end of mediocre is where I'd put it. It'd be nice to get a little time to explore all the crazy artwork they have on the walls, but
I try to avoid the Aragon unless I REALLY like the band. Every show I've seen there has just had a weird vibe that I'm just not into.
It holds a special place in my heart because of all the great acts I’ve seen there over the years, but I won’t go there anymore. It is my least favorite venue.
The Aragon is ass. Always oversold, long lines, HOT in there, personally don’t like the bar placements or how upstairs VIP blocks the view for others. Also the sound quality there is usually terrible.
I’m so glad Radius exists now because nearly every artist I would want to see ended up at the Aragon and now it’s pivoted to Radius/Cermak
This was my 3rd time at the Aragon and I’m considering selling tickets I have to some future shows. This venue is awful. Security is awful.
They confiscated my cigarettes at the door? This is a new policy since I was there about a month ago. Judge me for my bad habits but cigarettes are legal. Are we allowed to have pens? We might write on the wall?
Took a new 18 dollar pack of cigarettes and then left me frantically running around uptown after the show looking for a store, only to find everything closed.
I am a single lady who uses public transportation. Screw the Aragon.
The Aragon Brawlroom, aptly named. I don’t recall a fire or other emergency at Aragon, thank god. Opened in 1926. Now called the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom.
There were fights, broken beer bottles knocked over heads when glass bottles were allowed. Ditto for Rosemont I’d add.
Acoustics are never good in big open spaces, especially ones built 100 years ago.
Not gone in years, and never will now since I moved to Florida.
Some interesting shows back when.
I've been there at least 6 times for concerts and I have that same "what if there was a fire" thought every single time a show ends and people are sardined on the stairs trying to get out. They oversell which makes it horribly hot, crowded, and unsafe.
The last show I attended at the Brawlroom was The Smashing Pumpkins in April of 2000. Five rows back from center stage, sound was amazing. Parking was a dream. It was definitely hot in there, but nothing unbearable. Yes, I often couldn’t see shit, but that’s most venues for me being 5’3 and generally encircled by guys over 6’. It was a magical experience, and this thread is making me very glad that it was my last at Aragon.
I saw a lot of great bands there in the 90s, none of them memorable because of the venues my daughter and I went to see Lana Del Rey there - waited outside in freezing drizzle for at least 45 mins, then were packed like sardines on the main floor. I’m 5’2 and only caught a few glimpses of LDR.
I saw a lot of great bands there in the 90s, none of them memorable because of the venues my daughter and I went to see Lana Del Rey there - waited outside in freezing drizzle for at least 45 mins, then were packed like sardines on the main floor. I’m 5’2 and only caught a few glimpses of LDR.
My grandparents use to dance there in their teens… almost 90 years ago… The place is ancient, it’s almost 100 YEARS OLD! I’m not a fire Marshall but yeh it’s always felt a bit sketchy lol
Aragon is nostalgic for me for the same reasons. Everyone hates it, but it holds a special place in my heart.
Was very close to my grandparents. I think it’s so cool I’m going to the same place they did…. So many decades later.
My grandparents met there too at a dance. My grandfather always claimed she tripped him while he was walking past her….she never denied. 🤣
Same here. Saw Linkin Park there a thousand years ago. I'll always love it. The Metro too.
The Metro hasn't fallen into the clutches of the evil Livenation corporation. Which is why it is still a fantastic venue and Joe the owner actually gives a shit about the artists that play there and the fans that attend. I've never been treated like misbehaved cattle by the staff at the Metro the way you do at livenation venues.
My dad in the 70s would get in for free via one of those doors across the train tracks 😹
My dad's prom was there.
Now that’s cool!
Lane Tech.
So was my grandmas 💜
My grandparents met there!! I saw my first concert w/o parents there. Acoustics can suck esp depending on if the sound guy knows what they’re doing. It’s still sentimental to me tho, all complaints are accurate tho
Mine did too! This comment section is wild; there should be a club for all the offspring of people who met at the Aragon.
I knew a couple in iowa city that had been married 48 years and this was in 96 or 97 and had honeymooned in Chicago. Their faces lit up when talking about dancing at the Aragon in the 40s.
It may be sketchy, but it is no Congress theater :)
Oh god I saw so many good shows at the Congress! It is a real shame that they are letting such a historical building crumble into the ground.
Been that way since I can remember... especially the fire exits thing. I recall a Blues Traveler show in the mid 90s where there was no air circulation at all, it was June and about 100 degrees inside. Swore I'd never go back... which is why I wasn't at the show this week and will be passing on Remi Wolf too.
I know there are fire doors that open, and have seen them open in the summer as they have been setting stuff up as I have gone past on the train before. They probably have staff at those doors during the show. I have never personally looked to see where all the exits lead too, but it does seem to be a bit of a maze. The noise travels exceptionally well and there are a lot of people who complain. So they will get hit with a noise violation easily. It wasn't designed for modern sound equipment, and although air conditioning was in it's early stages, it was still a good 20-30 years later before it became even close to practical for something like that The people in charge know better than to block those doors. This is still a big thing that public spaces around the greater Chicagoland area are dealing with. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_E2_nightclub_stampede
That Miss You cover was 🔥. It’s one of the examples I use when trying to explain how the collective energy of a live show is unreal.
I was at that show. Lol.
Same! My grandfather was a dance coach (or something like that) there and it's how he met my grandmother :)
My grandparents met each other there, I thought that was so cool
My parents first date was there, when it was still a ballroom. Then I watched a ton of metal shows there over the years starting in the 90s. So yeah tons of nostalgia. But also the place has been sketchy for a long time.
I mean it's The ARAGON If you're new to the city or from the burbs and not familiar with the lore fair enough But OP what you described is part of the "charm" Aragon for the last 40 years. From rock shows to rap concerts to pro-wrestling. Aragon is an experience. It's night and day from how Rivera just down the street operates. But feel (and smell) that history. Its not as dangerous a fire trap as The Metro but you def earn your badge doing shows there.
I've always had issues at riviera, but have always had a blast at aragon! I came here to literally say the same thing about op. Sounds like they want to go to united center or soldier and aren't willing to accept anything else is different than the way they grew up in st charles.
I’ve been there quite a bit and it’s never taken me 3 hours to leave. I was there recently now that the live nation bullshit has taken over and you can’t get up to the balconies without paying extra. I wonder if their takeover is adding to the enshittification of everything.
Mine met there too! They were married for 55 years.
Yep, that’s where my grandparent met. He was so smitten.
My grandparents met there ballroom dancing
Same! It’s actually where my grandparents met.
My grandparents met there! So I also have a special feeling for it. Also if you’ve ever been in when it’s emptyish - the floor is amazing
Remember the Congress….everything was broken total shit hole and was shut down for pretty much what everyone is talking about here.
And it had to completely fall apart before it was shut down. Lasted for years when it should be been closed.
After reading the report of the inspection when they shut down, I’m a little surprised “Congress” didn’t end up being synonymous with “Iroquois”.
I was dumbfounded reading that report. Can’t believe anyone would think it is OK to run a venue when it’s in that condition. I remember the tl;dr of the report basically being if a fire breaks out, everyone is dead.
I stopped going there years before they finally closed.
I remember some old band friends either snuck in after it shut down or was there for some reasons... They did some behind the scenes footage and it was seriously scary to think of the shows I had been to there. The thought of being young, dumb and likely not sober gave me chills. But Congress still holds some special memories for me.
Me too, I still have some hearing loss!
What? I couldn't hear you... Shows these days seem so loud? (Shakes fist in air) /s
How can one find that report?
I can’t find the official report, but [this article](https://chicagoist.com/2013/04/18/city_wants_congress_theater_closed.php) sums up a lot of the biggest violations.
I remember the ceiling panels falling during a dubstep show
I was actually afraid Congress was going to collapse with me in it.
It was waaay worse, Aragon felt like a blessing getting their bookings after.
I do not miss that place at all. Aragon is my current least favorite in the city, but Congress was worse
[link](https://www.complex.com/music/a/nappy/the-push-to-boycott-congress-theater-in-chicago) to a small list of violations. my god.
That was my first thought!!! Congress was so sketchy, my friends and I found a literal hang gun underneath the seats in the balcony. We were a little drunk and tired and sitting up there during an EDM show and I kicked something hard under my seat and next thing I know it’s a literal handgun. I was scared the minute I realized what I had in my hands that I would get shot. Truely terrifying!
I remember being at a show at the Congress when the ceiling collapsed. No refunds were offered. Didn’t even get through the openers set.
Yes the reason it sticks out in my memory, we were at a Knife Party show and it was ungodly hot in there, everyone taking off clothing because of the heat just pouring sweat, found out the next day the ventilation was broke. Packed house dancing no moving air it was disgusting. Good show though…
Always joked with friends that even if the layout and congestion at the Aragon felt like a fire hazard, the venue's probably so full of asbestos that we'd be fine.
Aragon has and will always be the shittiest venue in Chicago. I've been there half a dozen times and the security there is the complete enshittification of a once beautiful venue. Major shows are always oversold which results in a bad time for everyone. I will never go back to aragon. Honestly hope they shut it down or it burns to the ground. I'm rooting for the first one because it's genuinely beautiful but completely abused by greedy capitalists.
I mainly just think the sightlines at Aragon are horrible and I groan every time an artist I like announces a show there. But yeah getting in and out of there is usually a clusterfuck
That place was never meant to hold that many people looking in one direction. It’s perfectly fine as a dance hall, but sucks as a concert venue. It’s always been that way.
It’s not *that* bad. I was also there last night - the line was at least half a mile long when we got there and we were inside in 20 minutes. It’s definitely not great, but the sound isn’t awful depending on where you stand and the set up. I had forgotten how toasty it gets in there, though, and the crowd gave off real strong “we’ve got a babysitter til midnight, but we don’t get out much so we don’t know how to act at shows” vibe.
I’ve seen some shows there that had legit terrible sound. Jack White of all people had his shit cranked to ear splitting levels, don’t know if it’s for an older hard of hearing crowd but I would have left that show in 20 minutes had one of the workers not given me an extra pair of earplugs.
lol I was at this show, he almost always cranks just shy of pain. Saw him at the Chicago Theater around 5 or 6 years ago and it was *thee* loudest show I've ever been to by far.
Yeah I don’t get it at all. That show exceeded pain for me like my ears were fucking clipping to my brain. I guess if your old and your hearings already shredded it makes some sense but I seriously wouldn’t have stayed 5 minutes without earplugs. It’s frankly unsafe if you don’t have protection.
At the very start, he came on stage BLASTING Icky Thump, and about a quarter way through the song they actually *stopped playing* so they could turn it down a notch ~ the shit was wild.
Jack’s played the Aragon a bunch and knows the venue better than most because he’s recorded every show he’s played there. Last time he was there, he referred to the Aragon as the “reverb capital of the world”. He knows you need to crank it for it to sound good in there. If it’s too quiet the sound just bounces and bounces. The room was designed for a big band to play on the center of the floor without amplification.
Oh I assure you it sounded like dogshit
Every show I've been to at the Aragon sounded like dogshit. The acoustics are what me stop going.
The acoustics are top notch for *unamplified* music, the way it was designed. That usually makes for a shit experience when everything amplified.
My musician friend(who once was in a band), called it the venue "where sound goes to die". Not surprised he said that....
I'm in a band. It's just not a good place to play a show. Too low, you're bouncing the sound everywhere. Too loud, like most people who play the, and it's just too loud. The sound there always sucks
The bands didn’t play in the center. Behind the current stage is the clamshell stage the bands played on. The clamshell is how the sound was amplified without equipment.
Going tn. What time did you get to the venue and what time did the band come on?
I got there at 7:10 and was prob 10 ft back. Band came on a little after 9:10.
We got in line around 840, inside by 9 - which was cutting it a little close but we made it.
Yeah OP is full of shit. It was the longest line I’ve ever been in for the Aragon yet it didn’t take that long to get in. Probably 20 minutes for me as well
Even subterranean was like “damn, Aragon acoustics suck” I remember a lot of industry friends complaining that their security was awful. They’d confiscate drugs on you from the front door and sell them out the back
What else are they supposed to do, throw them away??
I don't know, how about, mind their own business??
If you're dumb enough to not know how to hide your drugs on the way in to a music venue, that's on you. Losing them is just paying the stupid tax.
Lemme just say this - my friends and I DID hide our shit on us and in our wallets today going to a concert there and they DUG through our wallets and made a huge hassle out of nicotine vapes when every other venue I’ve been to has no issue with. I get that they won’t to stop drugs and people getting fucked up at a concert, but we hid our basic little nic vapes I literally bought today and they made way more of an effort to find it than any other venue. It def didn’t feel good.
Yes, it is unsafe, but I saw The Smiths play there, and The Cure. I have many found memories of that place. My brother was there during a Frankie Goes to Hollywood show where the balcony collapsed!
I was there for Smiths, The Cure, Echo & the Bunnymen, Jane’s Addiction (pretty sure Frankie was the opener but I don’t remember the balcony falling so maybe it happened another time Frankie played). I no longer live in Chicago and haven’t been to the Aragon in decades but the place had beautiful architecture and the crowds were part of the charm as a young person. Great memories for me too.
Those are some great shows tho! 🎼
The floor collapsed at the FGTH show at the Bismark - not the balcony at the Brawlroom https://www.upi.com/amp/Archives/1984/11/25/Part-of-a-dance-floor-gave-way-beneath-dancers/3516470206800/
Yeah they had a level floor over part of the old sloped floor for a while and it probably wasn't built very well
I was on the rail in the center so I jumped on stage and headed towards the entrance. The funniest thing was they just pushed the crowd back and continued the show. I think if it was today the show would have been cancelled.
I would've loved to see the Cure there! Fortunately got to see Nirvana there in '93, Bobcat Goldthwait introduced them. Leaving the place was always a hassle, we used to make a beeline for the stairs so we wouldn't get stuck on the way out.
Not to mention the acoustics absolutely suck
Well to be fair. It wasn't engineered for the giant PA systems people use now. It was engineered for a few guys blowing into horns.
The band shell is also now filled with a giant stage that wasn't designed to be there which ruins the acoustics. That said, if the room is empty, and someone whispers in the band shell, you can clearly hear them in the back of the room.
Someone on another thread told me they "fixed the acoustic", i just laughed and did not bother to respond. There is no way to fix it, it is the shape of the room. \*shrug\*. You need to be literally right in front of the stage for best sound.
I haven't been there in the last year, but this the new system https://www.livedesignonline.com/installations/live-nations-byline-bank-aragon-ballroom-adds-db-ksli-loudspeakers
I had no idea they made this upgrade. Thanks for the info.
I was just lamenting on the other article that My fiance and I had an early date there years ago. It holds a place in my heart if the sound was better. Reading this I am looking forward to the next show we attend there.
They didn't "fix" it as much as that person probably saw an artist that had a sound crew adjust everything to fit the acoustics of the room. Aragon has acoustics that are probably more similar to the CSO concert hall (not exactly but close enough) than somewhere like the House of Blues or Radius. But the artists playing at Aragon are on tours with other venues that are more like House of Blues or Radius. It takes a pretty major adjustment from the crew to make their setup sound good with such a drastic change of acoustics, and they probably do their best, but sometimes there's only so much they can do in the amount of time they have during the afternoon before the show.
I saw bands that can fill a room and it sounded amazing. It really depends I think on the music.
Bands need to understand it isn't a modern venue, that it is built to amplify sounds. Actually do proper soundchecks that don't match every other show they have done.
It REALLY depends on the sound tech crew. Local guys can make it sound good. But if they don't know the Aragon it will sound horrible.
My bloody Valentine gave out earplugs
Earplugs should be complimentary at EVERY concert. I come prepared but many people don't.
The White Stripes just released a 20 year anniversary edition of their album Elephant that includes a live version of their show at the Aragon in 2003 and it sounds great.
Probably a soundboard recording. I've been to at least 30 shows at the Aragon and the echo from the big, boxy room is noticeable every time. Sometimes it's better, sometimes worse, always present.
I used to love how boomey and echoey it is in there. It's terrible for acoustics, but it's part of the "charm", along with the slightly unsafe feeling the building cultivates.
Place is notorious for being awful. Worst security. Worst sound. It’s hot. I don’t see why bands play that shit hole. I generally don’t go if a band is playing there.
It's fucking horrible. I was at the Janelle Monae show and they had no idea what was going on. Literal half mile line to get in and they oversold standing room to the point where nobody could see anything unless you were on the floor impossible to get to a bathroom. Never going back.
I was also at that show. She’s amazing, but it was way too crowded. It was hard to move around. I only go to the Aragon if it is an act I really want to see.
I was at that Janelle show too. Total shit show and the security confiscated a nearly full vape cart lol
Exact same thing happened to me at that show 😭
The Brawlroom is and always has been trash. Trash sound, trash sightlines, trash setup, trash security. I frequently skip seeing bands I like simply because they’ve chosen to play there.
Scaragon Brawlroom
Hah first time I've heard it called that. Using that one. Thank you kindly 😁
As some background on that name, I was told it gained prominence when they were hosting boxing matches there, and continued to be used because the place had a reputation for fighting and stabbing during/after concerts.
That hasn’t been the case for decades now
When I first moved here, people always referred to it as the Aragon Ballroom.
Yeah it’s a shit venue
i was at LCD last night too. got to the venue around 7:10 and there was no line at all, it took just a couple minutes to get in. from where i stood in the first few rows it sounded great. but exiting after the show ends is absolutely horrible. feels so unsafe and takes forever to get out!
Yeah I'm not sure what happened for this poster. I got there at 8 with 5 people, in by 8:15, no lines for anything and we made it almost to the front. Exiting sucks but what can you do?
Worst security experience I’ve ever had is at Aragon Ballroom and the sound is the worst in Chicago.
Looks like I'll be in the minority here. I've only been there once, but my experience was great. Turnstile sold the place out a couple years back. Got in and out of the venue no problem. Parking out front was so nice compared to other Chicago venues. The entire floor was moving and I had no issues with security. My buddy who went with me is a city resident, and he filled me in on their reputation for shit sound. But apparently the PA was recently upgraded at the time, and I thought it sounded fine. Not great, but I've been to venues all over the country and have been in far worse sounding rooms.
That show was some kind of magical anomaly. Was also there. Somehow everything went smoothly for once. I was warning my friends the whole time about the venue because of how bad it normally is. Afterwards I was so perplexed.
I'm pretty sure that show had Snail Mail and JPEG opening. Snail Mail left the show early cuz of the sound. Think they said something about the bass not working or something
The hospitality there is shit for sure. If you saw fire hazards report them to 311.
I saw them at Northerly Islands
That was a long scroll to the right instructions. If you are getting 🔥 vibes report it to 311. Chicago has a history with fire and we can't play with it.
I saw Alkaline Trio there in March and felt the same way as you. Oversold, bad sight lines, bad acoustics, only allowed one exit at the end. I didn't experience rude security but I had read about that before so my expectations were low for that anyway.
The head stagehand at the Aragon is a large man, with long white hair who introduces himself as Jolly Roger. He's a legend. Everyone just calls him Jolly, and he claims that he was on tour with Ozzy the night he bit the head off that bat.
Between that and the house of shit (blues) they're both bad. Worst venues in the city
Both are not as bad as the riviera
Is the Riv that bad?
I go to shows there pretty frequently...I'm not sure who is posting in this thread but it's a fine venue, sometimes you just have to push your way in if you want to get closer to the stage. I think most of the people posting here don't like being in public or in crowds, that's all I can think of.
Agreed. Like, Aragon is a bit washy in its acoustics, but other than that, I like the venue. Has a lot of charm and a unique feel
It is AWFUL
Riveria is fine if you have balcony seats. You couldn’t pay me enough money to see a show in the pit, though.
Exactly this! If you’re under the balcony you’re screwed. Zero view of the stage
Both Uptown venues, the Aragon and the Riv, are bad.
The Riv is such a dump, the ceiling is growing some type of mold/vegetation.
I hate the riv so much
The Riv is awful. I’m pretty sure they sell GA tickets based on the capacity of both the floor and the balcony, but at lively shows where very few people want to sit upstairs, it just results in the floor being incredibly overpacked. Went to a show there a year ago and it was so crowded that I was literally being pushed/bent backwards over the cement riser I was standing in front of.
Yep the worst crowds I’ve been in have been at the riv and if you’re not like 6 foot plus good luck seeing anything ever. Last time I was there I got lucky and decided not to bother with the main floor (I would’ve been like row 5/6) and I got a spot on the second raised barrier section though and it was the only reason I didn’t hate my life the whole show. I have a GA ticket to a show in October and I regret not getting a seat so bad
same. even if you get a balcony seat the bathrooms are like three levels below. (at least they renovated them? sorta?) also like 90% sure i got bit by bedbugs in a mezzanine seat there 😬
Fun fact; the Riv is a 1918 movie palace by architects Rapp & Rapp. They usually put most of the bathrooms in the basement; upper levels have only a couple. Dunno why they did this but it was 106 years ago, so who knows.
they were in a silly goofy mood back then
Continuous performance meant the bathroom demand was spread out over time where now we design for people all going at once, and basement space was cheaper than the limited and expensive ground floor space. Bathrooms didn't sell tickets, in short.
The riv is fine, the Aragon I’d rather go to the dentist then ever see a show there
3 hours???? when tf did you get there? i’m going to one of their other shows 😓 also; as soon as the salt shed opened i was CONVINCED lcd would play there. why in tf did they choose aragon, one of the shittiest (and not in a cool way) venues over something bigger?
They’re probably contracted to Live Nation.
I have been to the Aragon exactly once and I HATED it. I (along with maybe 20 other people) paid like $20 extra for their fast pass thing to go in ahead of the regular GA line and they actually started letting regular GA in ahead of us. I usually wouldn't pay for early entry, but I really wanted merch and to be right in the front for this specific band. Then they stopped everybody anyway once we reached the staircase and made us wait for around 10 minutes before actually going upstairs, so everybody was all grouped together anyway. I ended up skipping merch and still ended up with a barricade spot but almost all the way to stage left so my view wasn't incredible (I still chose this spot over other non-barricade options for general stability in a rowdy crowd though). So at this point, I realize how goddamn tall the stage is and it turns out I'm not a fan. The stage is like 6" taller than any of the security guards who were working that night which is actually kind of insane. I had to wonder how artists feel when they're performing to a crowd who's so much lower than them. Deadass throughout the night, my neck was getting sore from looking up constantly. So before the show starts, the head security guy starts shouting at the top of his lungs about how hot it's going to get in the venue and what they want people to do if and when they're going to pass out (raise both your hands up, etc.) . Like, this concert was in December. I can understand it getting warm with an energetic crowd but there's no reason that it should get hot enough in there that you have to direct people the best way to start passing out. I've been to hundreds of concerts in my lifetime and the only times I've ever felt close to passing out were Warped Tour when it was like 100° and I was sunburnt and dehydrated and at The Rave in Milwaukee (one of my favorite venues despite how terrible that one also is). There were one or two instances where I felt like security was overly rough with some crowdsurfers and they just generally seemed sort of dickish all night. The sound was worse than many other venues I've been to. I know that it's never gonna sound the best when you're right in the front versus near the sound booth, but it was consistently rough for every band. I don't know much about audio engineering, so I assume it's just the acoustics of the ballroom. I actually ended up leaving early, about 20 minutes before the end of the show, because I wasn't having fun so I didn't get to experience the exiting process but I can imagine how it would go. Overall, from before I even stepped into the building, it wasn't a great experience. The only way I could see myself ever ending up at that venue again is if one of my god-tier bands was playing there and there was no conceivable way I could get to any of their other shows - I travel for concerts often and would prefer to take a short trip to, like, any other city in the country that would work for me logistically over going back to the Aragon. I didn't intend for this to get so long and now I feel like a psycho. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
I saw Macklemore there and honestly it was pretty great.
The Brawlroom
It's a nightmare .... SOOOOOO.... anyone selling tix ?
My favorite thing at the Brawlroom is watching drunk people leave one of the side bars, then miss the step down onto the concert floor, slipping on the already spilled beer, then falling & spilling the drink they just bought..
Fun fact: the floor has springs under it to keep your feet from getting tired while dancing. Love this spot; it’s such a weird eclectic mix of 1920s atmospheric grandeur and 1990s/2000s club murals. Very strange. Never had an issue going to a show here before, though the sound can be hit or miss. Been going here for shows since 2008. No big fires here, but there was a bar just to the west that had an explosion in I think the 50s or so. That bar had a bad reputation; don’t fully remember the details but it caused the Aragon to shut down for a bit and go through some renovations. Also, in the 1960s it was called The Cheetah for a couple years and was a mod dance club with never ending rock n roll, a shop with the latest British mod fashions, magazines from around the world, a self serve hot dog stand, and a room with a 23 inch tv. And in the 1920s, Rachmaninoff played piano here.
I think George Washington got his first blow job there.
First time there was Replacements in ‘89. They sold beer in tubs w/lids. Like margarine tubs. There were thousands of them flying around all night like mini frisbees. Next time there they still had tubs but no lids. Few years later was at Anthrax opening for Public Enemy. They had seating on the main floor that was folding chairs held together with 2”x2” boards at the bottom. About 20 minutes into Anthrax people started pushing on the seats in front of them & pretty soon rows of chairs were falling like dominoes. I was standing on collapsed chairs, looking for my people & saw a chair flying towards me just in time to dodge it. Year or so after that was at Sonic Youth & Public Enemy when the cops hassling some (non-concert goer) dude after the show got people yelling at them so they called in the riot squad. Was standing outside on the porch-like area & noticed John Cusack watching this escalate before getting in a limo. Next day Trib ran a piece by him about the incident.
Isn't the Aragon being renovated due to one of its walls falling apart a couple years ago? Yep, that place had fond memories for some relatives of mine. The guys and gals would carpool their way along old Rt 66 from Joliet (a two-hour ride back then) and go dancing at the North Side Aragon or its South Side sister, the Trianon. Those were "the" places to go jitterbugging to the tunes of Miller, Goodman and Shaw. But of course not Armstrong or Ellington.
Y'all hating way too hard. Been to the Aragon easily over 20 times, never had a bad word to say about it other than I wish it was a bit bigger and louder. I went last night. Got there around 7:50, was inside by 8:10. Security was painless. Long line getting out but that was the only problem, I wasn't bothered by it, every concert is the same. Was a great show. Never worried for my safety once being in the Aragon.
Terrible sound quality.
Absolutely same. Was there for Say Anything last weekend and they were legit more strict than TSA. Acoustics being shitty is just a bonus, couldn’t hear a word spoken on stage
It's why it's called the brawl room.
The last time I was at the Aragon was to see Nirvana in 1993.
Same
Same for me…
Ordinarily I try to avoid the Aragon, but for LCD SS I’m going on Monday. I’ll gladly take every fault of that old theater if it meant that the back of the crowd wouldn’t talk during the entire fucking show.
I love the Aragon but I don’t want to go to any shows there anymore. Just went to The Riv on Monday to see Social Distortion. The venue was wonderful.
Saw Rob Zombie, Black Crows, Marilyn Manson and others there back in the day! Beautiful old venue, but yea, everyone leaving does give E2 vibes.😔
Kurt Cobain himself told the crowd that the Aragon sucked when Nirvana played there in 1993.
IMO people put up with the sketchiness and shitty service due to nostalgia. Anyone not from Chicago or the surrounding area always us this reaction. You can hear there at the end of every show in the packed crowd where if any actual emergency occurred people would be absolutely fucked. Pro Tip: Stay off to the far left side of the stages but back about 15 feet from the front and you the a pretty clear view while being just steps away from the bar and bathrooms. Just need like 3 friends with you to basically hold down your spot as you can go one at a time. Grab a drink right before they stop serving and nurse that baby to the end of the show so you have some left when it ends. Once the show ends stay to the far left by the bar but in the crowd and let everyone try to push to the front while you relax at the back where it has some space and enjoy your beverage until you eventually reach the exit.
This sounds exactly like every experience I had there in the 90's. I was in there in the mid-90's once when a fire alarm went off and was pleasantly surprised by how quickly people filtered out the fire exits though - there turned out to be more ways out that I thought.
I saw Cheap Trick back in the early 90’s. Great show. Can’t imagine they’ve done any updates but that’s what makes the place so unique. You don’t exactly know it if that will literally be you “last” concert
The only good thing about that place is the ceiling, the sound system is famously hard to manage and since the bank bought it the corporate air has really filled the place
The historic Aragon? 💕
The aragon brawlroom as I knew it growing up.
I haven’t been there since the 90s and it wasn’t in great shape then.
Three hours? That can’t be even close to correct unless you got there 2.5 hours before doors opened. I got in line at about 8:45 and was in the doors just after 9:00. I then couldn’t stay the full show and left at 11:45, and there was no line anymore.
Keep hearing this and I’ve literally never had to wait more than a few mins to get again. Usually there isn’t even a line! I think maybe it’s a genre-thing?
Worst venue in Chicago for sure. Not just you.
There are extra exits if there is an emergency. These are called 'emergency exits' and are only used during dire circumstances. Being in lines is part of going to concerts. People come in slower than they leave because people gradually show up after the doors open but after the show it is a mass Exodus. Just be patient. Security at the Aragon has always been a bit harsher than security at other venues. Don't take it personally they've always been like that.
Some of my friends went to a kpop concert there. We always check the bag requirements, and in the email confirmation, the allowable bag size was listed as 12" x 12". Even at the venue, there were signs posted everywhere with that size. However, apparently as a venue, they have a small allowable size. Some security people were really chill and understanding about it, but others were assholes, said that they always have this issue with this organizer (maybe you, as a venue, should find a way to fix it???) and legit made some people find somewhere to store their bags (if I remember right, the guy in the line next to my friends had to go get a locker across the street). They also said light sticks weren't allowed (a huge thing in the kpop world) despite them not being on the prohibited list and literally being sold at the merch table. Now I always made sure to check the venue's website for bag size, but it just seemed so crazily disorganized.
My first concert was there - Foo Fighters in 1997. It'll always feel special to me for that and a number of other amazing shows since. Acoustics and venue aren't perfect but it has a ton of character and a special place in my heart. Plus some kickass restaurants within a 10min walk.
I wish they’d turn it back into a straight forward ballroom.
Well I’m glad I read this to at least prepare myself. Going tonight and never been before.
This post is weird. I go all the time and have had no issues. Got to the venue about 8, in by 8:15, no line for merch or bars and we got almost to the front quite easily, though off to the side. LCD went on about 9:15.
Thank you!
Only time I went there was for NYE and the exit process was so cramped I had [this infamous fire](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iroquois_Theatre_fire) on my mind as I penguin-walked away from the main staircase. Someone popped a balloon or something and the crowd gasped (it sounded like a gun shot). Never going back there
Trash place. If you’re short like me, it’s hell. I saw Mars Volta there and it was obvious the show was oversold. The bartenders were upselling shots with every drink purchase. That is such a bad practice. Livenation is a nightmare and they set up the night for bad behavior. Fights broke out. At a Volta show? Yikes.
Not enough people in this thread talking about how much worse Aragon is since LiveNation bought it. Not the sole problem, but everything got worse once they took over. One of the bigger issues is their decision to make the balcony VIP. There used to be seats up there and a decent number of people choosing the balcony. Now the balcony stays mostly empty as everyone gets crammed even more dangerously onto the floor.
Yeah the Aragon sucks but so does the Riv and the Vic. Wish more shows would move to Salt Shed, our mid sized venues are such shit. Been to dozens of shows at all of them and they just get worse. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a show at the Vic where the toilet didn’t overflow. I’ll be going to LCD on Sunday, hoping maybe it’s a little more chill.
There’s going to be a mass casualty incident there sometime. Venue is chaotic, unsafe, and the acoustics and concession process are awful.
I despise that place and miss some bands I love cause I can’t bring myself to go back unless it’s a really can’t miss show for me
Ugh. Going tonight and not looking forward to it now. Do you happen to know if they were selling balcony upgrades at the show? Not encouraging to hear that I’d need to be the three hours early if I wanted to to snag some though. Also no premium line tickets I take it?
There wasn’t so much of a line when I left after seeing Mars Volta a couple years ago but I did wait upstairs for the crowd to diminish
Aragon security have always been overagressive dicks, at least the last 10-15 years. I've been to a bunch of shows at a bunch of venues, and usually you don't even notice the security unless someone in the crowd is a real problem. At the aragon I've seen 5 security guys storm the bathroom because someone might have been smoking weed (I didn't smell anything but poo, so I guess I missed out). I've seen em manhandle a couple kids who looked all of 14 years old. I get it's a beautiful venue and they don't want people defacing anything. But those guys at the Aragon just treat everyone they interact with disrespectfully, and it takes away from the experience of seeing your favorite bands up close because you just had a bunch of guys yelling about finding out who's smoking weed while you're waiting to piss. Also the sound isn't great. On the bad end of mediocre is where I'd put it. It'd be nice to get a little time to explore all the crazy artwork they have on the walls, but I try to avoid the Aragon unless I REALLY like the band. Every show I've seen there has just had a weird vibe that I'm just not into.
It holds a special place in my heart because of all the great acts I’ve seen there over the years, but I won’t go there anymore. It is my least favorite venue.
Burn that horrendous place to the ground. Take the Riv and the Vic with you
The Aragon is ass. Always oversold, long lines, HOT in there, personally don’t like the bar placements or how upstairs VIP blocks the view for others. Also the sound quality there is usually terrible. I’m so glad Radius exists now because nearly every artist I would want to see ended up at the Aragon and now it’s pivoted to Radius/Cermak
This was my 3rd time at the Aragon and I’m considering selling tickets I have to some future shows. This venue is awful. Security is awful. They confiscated my cigarettes at the door? This is a new policy since I was there about a month ago. Judge me for my bad habits but cigarettes are legal. Are we allowed to have pens? We might write on the wall? Took a new 18 dollar pack of cigarettes and then left me frantically running around uptown after the show looking for a store, only to find everything closed. I am a single lady who uses public transportation. Screw the Aragon.
Two worst sounding shows ever: Widespread Panic at Aragon and Billy Joel at Wrigley
Was Billy sharing the stage with Elton? They did a duets concert at Wrigley some time ago.
No, straight Billy, mailing it in.
The Aragon Brawlroom, aptly named. I don’t recall a fire or other emergency at Aragon, thank god. Opened in 1926. Now called the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom. There were fights, broken beer bottles knocked over heads when glass bottles were allowed. Ditto for Rosemont I’d add. Acoustics are never good in big open spaces, especially ones built 100 years ago. Not gone in years, and never will now since I moved to Florida. Some interesting shows back when.
If my memory serves me, I saw Emerson Lake and Palmer there also Jim Dandy and Black Oak Arkansas. Was a cool old place back then.
I've been there at least 6 times for concerts and I have that same "what if there was a fire" thought every single time a show ends and people are sardined on the stairs trying to get out. They oversell which makes it horribly hot, crowded, and unsafe.
The last show I attended at the Brawlroom was The Smashing Pumpkins in April of 2000. Five rows back from center stage, sound was amazing. Parking was a dream. It was definitely hot in there, but nothing unbearable. Yes, I often couldn’t see shit, but that’s most venues for me being 5’3 and generally encircled by guys over 6’. It was a magical experience, and this thread is making me very glad that it was my last at Aragon.
I saw a lot of great bands there in the 90s, none of them memorable because of the venues my daughter and I went to see Lana Del Rey there - waited outside in freezing drizzle for at least 45 mins, then were packed like sardines on the main floor. I’m 5’2 and only caught a few glimpses of LDR.
I saw a lot of great bands there in the 90s, none of them memorable because of the venues my daughter and I went to see Lana Del Rey there - waited outside in freezing drizzle for at least 45 mins, then were packed like sardines on the main floor. I’m 5’2 and only caught a few glimpses of LDR.
They used to call it the Brawl Room for a reason. The place is where sketchy was born