It is the home to three amazing summer music festivals: Lollapalooza, Pitchfork and Intonation. Every year, thousands of people and hundreds of bands from all over the world flock to the Chicagoland area to catch the hottest music on the scene. But throughout the rest of the year as well, the city maintains its tradition as a music hotspot.
J.P. Pfafflin, publicist for Bloodshot Records, said Chicago has something to fit everyone's taste.
""It's a hub in the Midwest, so every major show from Broken Social Scene to Britney Spears is going to come through Chicago, and you can make a weekend of it,"" Pfafflin said. ""It's fairly affordable, and if you're from a smaller town, it's also kind of exciting.""
With top-notch record labels, the headquarters of Pitchfork Media, an endless amount of intimate venues and as the home to bands like Wilco, Smashing Pumpkins, Tortoise and Blue Man Group, it is no wonder the Windy City is a music destination.
Pfafflin recommends Empty Bottle and Schubas to catch a show, as both cater to the local and underground music scene.
Bruce Finkelman, owner of Empty Bottle, said his goal is to bring new, innovative music to the Midwest, from local to international bands. His venue even offers free Mondays, which is attractive to both bands and patrons.
""We just try to find what's good ... up-and-coming, interesting and new,"" he said.
Today, Chicago buzzes with new music, and bands such as Chin Up Chin Up, Track a Tiger and Ok Go are just some Chicago bands emerging as the next ""big thing"" in the music industry.
Any type of music that comes out of Chicago comes in waves,"" Finkelman said. ""Chicago is kind of like the melting pot of what's going on on a smaller scale in the country, but on a larger scale, what's going on internationally.
Craig Bonell, who writes the blog ""songs:illinois"" views Chicago as a place where bands emerge, making it a major player in terms of music.
""There are moments in history when bands from Chicago become popular on a national level, and then perhaps there's more of a feeding frenzy type atmosphere to find the next Urge Overkill or the next Common. But by and large for such a big city it would take a lot to alter it's status as a first rate music city,"" he said.
What makes Chicago such a great place for bands to emerge is the atmosphere, as Pfafflin, Finkelman and Bonell all pointed out.
""Everyone is very supportive of each other—from bands, to labels, to venues, to music writers,"" Pfafflin said. ""I think that's a big reason why people come to Chicago for music. It's very accessible.
Accessibility in Chicago is key. Bonell frequents the mid-sized theaters such as The Vic and Park West to catch mid-sized national shows, but he also said the neighborhoods in which venues are located make for a full day.
""If you're in Wrigleyville, you can go to the Metro and then catch a Cubs game,"" he said. ""If you're in Wicker Park you can browse ultra avante garde art galleries and then stumble into The Double Door. If you're in Lincoln Square you can check out the remaining German flavored restaurants and then see something cool at Martyrs.""
Finkelman said Chicago's numerous smaller venues make the city an attractive place for fans to come and ""rub shoulders"" with an artist.
""I think that we offer a lot of great venues to be able to see and have the intimacy of being able to get up close and personal with some of these acts,"" he said.
And if this is not reason enough to make Chicago a destination, Sufjan Stevens wrote about the fair city on his album, Illinoise. He sings, ""All things go / Drove to Chicago / All things know."" Take his word for it and don't make a mistake—go to Chicago and you'll know what a music haven it is.
