New Order live @ Aragon Ballroom - Chicago (USA) - 2005.05.03

None of the folks verking the TicketBastard machine ever heard of New Order.  I assured them that NO was not a Nazi band.

$114.08 USD for two tickets.

Well, as I said earlier there are a LOT of bars just a couple miles south of the Aragon in Lincoln Park. There's a decent English pub (run by an actual Englishman! lol) called the Red Lion which should be nice for the UKers in attendance - they serve food too. It's on Lincoln just north of Fullerton, right next door to the old Lounge Ax (RIP). There are a few bars within a half-block of the Red Lion as well, such as the Gin Mill which is just a few buildings to the north. All these are within a block of the L at Fullerton too (public transit train, the same line that will drop you off right next door to the Aragon on Lawrence).

So don't limit yourselves to what's immediately around the Aragon, which isn't much. People could share a cab from Lincoln Park up to the venue and it would be pretty cheap.

drew

I may end up with a spare Chicago ticket if my wife decides not to go (she's not the biggest NO fan) or if she has to work that night. So if the gig sells out and someone decides they want to go, let me know...

drew

Hey mate, take it as a compliment - maybe there is some mileage in it for you somewhere - get some tickets of 'em if nothing else.

It's a good thing that you've got going here - thanks for your effort and time, I appreciate it.  Cotch

• btw, not sure of your interest in manchester and the old days, but got a great link to a piece by Dave Haslam, use it to introduce friends to what the 80's was like at the Hac, etc.  Let me know if you or anyone for that matter is interested - phil_cotterill@hotmail.com

Looking forward to meeting everyone and seeing the band.  Mrs Twist will be with me to keep my drinking under control.

Say, Drew.  How are you getting to the show?  Mrs.Twist's aunt lives in Naperville.  We may ditch the car there and take the train.

Well, I work downtown at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Erie and Michigan Ave, basically) so I'll likely just be taking the L to the venue, and most likely Metra back unless my wife decides to go and drives downtown to meet me - she's not the biggest NO fan and at this point may not be going. Last train to Naperville leaves Union Station at 12:40 AM so hopefully all the festivities will be done by midnight at the latest in order to make it in time...

drew

Spotty, where are those posters? man thats so sick i need to find one!

drewc wrote:

Well, as I said earlier there are a LOT of bars just a couple miles south of the Aragon in Lincoln Park. ~~~~So don't limit yourselves to what's immediately around the Aragon, which isn't much. People could share a cab from Lincoln Park up to the venue and it would be pretty cheap.

drew

Yeah, for all those visiting Chicago, do yourselves a favor and enjoy the bars and restaurants closer to the city. Down towards Lincoln Park would definitely ease you into a good mood for the concert. Clean area. Rush street is pretty sweet and swanky with plenty of people watching and nice places. And by early May with temps up into the 60s around evening, places will have their doors and windows open.

Ross E wrote: Yeah, for all those visiting Chicago, do yourselves a favor and enjoy the bars and restaurants closer to the city. Down towards Lincoln Park would definitely ease you into a good mood for the concert. Clean area. Rush street is pretty sweet and swanky with plenty of people watching and nice places. And by early May with temps up into the 60s around evening, places will have their doors and windows open.

Yuck, stay away from the Rush St. bars unless you're a frat boy who wants nothing but to grope... If you want cool hipster bars with great people watching, go to Wicker Park or Bucktown instead. Far better scene and you've got a cool record store in the area too (Reckless on Milwaukee).

Wicker Park/Bucktown is a bit far from the venue though, it's about twice as far as Lincoln Park is. So if you're planning on cabbing it, keep that in mind.

drew

It's a full-page ad in this week's Reader. Can't miss it, it's page 7 of Section Three.

Can you grab a few? I'm out in Naperville and won't get downtown next until Tuesday and they get a bit hard to find by then.

drew

The Gold Star.  Division St.  about a few blocks west of Ashland.  A nice neighborhood dive bar.  Good, cheap, strong drinks.  Doesn't look like much from the outside,  but that's by design to keep all the riff-raff out.  No frat types or Lincoln Park trixies found here, just cool, laidback Wicker Park residents and drinkers.   Highly recommended!

Review of it and many other Chitown bars here:

http://www.chicagobarproject.com/Reviews/GoldStar/GoldStar.htm

Suggestion: Green Mill, 2 blocks west of Aragon on Broadway and just north of Lawrence.

Why? Cause the concert is on a Tuesday and doors open at 6. If your like me, you want to be of the first to get into the Aragon so you can be as close as possible. TheAragon is pretty big. You can't see the stage well from way in back. The closer the better. If you choose a place in Lincoln Park or closer to Downtown, keep in mind, if your driving (or take a cab), Lake Shore Drive can get nasty in rush hr. Not to mention how shitty traffic is in Lincoln Park to begin with. If your taking the train, expect packed trains heading north from downtown. These trains thin out around Lawrence, but you not only have the New Order show at the Aragon, but also have  Ben Folds concert a few blocks away. Meeting at the Green Mill is the most convenient place to go before the show. If you want to spend money on a cab, get stuck in traffic, or packed like sardines on trains, by all means go for it.

the other bars and areas mentioned are great suggestions if you have time in Chicago, but for the general purpose of seeing New Order, meet at the Green Mill between 4:30 and 6:00 pm and walk over to the Aragon, and be as close to the stage as possible.

sorry about the error, this should be moved to the Chicago bars thread....

drewc wrote:

It's a full-page ad in this week's Reader. Can't miss it, it's page 7 of Section Three.

Can you grab a few? I'm out in Naperville and won't get downtown next until Tuesday and they get a bit hard to find by then.

drew

Reader's Guide? I'm in Nashville right now at school so i'll get my dad to pick up a few at the Caribou.

drewc wrote:

Yuck, stay away from the Rush St. bars unless you're a frat boy who wants nothing but to grope... If you want cool hipster bars with great people watching, go to Wicker Park or Bucktown instead. Far better scene and you've got a cool record store in the area too (Reckless on Milwaukee).

Wicker Park/Bucktown is a bit far from the venue though, it's about twice as far as Lincoln Park is. So if you're planning on cabbing it, keep that in mind.

drew

haha yeah well i guess you have a point there. Agreed, wicker park and bucktown are very agreeable IMO, its just they didnt come to mind. Its not a straight shot down the El from the Aragon. Not familiar with the bucktown transit, but I know its not only south, but also west of the Aragon. I wouldnt go myself for a concert pregame, jsut cause i'd like to feel better as the clock ticked down that i was closer. Then again, I'll need to find a hangout letting in someone thats 19.

I don't know if anyone has mentioned Berlin yet, it's right by the Belmont stop. I think it's mainly gay during the week but they do have some 80's nights and different crowds all the time. I haven't been there myself but I heard is a fun club.

There's also Panic (80's) on Wednesdays at the Smart Bar, also available thru the red line.

i love berlin :) used to dj there on monday nights a few years back. great club, great atmosphere. the dj's kick ass, especially greg haus. dont think theyd be open that early though for a pre show get together. but if your in town for a few days, stop by and check it out. i forget the exact nights but they went something like this. they also have a website http://www.berlinchicago.com

mondays---new wave, synth, industrial, emb (mostly a straight night as red dog has their gay night on mondays

tuesdays---house, electronic, i think this was the official gay night, or mens night

wednesdays---lesbian night

thursdays-saturdays--- really crowed and busy. mostly gay but  a lot of straight ppl go too.

sundays---old new wave videos, brit pop, type stuff

berlin opens @ 5 on tuesdays

The GreenMill sounds good even if the drinks are a bit pricey.  I am all for getting to the show on time to get a good spot.  What time does the GM open?

twist, green mill opens at 12 pm or was it 2pm? I posted in another thread but I forgot. But they open early.

nic, i don't know of too many irish bars but there has to be tons considering  it is chicago, but i do know a  few cool german bars in lincoln square. also a kick ass record store there too and my favorite mexican restauraunt. ps---are you alergic to cats?

Wax Trax?  Haven't been there since Front 242 played at the Riveria.

lincoln square has "laurie's planet of sound". wax trax! was on lincoln but closed down.