Student: Max Whitehead

School: DePaul

Age: 21

Favorite Chicago music venues:

Lincoln Hall, Coles Bar, and The Observatory

 Favorite Chicago-based bands:

Smith Westerns, The Orwells, Flesh Panthers, Modern Vices

WN: How do you go about finding shows?

Max: I follow various music blogs like DIY Chicago and OMR Chicago. I also go to record store and different DIY shows which helps me get a feel for what’s going.

WN: What is your favorite part about smaller venues?

Max: Not having to show up early and the music is a lot more real. It shows that the musicians are just normal people too because it is so intimate. It is also a lot cheaper.

WN: Explain DIY

Max: DIY=do it yourself, relying on yourself and others to create the music scene and the culture that surrounds it. Usually looks like makeshift venues in apartments or lofts. This makes for more fun shows, and builds a network of people that enjoy going to the shows and further building the scene. It also gives the opportunity to more directly support the bands, even though it’s still not much money. DIY is a real relationship with music scene, the musicians and serious music listeners while still maintaining fun. Basically anyone can do it, and rejects the consumer culture by enabling anyone to produce real art for oneself and community alike.

WN: Do you feel there is a scene you are a part of?

Max: There is definitely a pretty rad DIY scene, but I don’t always frequent the shows. I do hit up smaller bars in Logan Square that play shows frequently like Coles, or Township though. I also really enjoy the Observatory when they host shows. Generally, other than these shows, I usually go to Lincoln Hall or Schubas.

WN: Do you run into the same people at shows?

Max: I definitely run into the same people at a lot of the same shows, especially at Lincoln Hall and Coles. It really depends on what bands are playing, but I’ve definitely made some great connections as a result of my time frequenting these places.

Interested in Max’s favorite bands and venues? These links will take you right where you want to go:

Schubas Tavern and Lincoln Hall, Coles Bar (21+), The Observatory

Smith Westerns , The Orwells, Flesh Panthers, Modern Vices