Blind Guardian - US tour late fall?

[Jasonic]

In a total weird, sick and non-homosexual way, I actually envy him. It'd be great to hang out with you one of these days and convert you to the church of Angra.

You never know!
edgeofthorns got me to revisit Savatage, and while I am certainly no fanboy, I do listen to them more than I ever used to.

To be fair, from what people tell me, my biggest mistake was having FIREWORKS be the first ANGRA disc I own.

 

[dcowboys311]

Yep, heard they might be booking a date at Center Stage in December. Hope it happens.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

I'm going to need Blind Guardian to come somewhere Great Plains/Midwest. Kansas City preferrably.

 

[modernwizardry]

No, but I hear it's the bee's knees!

The Bottom Lounge has the best sound I've ever heard anywhere. So clear at every show that I've seen there.

 

[nomisofsiman]

The Bottom Lounge has the best sound I've ever heard anywhere. So clear at every show that I've seen there.

Good to know.

 

[Saladbar]

Bottom Lounge is awesome. It's right up there with Reggie's.
The only bad thing right now is that there's all kinds of construction around that area and the whole block where it is located is closed. Usually you can find parking a couple of blocks from there no problem though.

 

[Jasonic]

Awesome. Looking forward to it.
Yes, Reggie's is cool as well.

Too bad it's not at the Pyramid Club...

 

[nomisofsiman]

Yes, Reggie's is cool as well.

Something just irks me about Reggies. I'll go there if it's a show I really want to see, but I'm not a big fan of it.

 

[Diabolik]

Bottom Lounge is THE best place to see shows in the city in my book. I like the layout. The main room you walk into first is the big bar / restraunt where you can eat before the show and not have to wait outside in line to get in. The main show room holds over 800. Amazing sound and you can see perfectly from almost anywhere. If you are over 21 you can go outside to the restaurant during the show. People that work there are nice and security is very low profile. I have seen a few shows there and always have a good experience there. It is right off the Green Line and not a far walk from the Blue Line ( but it is a little walk ). The layout of the show room is kind of like Metro with a wide stage. There really is no wasted space in the room. They have a nice bar right in the room and clean bathrooms and a place where bands can set up merch tables that are not in the way of stuff.
Parking is pretty good there too. All free street parking which is pretty easy to find since it is in an industrial part of town. The sound is the best in the city to me. I cant wait to see Blind Guardian / Holy Grail there.

 

[Saladbar]

Bottom Lounge is THE best place to see shows in the city in my book. I like the layout. The main room you walk into first is the big bar / restraunt where you can eat before the show and not have to wait outside in line to get in. The main show room holds over 800. Amazing sound and you can see perfectly from almost anywhere. If you are over 21 you can go outside to the restaurant during the show. People that work there are nice and security is very low profile. I have seen a few shows there and always have a good experience there. It is right off the Green Line and not a far walk from the Blue Line ( but it is a little walk ). The layout of the show room is kind of like Metro with a wide stage. There really is no wasted space in the room. They have a nice bar right in the room and clean bathrooms and a place where bands can set up merch tables that are not in the way of stuff.
Parking is pretty good there too. All free street parking which is pretty easy to find since it is in an industrial part of town. The sound is the best in the city to me. I cant wait to see Blind Guardian / Holy Grail there.

Also for the smokers you can go outside whenever, plus for us alcoholics the beer selection is fantastic!
Great venue.

 

[Jasonic]

Something just irks me about Reggies. I'll go there if it's a show I really want to see, but I'm not a big fan of it.

I was skeptical at first, but have grown to like it a lot.

I really like how the floor slopes downward to the stage.
That design is brilliant actually.

It truly has a club feel, and not that of a bar or a theater, which I think is rare these days.

I can certainly understand though, on the flipside, how some can simply view it as a dingy room with no character.

 

[Jasonic]

plus for us alcoholics the beer selection is fantastic!

Do they have the BISHOP'S FINGER????

I have been trying for years to find a bar with that beer.

It is from the UK I believe.
The only bar I ever saw have it was in Champaign, IL

 

[drmetal8]

So I got the new Blind Guardian today. Holy crap, this is going to contend for album of the year for me. Awesome!

Booklet artwork and layout by Felipe Machado Franco. Dammit-- it's incredible, at another level!!

Alex

 

[skyrefuge]

Bottom Lounge is THE best place to see shows in the city in my book.

Maybe Devin Townsend will finally get some of you guys out to see Lincoln Hall (November 7th)? You can't vote 'til you've been there!

Bottom Lounge is prevented from getting the top score from me because the music room is too spartan and utilitarian. Just a big black box. Which is weird, because yeah, everything else about it is pretty nice.

It seems like these days, unless you're at the Aragon, you're going to get pretty good sound anywhere in Chicago. Especially if it's the mpshows sound guy running things, as he often does at BL and Reggie's; he's the best in the city as far as I'm concerned. So LH is the only place that stands out to me with sound that is even better than the "very good" standard everywhere else. LH and Reggie's also have a good beer selection, but yeah, nothing beats the Bottom Lounge in that department.

Really, as I said in the thread about metal cities, in Chicago we're blessed with an embarrassment of concertgoing riches right now.

Neil

 

[Jasonic]

I have heard good things about Lincoln Hall.
The only thing I recall coming there ever that I had any interest in checking out was High on Fire.

Hevy Devy certainly will NOT get my ass out there....

 

[nomisofsiman]

Maybe Devin Townsend will finally get some of you guys out to see Lincoln Hall (November 7th)? You can't vote 'til you've been there!

Bottom Lounge is prevented from getting the top score from me because the music room is too spartan and utilitarian. Just a big black box. Which is weird, because yeah, everything else about it is pretty nice.

It seems like these days, unless you're at the Aragon, you're going to get pretty good sound anywhere in Chicago. Especially if it's the mpshows sound guy running things, as he often does at BL and Reggie's; he's the best in the city as far as I'm concerned. So LH is the only place that stands out to me with sound that is even better than the "very good" standard everywhere else. LH and Reggie's also have a good beer selection, but yeah, nothing beats the Bottom Lounge in that department.

Really, as I said in the thread about metal cities, in Chicago we're blessed with an embarrassment of concertgoing riches right now.

Neil

Two things. HELL FUCKING YEAH DEVIN TOWNSEND IN CHICAGO IN NOVEMBER!!!! AND IT'S ON A SUNDAY!!! I will definitely be there. Wanted to go to Lincoln for High on Fire, but unfortunately it was on my birthday.

Secondly, I'm assuming by no places in Chicago with bad sound you're not taking into account places that are often listed as "Chicago" like the Allstate and Midwest Bank Ampitheatre? Because in terms of the bigger venues, Chicago typically has the worst arenas. Though the United Center I tend to like, but unfortunately most of the bigger shows, especially if they're hard rock or metal don't end up there.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Finally listened to the new Blind Guardian album, and I have to say this new stuff is AWESOME!!!!!! I haven't had a power metal album grab me like this in a long time. I was worried too after ATITM.