House of Blues   

Close your eyes and imagine a time when grunge was mainstream and crafty Hanson tunes and the Spice Girls were both just blips on radar: the mid-'90s. In this brief moment, when alternative music dominated the airwaves and held off the onslaught of teen groups and bubblegum pop, there was a window for the re-introduction of the music that gave us good ol' American rock 'n' roll: the blues. And a group of investors grabbed it. The group, which included the eternal Blues Brother Dan Ackroyd, hoped to commercialize on this window. So they began establishing what has now become a successfully franchised music joint: the House of Blues. If you haven't been to one yet, here's the deal: the House of Blues is a multilevel music hall. One level is a multimedia restaurant serving Southern fried cuisine. Views of the stage are on closed circuit TV and when the stage is empty, blues and bluegrass are pumping through the sound system. The main level is the music hall. Sundays feature the ever-popular Gospel Brunch, where you can get soulful gospel music and great Southern food all at once. The music hall has above it a balcony reserved for private parties. But down on the main floor, it's nothing but good sightlines, even from a seat at one of the several bars that circle the stage. Sure, the restaurant and private party experiences are cool at the HOB, and so is the gift shop in the front, but the real reason to be here is the music. Without it, HOB would have long gone the way of Planet Hollywood. The acts the HOB books are no longer restricted to just blues. There is a healthy mix of bluegrass, jazz, jam bands, R&B, and country, week after week. Live music is all but guaranteed every night of the week from both local and national acts. Not surprisingly, the HOB has become one of Chicago's premier concert venues. The only problem has been the loss of some authenticity as the HOB expands into more cities across the country. There is definitely a franchised feel to the place. It's also hard to believe that you're at a real deal blues joint when there is a bathroom attendant, and beers are about 5 bucks a pop. These things aside, come here for the music, and you won't be disappointed.