"chicago uber alles"
it is arguable that "there is no point in being a scenester." i prefer to think "there is no point in being a scenester, if you dont boast unabashedly about the very scene you represent." what follows is a mawkish ode to chicago's golden age of punk rock:
it used to be impossible to refrain from smugly gloating how unparalelled chicago's punk rock scene was. how could we not flaunt that every week bands like the smoking popes, the bollweevils, and los crudos would be playing separate shows? bands like them, along with slapstick, the mushuganas, oblivion, apocalypse hoboken, and a slew of other bands flourished in the post-screeching weasel age of 1994-1996. it truly was a remarkable period of punk fucking rock in chicago. admittedly, legendary bands like naked raygun, the effigies, and the bhopal stiffs had their time, but their era was marred by a lack of consistent venues and senseless skinhead violence.historically, chicago's golden age most likely began after the closing of mcgregor's in elmhurst, and the opening of fireside bowl in chicago for all ages shows. chicago's scene had always suffered from inconsistent venues to hold all ages shows. there was dirty nellies, isabella's, and wrigleyside, and of course mcgregors where screeching weasel used to play frequently all eventually closed down. the metro was the only real dependable venue to have shows, but the eruption of skinhead violence was not particularly conducive for punk rock shows. not until the opening of fireside bowl did chicago's scene really take off.
