The new Bottom Lounge is kinda rad.

Cooler By the Lake played with a couple other bands, and it was fantastic. Unfortunately, because of the Blue Line construction it took me forever to get down there, so I missed the first bands, but I got there just in time to see CBtL, and they were great. Even though the room is gigantic and it was kinda sparsely attended, I thought it was the best show I’d ever seen of theirs. Rory was in top form, dancing and getting the crowd going as only he can. Most of the band was wearing matching linen suits, which not only looked great, but must have been super comfy. Good for them. It was one of the only Chicago shows where people were dancing. I saw a handful of people come in just as the band was finishing, and with only two songs left I heard people proclaiming that they had a new favorite band. They even played an encore, which was clearly not a planned one, but the sweet, organic type that results from sheer radness.
The new Bottom Lounge is pretty nice. I only went to the old one once, also to see Cooler By the Lake, probably in the spring of 2005. I feel like it may have been the old Bottom Lounge’s last night, and last night felt like it may have been the first night at the new one. It’s really big, the room holds around 600 people, not to mention an outer room with a bar and tables that’d bigger than most other rock venues in the city. I think there’s even an upstairs room. Really spacious, and cool enough that it could really be a place to go and hang out, regardless of what band is playing. The only problem is how to get there. It’s close to the Green Line Ashland stop, which means you could also take the Ashland bus there, but it’s annoying doing anything that requires a transfer when its that late. I shouldn’t be such a wimp. If I were in NYC, I’d have to transfer to go pretty much anywhere. The Party Downers are playing there on Saturday (with the Effigies!) so hopefully that will be equally fun.