Nestled between Chicago’s Lincoln Park and Lakeview neighborhoods is planted Bookclub, Chicago’s first ever Black and queer owned music venue. The owners Kevante Weakley, Cam Stacey, Maren Rosenberg, and Nick Heineman have surely picked the right space as the building was previously home to the three-decade musical institution, Elbo Room. Elbo Room, opening in 1989 ushered in a new era of rock music for the local community and Bookclub is surely meant to carry on the torch in a way that hasn’t been done before.
Inside the venue, the wall reads Bookclub in bubble letters, the font of youth. Appropo for the owners who are of generation Z. Sharing this fact is only meant to encourage faith in this generation who is just sinking their feet into adulthood, ready to affect change in all industries.
Do not let Bookclub’s owners age fool you, they are extremely serious about carving out a space and amplifying local artists while also caring for their audiences. In addition to prioritizing diversity in both people and genre among its booked acts, it encourages patrons to take care of one another and to keep each other safe.
Splayed across the website’s homepage is the text, “Chicago Has a New Genre of Music Venue” and “A Place for All Generations and Genders.” Two statements which aptly reflect the owners’ values and missions. They even have a Mission & Values section linked on the homepage.
Among the standard music offerings, the space also offers a Digital Balcony. This is the floor directly above where the shows take place. Patrons who are experiencing sensory overload, feel claustrophobic, and just need a moment outside of the crowd can visit the area and still enjoy the performances via the wall-sized LED screens that line the walls.
I love to rant about how water should be free so, alone in my apartment, I gave a standing ovation to the Bookclub owners when I read that the venue also provides free water in…three different flavors. A music venue that prioritizes the hydration of its customers is what I picture heaven to be like.
While they certainly have non-alcoholic beverages, customers also have the ability to engage in the space’s Half Pour Program, where drinks and shots are served at half of the amount of your typical pour. This offers their clientele a more affordable and less intoxicating experience, should that be what they’re looking for.
The owners of Bookclub are setting new standards that other venues worldwide would be smart to learn from. Destinations that celebrate our differences in identity and preference whether it be our race, gender, or the fact that you might want to drink a little less than others or not at all are sparse.
As individualism becomes something of an epidemic in this country and the current administration attempts to homogenize our population, spaces like Bookclub are not just welcomed but necessary.
Words by Ilana Michelle Carmi
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