Bottom Line on the Bottom Lounge

DECEMBER 4, 2008 - For those of you who haven't partaken of the new Bottom Lounge yet, it is a prime example of both the accomplishments and mistakes venues have made in Chicago. Nestled beneath the Green/Pink line on Lake Street just east of Ashland, it isn't exactly transit-friendly to those who are vehicularly challenged or choose not to risk their lives and their licenses by driving drunk. Their modest 20-space parking lot encourages the latter, while the only 24-hour public transportation option within walking distance is the Ashland bus line, whose overnight service is spotty at best.
Unfortunately, Bottom Lounge is run like an indie club with an inflated cover. Booked exclusively by MP Shows, we're revisiting the same mistakes that one can only assume had a hand in driving The Note to its new format (I.E. free of live music). I am yet to attend a show at Bottom Lounge where the cover has been less than $10 - in most cases far higher, be it a Wednesday night or a Saturday. While they've secured some viable acts thus far and offer both all ages and 18+ shows, the steep cover and moderately high drink prices (in combination with the inaccessibility of the venue) create a product that's hard to promote to a demographic known for being consistently broke.
From a musician's perspective, I would rather not make a dime off the door on a full house than Bottom Lounge's alternative: playing to a tenth of the room's capacity just to secure insignificant compensation at the end of the night. One issue Bottom Lounge seems to be gleefully unaware of is the fact that even some artists are uncomfortable promoting shows with such an unreasonable cover. I have already seen several examples of bands scheduled for Bottom Lounge encouraging their fans to "come to the next one" because the ticket price is so outrageous.
All of that said, Bottom Lounge has made some serious strides in show production. The venue's main room is a 700+ capacity gem with sound that rivals the quality of Martyrs' when the right engineer is on duty. I have never once needed earplugs, even at one metal show I attended. That is a beautiful thing for live music in this town. The acoustics of the room's layout are efficiently exploited, and the audio balance is decent and well-balanced throughout the room (even in the corridor that houses the washrooms).
The main room, however, does have one major drawback: if you want to sit, your best bet is on the floor along the wall, because the four measly tables in back are bound to be taken up by a barrage of coats, purses, and bored girlfriends of the band. There is a good stretch of wall on either side of the stage that has decent sightlines (minus the gargantuan ceiling-mounted PA that would block out stage left or right, respectively) that would be perfect for a row of unobtrusive tables. This is an easy fix, and someone is bound to figure it out soon.
The Volcano Room upstairs features a Tiki Bar and gorgeous deck with skyline views. The glaring flaw is in the realization that they must have run out of money putting the second floor together. The bar and deck are immaculate, but the rest of the room is exposed brick and windows looking out onto the train tracks. Even more unfortunately, the room is partitioned by the wall housing the elevator. This creates a main section, which you walk into upon entry, a rear alcove with nothing in it, and a front alcove, where live bands are hosted. While the room is set up nicely for a private party or DJ event with plenty of tables and an extra two incidental dance floors because of the room division, bands are set with their backs to a brick wall, facing a brick wall. This layout creates acoustics that challenge the poor sound quality of a "venue" like Ronny's. The throwback from the brick creates an abrasive excess of midrange, making even the grooviest soul groups sound like they're being broadcast on AM radio. Bottom Lounge would be wise to discontinue live shows in the Volcano Room and further explore a DJ format, as the room is far more forgiving in a dancehall setting.
The downstairs lounge is aesthetically well-designed, accepting all club patrons with its main entrance. It provides a nice reprieve from the main room between (or during) bands with booths, tables, and a few wide-screen TVs, but features an identical layout to the Volcano Room above. There is the same are sectioned off by the walls in the back of the room that allows for a more secluded lounge feel. Sadly, the blaring jukebox/dj set-up doesn't allow for any cozy conversation. I rarely advocate more televisions in a bar, but if you're going to be in a setting this loud, a friendly chat can be a chore.
Bottom Lounge prides itself on an extensive beer selection, but charges accordingly. A can of PBR will set you back $4, a well drink $5, and a glass of house wine $6. From a cosmetic perspective, the bar itself warrants these prices, but when taking into consideration the cost of transit and the expense of the gratuitous cover charge, one can easily end up spending $50 on a two-cocktail night, which is absolutely unreasonable for a venue that hosts primarily inconsequential local acts. Their food menu looks appetizing, but the food itself is only a slight step above normal bar fare, though it is priced acceptably for the environment. That said, I don't know anyone who would trust a bar that boasts booking Local H for New Year's Eve to handle their $12 salmon fillet.
Based on the main room alone, Bottom Lounge is capable of becoming one of the most prestigious and profitable venues in Chicago, but it's not going to happen until there are some serious changes in its business structure.