A Guitarist's Guide to Chicago: A 24-Hour Tone Tour | Reverb

Guitar slingers Andy Martin and Joe Shadid roam the Windy City streets to explore the iconic venues, incredible gear shops, and hidden treasures of our hometown, sweet home Chicago!
Read more on Reverb: bit.ly/2LN7lB3
***Correction: Midwest Buy & Sell is at 6019 W Irving Park Rd
1:20 - Motor Row: Chess Records & Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven Foundation [bit.ly/2koQ5sb]
5:21 - Iconic Blues Clubs
5:45 - Pilsen: Pinwheel Records, Shady Rest Vintage & Vinyl, Thalia Hall, Honky Tonk BBQ
6:29 - Bucktown/Wicker Park: Double Door (RIP), Empty Bottle, Subterranean, Avenue N Guitars (bit.ly/2Nd2Anq), Championship Vinyl, Reckless Records, Shuga Records, Rainbo Club, Phyllis' Musical Inn
11:35 - Logan Square/Avondale: Bric-a-Brac Records, Kuma's Corner, Reed’s Local, Cole’s Bar, Record Breakers (bit.ly/2UQY4fr), Sleeping Village.
13:21 - Lincoln Park/Lakeview/Wrigleyville/Roscoe Village: Park West, Lincoln Hall, The Vic, Beat Kitchen, Schubas, The Cubby Bear, Metro, Chicago Music Exchange (bit.ly/2ZWjmNG)
20:07 - Roscoe Village/Ravenswood & Steve Albini's Picks: Electrical Audio, Midwest Buy & Sell, Rock N Roll Vintage (bit.ly/2NbqKyI), Bass Club (bit.ly/2ZZ4pKA)
24:41 - Uptown - Riviera, Aragon Ballroom, Uptown Theater & The Green Mill
25:53 - Evanston & the North 'burbs - Evanston SPACE, Guitar Works LTD (bit.ly/2NeLZPW), Make'n Music (bit.ly/305GDgg)
29:15 - Pulaski Park - The Hideout
Check out the Guitarist's Guide to London: • A Guitarist's Guide To...
Additional Sources/Links:
Foo Fighters at Cubby Bear: • Foo Fighters Cubby Bea...
Double Door Sign: • Nickelsack Jack - DOUB...
Alfonso Ponticelli: • ALFONSO PONTICELLI and...
Stock Photos: Getty images
Stock Music: Envato Elements

[@Reverb]

If you haven't already, check out part one in this series: A Guitarists Guide to London: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaWpdJ-PgMdkrLM

[@yetanotherbassdude]

Loved the first episode in London - I lived there for 8 years and you still found new stuff I'd never seen! Today's was also amazing and definitely makes me want to revisit Chicago and go on guitar safari - so many amazing places and people! Any chance you guys could do Nashville next? There's gotta be so much guitar history and culture to explore!

[@ehmmmjay9907]

These videos are so great, I hope you have more planned!

[@pedrotoledo2414]

How do you manage playing drums for the king gizzard and hosting this show?

[@charlesbolton8471]

@@yetanotherbassdude Nashville is absolutely amazing. It an extraordinary city for guitar shopping. Of course, it’s packed with music history and live music (at least during normal times). There’s a lot of music history and live music in Memphis as well. The guitar shopping isn’t near as good though.

[@liamtahaney713]

Reverb you can afford it. Do more of these. Nashville. Detroit. New York. It would be awesome!!!

[@inkyfiend5289]

All these and maybe LA too?

[@the5chord]

Seattle as well

[@whitededits]

I bet they do an LA one 'round NAMM time...

[@CS-sf1rz]

Memphis . Austin. San Francisco . Seattle of course (with Olympia ). Portland. NYC. Detroit. .. .. Chapel hill maybe , DC.. Minneapolis of course!! ...

[@kaitodesire]

Nashville would be sick

[@ehmmmjay9907]

Reverb guys walking into CME is like that Spiderman meeting himself meme.

[@SomiariTobin]

Ehmmm Jay it’s more like visiting your ex given the terms of their recent departure

[@roblarson9065]

Ehmmm Jay CME and Reverb have the same owners.

[@giancarlopaolini7529]

Great Chicago ...I’ve been there just once back in 2007. A very intriguing place ...

[@ardiris2715]

Return in the winter for the real taste of Chicago.

[@Reverb]

Guitarist's Guide to Chicago: Polar Vortex Edition

[@xbmpr]

Give it a month it’ll be white

[@chaoticembrace6984]

We experience all 4 seasons as if out of a great novel...... Summers remain sizzling even into late September!......in the 80z it was so cold for a week that the high never got over -10 !!!!!.......so yeah , we can b brutal but going to Lincoln Park when April n May usher in spring temps and colors .....Fn love my city!!!!!.......best on the planet !!!!!....

[@someguyyouknow6420]

I live in Canada so if I go to Chicago during the winter do I wear shorts and a tank top or should I pack something a little bit cooler?

[@ardiris2715]

@@someguyyouknow6420 Shorts and tank tops are not even remotely cool. ;)

[@Dan.Solo.Chicago]

10:49 I love that they showed a clip from High Fidelity. The kid with the red hair, I was friends with him in high school. He got the part because they thought he looked like Beavis from Beavis and Butthead. My dad actually worked on the movie as well. He was the on set emergency medic.

[@ChrisMWillis]

This was incredible! I think we've all done the flamingo stance at 16:20.

[@AndyDemos]

That moment at Chess...what a special place! Thanks Joe and the rest of the Reverb crew for sharing your lovely Chicago!

[@steelydan146]

You made it look so easy getting around those places... cause there's no parking in any of them places you went to. Especially your Chicago Music Exchange. But glad you showed the Aragon Ballroom. That places rocked with the legends of rock: Scorps, Metallica, Santana, Slayer, Ozzy, Pretenders you name it. Seen it.

[@Jcaburianhimself]

This video is like food network for Musicians. I love it. Thanks Reverb!

[@OhanaFilms]

Schubas wasn’t actually a Schlitz brewery, it was one of their “tied houses” which is basically a branded bar owned by the beer company.

[@tatialo37]

Remember when it was called Gaspar's!!!

[@OhanaFilms]

@@tatialo37 I actually don't. I've only known the building as Schubas. When was it Gaspar's?

[@guitarplayntaylor91]

Even with no real micing on the instruments you can hear the sound of that chess room in the video. Amazing

[@roberthenry6910]

Sounds just like the opening track of 1957 "The Best Of Muddy Waters" album

[@dad_music3139]

Ah, Chicago. Hub of the universe.

[@edadpops1709]

Great job guys. Loved it. Cant believe you met Steve Albini😎😎😎

[@vinidemon5580]

He's a lot more approachable than you think. A great guy. Loves to talk music history.

[@dikkeskieven484]

Production value on this is amazing! This could be a great TV documentary series. Well done chaps

[@DomingoVoiceOver]

A wonderfully done video of my hometown of 49 years. Thanks for posting!

[@unrequitedmusic8004]

Great video. Lived and played in bands in Chicago from 1989-99. City has changed so much. Remember CME on Clark street. Bought my ‘75 Les Paul there. Great shout out to Beat Kitchen. And I remember when Double Door was a hillbilly bar!

[@ronj9448]

Yeah, I was surprised when they said that Wicker Park as hip only went back twenty. I remember going to Urbus Orbis (spelling?), "Get Me High" Lounge and other great places there in the 80s.

[@chrisadams628]

I've lived in Illinois for all 29 years of my life and have only been to Chicago, maybe...5 times? This is a cool video!

[@moonshinefilms]

Now I want to go to Chicago

[@ChicagoGozer1]

Next time you are in Chicago, go my the Old Town School of Folk Music. Fantastic music community on the city's north side.

[@tellett1]

ChicagoGozer1 I thought this was a glaring omission too

[@sourceaudioeffects]

Love this video. Look out Rick Steves, Andy is coming for your job.

[@rbutler5355]

hahaha Rick Steves. Many a late night spent watching Rick Steeves :)

[@kirillgorbunov206]

I’m going to Chicago for the first time in two weeks. The advice comes just on time!!

[@chaoticembrace6984]

I hope you hav a great time!!!!....this city of mine has it's violence problems but they are mostly located south and east , so unless ur in need of smack or crack - the city is as safe as anywhere else ......I highly recommend to visit downtown and Navy Pier ....but to go out into all the neighborhoods .... Chinatown is gorgeous at night!.....Greek town and Lincoln Ave for miles is a blast!...... definitely visit CME to see what a music store really looks like - get urself a CME t-shirt too!......the clubs are always poppin ......get a copy of the Reader and the Illinois Entertainer newspapers at a store or stand and take a minute to see what is happening music wise ......many plays are performed in smaller playhouses and store front galleries........please take the time and really go everywhere for the food ....we have the best steak houses and ethnic restaurants thruout the inner city ........I hope you have fun - we are kind and considerate people for the most part and if u ask questions - people will help u find ur way! .....it's my favorite place in the world and in my 53+years on Earth - iv traveled across the country and the globe - but i will live no where else .... Chicago is my loving home !.......I hope u enjoy ur stay - best of health and happiness to u and everyone!

[@geetarbube]

Chaotic Embrace My daughter is attending Columbia College so I have made two relatively short trips to your great city in the last few months. After seeing this video, I can’t wait to return...to see my baby girl, of course. 😉

[@charlesbolton8471]

@@chaoticembrace6984 The world would be a better place if there were more stores like CME. We come close here in Nashville, but there’s still nothing quite like CME.

[@mojojojo1095]

Just don’t buy anything from Chicago music exchange, horrible customer service and return policy.

[@HarshTonesInc]

Synth/theremin jam is where it's at.

[@AndyDemos]

Harsh Tones, Inc. Haha, I was just getting warmed up 😉

[@CS-sf1rz]

After joes vocals into the theramin jam I was dying so funny,,!,!😆😆😆

[@AaraliRam]

8:07 weird how Danish Pete already has a street named after him

[@ryansuma9959]

Pretty darn good gents, In my humble opinion you missed two huge guitarist must knows..... . 1. Rosa's Lounge on West Armitage.. 2. For all Guitar, Bass, repair, restoration, one of the best places in the country is Third Coast Guitar repair ( formally Bob's ).

[@FabianSalomonsson]

More of these please.

[@wiggledixbubsy98]

Seattle or Detroit would be primed and lubed for a Guitarist's Guide episode

[@dimitriskovaios]

That feeling.... A bit overcome, after watching this...

[@gapping3000]

I think those Rickenbackers are 330... not 360’s. Not a biggie.

[@Wells306]

Fantastic video. Would love to see places like Nashville and New York as well.

[@leftchicago]

I'm an older guy with short hair so I guess I'll have to put on my "rocker" disguise to avoid being mistaken for a "dentist" and getting overcharged at Rock and Roll Vintage.

[@trevorgwelch7412]

Thank You Guys This Was Excellent . Your Next Stop London England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 . Cheers Mates .

[@Metlupass2]

You're from Chicago yet you got the street wrong for Midwest Buy and Sell. Pulaski isn't even an east and west street!

[@Reverb]

We totally caught that...shortly after the video went live #facepalm (update in description!)

[@Guy_de_Loimbard]

@@Reverb Maybe re-upload with an overlay edit with the correct address?

[@joeldowdy4953]

Getting to play in the studio at 2120 Michigan Ave!! How awesome!!

[@ws4827]

what song are they playing at 10:00

[@joegeorge1002]

that would be 'If I Needed Someone' by The Beatles.. thanks for watching!

[@j-visser7982]

Thank you! that was a great video experience of Chicago.

[@rypatmackrock]

If you ever have the chance, please do Andy’s home turf of Portland Oregon, San Francisco which is mine, and either LA, San Diego or Seattle grunge.

[@tysonrinker5958]

This was awesome. Best thing I've seen on youtube in a long time

[@hippiesmile2851]

Please do Nashville...

[@jimmoray]

I'm usually totally sceptical of that sort of "the magic is in this room" thing, but... 4:46 = THAT'S THE ACTUAL SOUND!!! That's incredible. Nice one Andy and Joe!

[@frankconcepcion6593]

Worlds collide when Shelby meets Andy and Joe

[@chaoticembrace6984]

My beautiful city!!!!!......iv lived here for 53+ years!!!!!!!.........guitar stores everywhere and best clubs to ever exist!!!!!!!.....the Metro is just one(playd on that stage and dove off it many times!!!) , the Vic.....Riveria .... Aragon....... awesome sights!!!!!!!.......my fav will always b the Park West!!!..... anyone remember Grand Illusions or the Thirsty Whale????..........the Park West has the best sound , just simply amazing in that club- saw U2 there before anyone even knew who they were!!!..... legendary Aussiez The Church put on some of their best ever there and we have a House of Blues and a lavish Chicago Theater!........ music shops........as great as CME is (known worldwide now) ....Rock n Roll Vintage on Damen is my fav store - just a great vintage shop!!!!!!......and let's not forget Midwest Buy n Sell on Irving n Austin....super shop - family atmosphere and care!.....

[@RodrigoPalmieriMusic]

wow.......................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ronj9448]

Remember the West End?

[@ordaz3264]

You forgot The Jazz Showcase and Reggies Rock Club both on the Southside. Many of the Worlds best Guitarists play at these two Clubs when they come to Chicago.

[@teocoras]

And people give thumbs down. Quite frankly, what the hell is going on with world? Awesome and fun video! Just think about how much work they had to put into putting this video together, choosing the spots, getting in touch wjt the owners of each place for an interview and a tour, shooting, editing, etc. I always wanted to visit Chicago, now I want even more. Anyway, each one is free to like or dislike anything...so, whatever!

[@joekimberlin264]

Andy could always get a gig narrating travel shows, ya know..if this music thing doesn't work out.

[@HexHernandez]

Amazing information, but... I'm being picky Where's the diversity? You were in Pilsen and all the businesses that were focused on were non-Latinx. Peterson isn't Little India. And, what about Schroeder Amplification?

[@mroceans8336]

Hex Hernandez Latinx? Pilsen is Mexican. Say it with me: Mexican.

[@HexHernandez]

@@mroceans8336 either way, did you see any businesses run by a person of color?

[@mroceans8336]

Hex Hernandez I don’t care about people’s natural skin tones. That’s shallow.

[@HexHernandez]

@@mroceans8336 I'm Mexican

[@mrassilyer]

So...you guys start your tour and right behind you at the Chicago theater it says Ry Cooder on Cash. What are you going to see when you’re in town? I’d start there if I were you. (Nice Easter egg)

[@zzirjukez2899]

Chicago gang 🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽

[@sampacker6547]

Great video, but... What about specimen products?

[@whitededits]

That Chess room sounded killer

[@vinidemon5580]

The walls were built in layers specifically to capture sound. There is a piece of the wall that is cut out to show the design. I hope Andy and Joe got to see that.

[@jessegrubbs507]

I went to school in Chicago and revisit all the time. In fact just saw a show at Sleeping Village and popped into Record Breakers on the walk there. But had no idea about all the other great guitar shops! Kudos to CME/Reverb for the spotlight on other great Chicago spots!

[@dynjarren7523]

My kind of Town Chicago is my kind of Town! 2 and 2 is 4! 4 and 4 is 8! Back to that Sweet old Place! Sweet Home Chicago! I’m glad Chess Records wasn’t torn down. This is where Chuck Berry recorded his classic songs and Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Willie Dixon and John Lee Hooker! This is a historical place!

[@lookinggood6624]

Just a friendly note here: Midwest Buy & Sell address is listed incorrectly in your video. The correct address is 6019 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60634. I'm not affiliated with any party concerned.

[@the5chord]

Ace guys!

[@InGrindWeCrust2010]

2019: mojo handrail 2020: COVID handrail 2021: sanitized and mojo gone 😭

[@Guy_de_Loimbard]

Wait, WTF is up with this Sleeping Village place? I live 6 blocks away but I never paid any attention to it because it looks so.... industrial I guess? From the outside it looks like the kind of place that manufactures, I don't know, plate glass or plumbing elbows or something.

[@Dan.Solo.Chicago]

I can't believe they skipped the Old Town School of Folk Music. So many great musicians learned to play there. Considering how important that place is historically and culturally, skipping it really was a massive fail on their part.

[@Guy_de_Loimbard]

Rainbo Club also features in _High FIdelity_ , it's the spot where Rob and the Danish chick (Laura was it?) reconcile over drinks. And Double Door is where they held the album release party.

[@christopherfreud5894]

I was on holiday in Chicago last year, it’s such a great place, many modern sculptures in the streets, lalapalooza festival and... deep dish pizza,

[@wiggledixbubsy98]

Our 'zas are the absolute titties, man

[@mcedwar1]

Some of it was *super-local* to where I live, other parts were really great showing other shops and areas I haven't heard of. Thanks!

[@andrewjadczak3082]

I was worried that Midwest Buy and Sell was going to be omitted the way the video began, but Steve Albini to the rescue! Also, it has been a while but when did Make N Music move? It used to be in a rough area with a secured parking lot off Western I think?

[@GuitarisGreat1]

wait what!?!? joe and andy in the same video? whaaaaat??

[@tatialo37]

Remember going to Chicago Music on Lincoln and Addison! Bought my Gibson there!

[@jesselawson224]

These need to be way more frequent

[@kierenmoore3236]

PS - nice 'freeform jazz synth exploration' ...

[@Guy_de_Loimbard]

Oh and one last thing... Midwest Guitars is on Irving Park Road, not Pulaski.

[@narrvick]

Really dug this one! Thanks for sharing.

[@tatialo37]

Remember logan square when it was a dive! Back in 1982!

[@tatialo37]

CME was either Goldblatts or Weibolts dept. stores! Back in the 70's!

[@Big_Bag_of_Pus]

Great video. One place I wish you'd made it to is the Old Town School of Folk Music. Despite the name, it covers a broad range of music genres, including (of course) rock; and is, for my money, the best music school for the amateur musician in the world. I haven't lived in Chicago for 21 years, but I still miss it like crazy. Bob Koester's Jazz Record Mart would have been a no-brainer too, like Reckless; but it's apparently gone now. :( Sad to hear about the Double Door.

[@tellett1]

Big Bag of Pus OSFM is an institution!

[@ronj9448]

Jazz Record Mart is now on Irving near Kimball . I just went in there the other day and bought a DVD of a Dave Spector performance. If you haven't been in Chicago for 20 then you never visited OTS's new buildings up on Lincoln Ave and Wilson. And that they were sinking last year because of overspending and dropping enrollment. They have new management and it seems for the better. I take classes there now.

[@Big_Bag_of_Pus]

@@ronj9448 When I was last taking classes at the Armitage location, they were *just* opening the location way out Lincoln. Richard Thompson was doing a benefit show for the opening, which sold out before I found out about it. :(

[@noogie3784]

Moved to Illinois, just to be close to Chicago, religiously try to go to a show once a week.

[@sublime88sublime]

Those 3 Rickenbakers sounded heavenly together.

[@ultramanj]

Loving this series.

[@dougmann66]

majorcool !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@hitsfromthebong7629]

Love this series you guys need to do more cities and do more International episodes too!!

[@nicolas.grisanti]

Amazing video! That room at 4:43 really was magical!

[@AOTSismyhero]

My friends live in that building next to the chicago theater in the beginning =D

[@mh-oh8kf]

Fantastic content. Do Austin or Los Angeles next!

[@perryguitar1]

Great Travel guides! More like this, plz!

[@johnwalliss]

16:50 'acoustic guitar for sale with slight slights of wear' :-D

[@LaMusicade4]

I love Chicago

[@Reverb]

Same!

[@scottbogfoot]

Is that where the capo maker Thaila gets their name?

[@CAROD76]

I'm going to Chicago this time next month, and this video just made me realize I actually need an extra week of vacation to visit everything you showed here... So thanks... I guess :P On a more serious note, if I can only visit one of these 3 clubs, which one would you recomend; Buddy Guy's Legends, Blues or Kingston Mines? P.S.- This video actually earned you mys subscription to the channel, so kudos guys ;)

[@Reverb]

All three are fantastic, but B.L.U.E.S. and Kingston Mines are on the same block, so if you're on a time crunch, you can maximize your blues intake by checking them out on the same evening.

[@CAROD76]

@@Reverb Best Chicago tip so far in months of trip-planning! Great stuff! Thanks for that guys :D

[@ChrisMedici]

A great road map for Chicago and its unique music scene

[@metfan999]

Wonder where they will go next ♥️

[@jeremiahhiggins84]

CME right around the corner of the Metro LOL!!!

[@deadlegs187]

I find your video informative and calming

[@SCgroove]

Great video. Loved it. The incorrect address given in the video for Steve Albini's pawn shop of choice, Midwest Buy & Sell, isn't even on Google Maps ... Lol. They have it listed on Pulaski ... here's the correct location: 6019 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60634. Very cool place indeed.

[@USDAselect]

Chess Records, a 1960 LP and Steve Albini. This was gooood.

[@jimposten]

I need a guitarists guid to VEGAS!

[@rdmkeytohwy]

I live 31/2 hours south of Chicago and i have yet to explore any of these places. Chess Records was incredible. If those walls could speak.....the stories they would tell. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. Great video guys.....i have to get up there and check these places out. Thanks so much for the good content. And yes, like others have said, go to Nashville, Austin, L.A., Seattle, Boston......everywhere that has bars, clubs, studios, and guitars.

[@LorSTApunk07]

Minnesota has some great guitar shops.

[@Archbuilders]

And not one mention of Reggies... For shame.

[@bergstep]

Nice job covering all those places. I've lived in Chicago nearly 30 years and bought and traded at Midwest Buy and Sell for almost 25 of them. They are really good folks to deal with...

[@trippwaymack5389]

Unbelievable timing. I'm headed there on 9/20 for a conference, playing a charity event at Park West called Jammin4Water. Now I know what I'll be doing all day Saturday before the show. Thanks Reverb!

[@ArthurStone]

That was great. Thanks : D

[@bggilson]

Awesome!!! Thank you!!!

[@artgallery743]

Great job on this video. I bet this will interest many people to visit Chicago and the shops and venues shown. Well done and just had the thought, to follow-up maybe you could make a book with a more in depth DVD (or DVD's) with this tour, shops, restaurants and music venues.

[@rome8180]

This is making me miss Chicago badly.

[@tatialo37]

Worked at a bank on Fullerton and lincoln ave!