http://chicagomuzik.blogspot.com/2005_0 ... 2559146005

On June 9, 2005 Double Door, Chicago's preeminent small music venue, will be fighting for its very existence before Cook County Chancery Judge Billik. The trial, whereby Double Door is seeking to enforce an extension to its lease, is set to begin at 2PM at the Cook County Courthouse, Room 2601 in the Daley Center. The trial hinges upon Double Door's position that it appropriately notified the owners of the building, Harry and Brian Strauss, of its intention to exercise its option in its lease. The Strauss' dispute this claim.

Double Door has become a fixture in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood and an integral part of the cultural and music scene in Chicago since it's opening in 1994. The club has played host to some of the biggest bands in the world including The Rolling Stones, bringing national and international exposure to Chicago. Double Door served as the site for debut material from two albums of Chicago's own Smashing Pumpkins. Artists like Kid Rock, Macy Gray, The Strokes and The Killers have all graced the Double Door stage early in their careers. The club has nurtured the careers of many of Chicago's most successful local artists including Chevelle, Local H and Liquid Soul.

The Strauss family has no interest in preserving the cultural integrity of the neighborhood or the Double Door. It is their intention to force the closure of Double Door and to replace it with a national retail chain.

Double Door filed its suit against the Strauss family knowing that it has met its obligations under the lease. This trial will determine whether the institution that is Double Door will remain a fixture in Wicker Park and a key part of the cultural and musical scene in Chicago.

Chicago's musical landscape will not be the same without Double Door.


Holy crap if this happens the music scene in the city is becoming more and more fucked.

I hope they saved up for a good lawyer.

I don't know, I never liked the double door, and they rarely ever had any decent shows.

You people can be so negative.

I've always liked it in phases. I've seen a lot of shows there, a lot of them great.

Sometimes the sound system sucks, but otherwise it's pretty cool place.

This is not news. This has been out there for at least a year.

No shit. Last year they were talking of turning it into a Gap when it's lease is coming up.

But it's starting to look a bit more dire for the club NOW. If you read it's stating that on the 9th of this month could be the start of the end.

The Double Door isn't the best, but the problem is it's virtually impossible to open a new club in the city these days, so if one closes it's not like there's necessarily going to be two more to take it's place.

I've read a couple articles about the owners of the Lounge Axe who tried in vain for years to open a different club and were unsuccessful.

Chicago's got a ton of crazy rules about opening bars and local alderman and residents have so much control that there's no place for them to go.

Even if you do open a club, in a lot of cases within a year or two new condos are going up in the neighborhood and then there's pressure to shut the place down.

The Prodigal Son on Halsted ran into that. They were a 7 nights a week music club until new neighbors complained loudly enough. They had to cut it to music only on the weekends. If the place hadn't burned down it probably would have folded anyway.

Sometimes I am extremely jealous about where ya'll live. Getting to see shows and then I read this, and I feel better. Anyone can open a bar here pretty much anywhere.

that's what i was thinking. seems like this pops up on some board i read every year with frightening regularity.

First off, I heard Banana Republic, but they're both the same company, right?

I'm not an avid fan of the DD, although at times there is quality music there. I've seen Autolux there this year, Features this Friday and I'm sure another act or two this year. I, and many others would hate to see this place close up.

np: Self "Coming Over"

As a musician and a music fan, i really like The DD. ESPECIALLY as a musician. There's a few better clubs to play, but only a few. I've always had good sound there, i've seen plenty of killer shows, it would be a loss. What, would you rather go to The Beat Kitchen? Hoghead McDunna's? The Underground Lounge?

Please.

You never miss the water till it's gone.

p.s. come see me headline The Double Door this Sat. June 4 with Graham Cousens.

www.grahamcousens.com

http://www.petitiononline.com/dubldoor/petition.html

Take a minute.

I always associate the double door with John Cusak...didn't he used to dj there.

in a movie. you know, that one about the records.