Written Trips
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Catching a Rock Show Three Different Ways in Chicago, Illinois
If the location alone doesn’t draw you to this Wrigleyville music venue, come for the intimate setting and the versatility of this well-configured space. Do you like to lose your shoes and share sweat…
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Eating BBQ and Eavesdropping on Live Music in Austin, Texas
It’s rare to find a good live music venue with a decent restaurant. At most Austin clubs, the food offered resembles that of an elementary school lunch line. In a region where barbecue fanaticism…
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Feeling the Festival Spirit 365 Days a Year in Austin, Texas
After many Austinites bemoaned the closing of the historic venue on Beecaves, the good people at the Backyard are picking up the torch—unveiling a new and improved location just minutes from the original site—reviving…
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Ghostbusting With Bands in Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Brady Theater has a long history of prominence in the Tulsa performing arts culture. The programming is eclectic: an extraordinary rendition of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol one week and a sold-out Third…
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Jamming With Legends in Topanga Canyon, California
Picture this: a room about as large as your living room filled with 100 people; 20 are famous (you probably won't know why/how), 20 more belong to a performing band and another ten are…
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Leaving Your Mark Underground in Raleigh, North Carolina
When driving past urban gardens littered with graffiti and spray-paint art, a wave of inspiration comes over you as the urge to grab a can and participate grows stronger. Thanks to the Free Expression…
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Peeking in on Peak Performers in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Most of the acts you’ll see at the Flytrap Music Hall will seem strangely familiar. That lead singer looks similar to a drummer you’ll swear you’ve seen in another band, or maybe a special…
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Racing to the Floor for the Best View in Chicago, Illinois
Although Chicago seems to have no shortage of grand old theaters turned into concert halls, the slightly rough-around-the-edges Riviera is another to add to your list of must-see venues. The best part about this…
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Riding Bulls and Playing Cowbells in Fort Worth, Texas
I’d like to meet the man who woke up one bright sunny Texas morning and thought to himself (in a thick Texas accent, of course), “Billy Bob, I think you should open up a…
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Rocking Out in a Historic Monument in Chicago, Illinois
Although historical theater restoration seems to be a trendy pastime these days, the Congress Theater has surpassed most of its competitors on every level possible. If you have a chance to see a live…
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Roosting on Top of the Band in Austin, Texas
Nestled just close enough to 6th Street for ample after-show barhopping, the Mohawk has one of the coolest music-venue seating arrangements around. Naturally, the best seats in the house are on the top level…
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Seeing Skyline Singing and Dancing at Its Best in Austin, TX
There is no shortage of rooftop bars in Austin’s 6th Street district, but none quite capture the (in)famous thoroughfare's spirit like Maggie Mae’s. With at least four open rooms, three bars, and two floors…