From European cathedrals to dingy bars in Chicago, being a student musician has taken me to many venues over my years of playing. From playing classical pieces to straight metal, the range of genres I play has led me to various venues.

I have played at some pretty bad venues, but I have also played at majestic venues. But enough of the bad, here is my personal list of the top five music venues that I have ever played at.

Double Clutch Brewing Company – Evanston

After playing four School of Rock shows here, surely it has to make the list. This brewery has lots of good food, nice lights, and plenty of classic cars to look at. 

Unfortunately the stage is a little bit thin for my tastes, and does not leave a lot of room for moving around. Also, my mom complains that the place is too cold whenever she comes to watch, so this place loses mom points too. 

Other than the small hiccups, this venue is permanently ingrained in my memory and it’s definitely one I won’t be forgetting.

28 Mile Distilling Co. – Highwood

Another School of Rock classic takes a place on this list. 

28 Mile is another one of those bar-type places that actually has a really nice stage. They are supposed to have a debonair theme, but I have never played a show that has played into that theme so I kind of just ignored it. 

What is nice about 28 Mile is their big stage. It is right on the line between being too big and too small. Where there is enough room to move around but not too much to feel small in the room.

Also they have their own house drum kit which is actually quite nice (this is rare for musicians).

I have a lot of good memories playing at 28 Mile, and it’s also where I played my last School of Rock show. All in all, 28 Mile earned its rightful spot on this list. 

Teddy O’Brian’s – Highwood

I have not played at O’Brian’s since one of my earlier high school shows, but their outdoor stage brings a nice summer vibe when it is in-season.

I only played one show here – which was Talking Heads themed – but it brings me back to my earlier days of just starting out; when I only played drums.

The crowd here is always looking for a good time, so it is exciting to get them going, and every show I have watched here has felt just as good as the one I played here.

Hay Market Brewery – Chicago

Just outside The Loop is this big old bar with this super sweet stage room in the back. My best memories from playing here are total opposites; playing Eyeless – Slipknot, and playing Farmhouse – Phish. 

The audio mix in this place is just amazing, the sound comes right through super nice, and you just feel the music. 

Although the stage here is actually super cramped, the grungy feeling of this backroom stage is totally worth it.

I would say the biggest downside about this venue is having to drive out to Chicago.

Honorable Mentions

Being an LFHS musician, I obviously have to talk about two places: The RMA and the Little Theater.

The RMA is great for big music ensembles like the band and orchestra. However, never will I ever feel smaller than when playing in a small rock group. There is way too much space to not look a little awkward, and it totally messes with the band chemistry when we are so far away from each other.

I have only ever played in the little theater for Jazz Combo and my recital, so I do not have a lot to say. There is definitely an odd feeling when looking up at a 45 degree angle to the audience. Also during the Jazz Combo performance, my music kept getting blown away by the ceiling AC units.