Chicago's local music scene is in trouble, but there's hope.

The crowd at Double Door for The Sounds in 2009.

I see Double Door is pivoting their plans and looking to recreate the venue in a smaller space, with an interim plan to keep the brand alive by booking stuff at The Gallery Cabaret (which I personally think is a great opportunity). Double Door has always meant a lot to me, and the original venue crew was very good to me when it came to my becoming more integrated into the Chicago live music scene as a whole. But one thing Double Door owner Sean Mulroney said in a recent interview with Block Club Chicago really clarified what I've been worried about when it comes to live music venues in Chicago:

That building [the Wilson Theater] would have been incredible. But the world’s changed. If you look at live music venues and so forth, I don’t know that that expenditure is justifiable in this economic climate.

The recent changes in the realities of post-pandemic touring has led to most established bands choosing to play much larger venues at greatly increased ticket prices, meaning many of the smaller and mid-sized venues are fighting for their lives. And without those venues it's harder and harder for local and regional bands to make the leap to the more profitable, larger venues. The roots of the live music ecosystem are being starved, and I'm honestly not sure what to do about it.

But I do think something like taking over a struggling venue using a trusted brand name backed by folks with long experience might be an excellent step in the right direction. Water those roots, we need them!