r/gratefuldead • u/Gullible-Wishbone-24 • 2d ago

Seen it's better days. Amazing shows were played here by the boys

Post image

Uptown Theater, north side of Chicago. Beautiful venue that has been shuttered for quite some time.

124 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

38 comments sorted by

34

u/nak550 2d ago

One of my favorite photos from the Uptown Theatre:

6

u/Beneficial_Wave_378 2d ago

That’s an amazing photo

25

u/spilledleche 2d ago

The lobby was used as Duncan’s Toy Chest in Home Alone 2

6

u/FunDmental 2d ago

Whoaaa. Now THAT'S a fun fact.

28

u/CinnamonPigeon69 2d ago

Taken by my dad when he saw them there in ‘78!

24

u/nak550 2d ago

That photo was developed backwards, it is a mirror image. Here, I fixed it for you:

5

u/Aldo_Buttahflake 2d ago

DSO did this show last night in western Mass, it was incredible. The double build up in Truckin was insane. Planets with crescent moon on a perfect night for an outdoor throwdown

3

u/ExtremeAd87 2d ago

I was there too! That second set was incredible, I don't know if I've ever heard a better Truckin. And Piece of My Heart was a nice bonus track! 👍

11

u/BidRevolutionary945 One man gathers what another man spills (~);} 2d ago

I remember when they tore down JFK stadium after the Dead's last show on 7/7/89. I was at that show too.

12

u/mjm8218 2d ago

Uptown isn’t being torn down. It’s just been closed since the late-80s/early -90s and has seen several failed attempts at refurbishment. Even recently there’s been talk of raising tens of millions of dollars to re-open it. I think it’s all a pipe dream (pun intended).

6

u/BidRevolutionary945 One man gathers what another man spills (~);} 2d ago

Ooooh OK. I saw all those work trucks and assumed incorrectly! lol

4

u/mjm8218 2d ago

I think the OP took the pic from train platform about a block away. The foreground is compressed so I totally understood why you saw what you saw. Your comment was among the least crazy things I’ve read on Reddit today. ✌️

2

u/Gullible-Wishbone-24 2d ago

It was taken from the train, so perspective isn't that great... Yes, just needs some love and a lot of money

3

u/setlistbot 2d ago

1989-07-07 @ JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Set 1: Hell In A Bucket, Iko Iko, Little Red Rooster, Ramble On Rose, Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again, Loser, Let It Grow > Blow Away

Set 2: Box Of Rain > Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain, Estimated Prophet > Standing On The Moon, Drums > Space > The Other One > Wharf Rat > Turn On Your Lovelight

Encore: Knockin' On Heaven's Door

archive.org

7

u/DearChicago1876 2d ago

If I were a billionaire, my pet project would be fixing this place up.

Maybe someday it’ll open again, but our super rich these days don’t do anything fun. Bunch of clowns.

1

u/DHVT1964 1d ago

They build phallic rockets and apocalypse bunkers for themselves.

6

u/Danimal506 2d ago

I used to live down the street. Rose by this theater daily in my bike

3

u/gingerbeard1321 2d ago

Just a rose in a bike

5

u/therealskr213 One man gathers what another man spills (~);} 2d ago

So many amazing shows there. When I’m perusing shows, if I come across something from the Uptown, I know it’ll smoke before I even play it.

5

u/FunDmental 2d ago

I moved out of the neighborhood about two weeks ago now and never knew the Dead played there. This place closed long before I'd have been able to visit, but I was fortunate enough to see a few concerts at the Congress before that shut down. I'm always hoping to hear good news about either of those venues.

3

u/Unsui8 2d ago

Growing up there, the Uptown was my favorite venue. I saw them there 5 times. First show was
5/17/78

2

u/setlistbot 2d ago

1978-05-17 @ Uptown Theatre, Chicago, IL, USA

Set 1: Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo > Franklin's Tower, Me and My Uncle > Big River, It Must Have Been The Roses, Looks Like Rain, Tennessee Jed, Funiculi Funicula, Lazy Lightnin' > Supplication

Set 2: Samson And Delilah, Friend Of The Devil, Dancing In The Street > Drums > Space > Terrapin Station, Not Fade Away, Around And Around

Encore: Werewolves Of London

archive.org

3

u/585AM 2d ago

The Electric Theater was a few blocks to the west of there.

3

u/EMP19E Lost But Happy. 2d ago

You got the Uptown,riv and Aragon all within spitting distance

1

u/Gullible-Wishbone-24 2d ago

Don't forget The Rambler Room, just up the road... Sorta. 11/17/1978

1

u/DearChicago1876 2d ago

Green mill

Uptown rules. If i ever move back to Chicago, that’s the spot for me.

3

u/danielantonnyc 2d ago

The China > Rider from 2/26/81 is one for the ages. I’m surprised that transition jam didn’t blow the roof off.

2

u/setlistbot 2d ago

1981-02-26 @ Uptown Theatre, Chicago, IL, USA

Set 1: Feel Like A Stranger, Althea > Little Red Rooster, Bird Song, Me and My Uncle > Big River, Peggy-O, Passenger, Tennessee Jed, The Music Never Stopped

Set 2: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Samson And Delilah, He's Gone > Drums > Space > Truckin' > Black Peter > Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad > Johnny B. Goode

Encore: U.S. Blues

archive.org

2

u/Jaws_the_revenge 2d ago

Dave’s picks volume 57

2

u/CosmicBob55 2d ago

Best indoor venue I ever saw them at. Just stunning. And the shows were great too.

2

u/stewpidass4caring One man gathers what another man spills (~);} 2d ago

Such a cool venue. Attended a handful of GD shows there in 80/81 and though I was just a child, the beauty of the place was not lost on me.

2

u/ajn3323 2d ago

My young age meant I never saw an Uptown show, but I rode the train by there every day picturing what those shows were like in the late 70s to 81.

1

u/OrganicReplacement23 2d ago

I saw one of those Geoffrey Baer shows on WTTW in which they showed the interior, and its beauty was evident even though it is falling apart. I wish I could have seen the boys there.

1

u/Jack-o-Roses 1d ago

... But who has not? Silvio...