Cheap Trick to Open Music Venue, Museum
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TO OPEN ON CHICAGO’S SOUTH SIDE
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The Chicago Sun-Times reports Thursday that the band will use the site of a former auto dealership on south Michigan Avenue. The development would be near other historic music sites, like Chess, Vee-Jay and Brunswick Records.
Band manager David Frey said in a statement that Cheap Trick Chicago will be “a one-of-a-kind eatery, unique musical instrument museum, radio station, and performance space as well as rooftop and outdoor and event space in the future Music Row in Chicago.”
The main stage at Ottawa Bluesfest collapsed in July during a Cheap Trick concert as a severe thunderstorm sent the musicians and thousands of fans running for cover. Some were injured. Now Frey says Cheap Trick won’t play temporary outdoor stages anymore.
“Rick [Nielsen] had 250 guitars, but 47 of them were crushed in Ottawa. We’re working on restoration and we’re still recovering from that. His guitar collection is unique, as is Bun E. [Carlos’ drum collection]. He has parade drums from the 1800s. We’d maybe hang those from the ceiling, but we have a lot of ideas.
“We don”t know what the radio station is or if Sirius [satellite radio] would like it or want it. Even if not, it would be Cheaptrickradio.com, and we’d have people program who are friends of the band and the place you go for people who love American power pop. It would be like World Cafe [in Philadelphia]: a restaurant, a DJ booth and a guy on the radio. Its a lunch draw for businesspeople. And it would be right by [McCormick Place], one of the top convention centers in the world.”
“We met with Mayor Daley about a year ago on this and he was all over this happening.”
