The Veltway is the music, food and entertainment district between East Avenue and Harlem Avenue, along North Berwyn and Oak Park.
My first two thoughts were “What the heck is the Veltway?” and how am I supposed to hit that like button on this phone while getting jostled around on the green line.
When I opened the page I read it was “a resource to the music and food on 12th Street”. Ok got it – Roosevelt Road. Then I thought “wow, this could actually be useful!”
You see, I’m an Oak Parker and and a big live music fan and it was just a week ago that I found myself bumping around the internet looking to see if there was any live music of interest on Roosevelt.
I’ve been going to see local and national acts at Fitzgerald’s for longer than I care to remember and in the past few years I’ve added the Friendly Tap to my repertoire.
Now with the opening of Wire just a block west of Oak Park Avenue, there is suddenly three very unique music venues within a three block walk as well as superb restaurants such as Autre Monde and Capri.
If your on a tight budget don’t let it be a show stopper. Other than weekly open mike nights, Bunker Town, Bitters and the The Sanctified Grumblers all host regular monthly shows at the Friendly Tap. Canon Ball and Expo 76′ both host monthly shows at Fitzgerald’s side bar. Each of these bands average four players with conservatively twenty-five years of playing out. That’s 100 years a band of some of Chicago’s finest talent just asking for a fiver in the tip jar.
You won’t find that on any strip north of Memphis.
Here’s an inside tip to pulling off a possible hat trick in December on a shoe string. On December 21, Check out a bit of the Redmonds at Fitzgerald’s ($10) and then start walking south on the Veltway and pop your head into the Friendly Tap to see who’s playing. Don’t get there too late but rap up the night at the new club Wire and check out the Velvet Jimis for a no cover neighborhood appreciation night.