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Remembering Lounge Ax
At The Beachwood Reporter, Don Jacobson takes the moment of the sad passing of New York's venerable CBGB to reflect on the earlier (and no less sad) passing of Chicago's great Lounge Ax. Jacobson's absolutely right in saying that while Lounge Ax was a priceless cultural institution, it's not the kind of culture that Mayor Daley and City Hall want to have around. Better to have an yet another overpriced martini bar in that space than one of the epicenters of the city's music community.
I saw quite a few great shows at Lounge Ax back in the day, which were memorable as much for the personal connections that an intimate club like Lounge Ax makes possible as for the music itself. Cases in point:
+ Peter Case playing solo acoustic, vainly trying to be heard over the mindless chatter of the socialites at the back of the bar.
+ The wonderful Scruffy the Cat undeservedly relegated to being an opening act (I left after their set, having absolutely no interest in the headliner). I bought their final single, "Love Song #9" (actually a split single with Young Fresh Fellows) from Charlie Chesterman himself at the bar after their set, when I bought him a beer and listened to his record label tales of woe. (The band broke up shortly thereafter.)
+ A very young Uncle Tupelo, who preceeded their set by drinking heavily in the bar right in the midst of the waiting audience.
+ A slightly older Uncle Tupelo, playing a jaw-droppingly loud cover of Creedence's "Effigy." My friend Mark had never heard the song (which had just been released on the No Alternative compilation), and after it ended and the ear-splitting echoes of distortion slowly dissipated, he turned to me and simply mouthed the word "Wow."
+ The marvelously raucous Evan Johns and the H-Bombs ("Saving Grace" is still one of my all-time favorite songs), with Johns autographing a cheesy Miller Genuine Draft promo poster of the band, which I still own. He misheard me when I asked that he add "Long live Texas", instead writing "It's a long way to Texas". This disappointed me a little until I got home and realized it was one of his own lyrics, from "My Baby, She Left Me ('Cause I Wouldn't Lay My Guitar Down)", which was infinitely better than the generic phrease I suggested.
Damn, I still miss Lounge Ax. What a great place.
October 17, 2006 in Music | Permalink
Comments
A lot of the bands you saw there played here in Iowa City a night later. Peter Case, the variously aged versions of Uncle Tupelo and Scruffy the Cat all were favorites here, too. I downloaded the two Scruffy full-lengths not that long ago (illicitly, of course, as they're looooong out of print) and was reminded of the many fun nights at Gabe's Oasis with STC on stage. Our club nearly went away, too, but was reborn recently as The Picador. The jury is still out as to whether it'll retain the same mystique.
Posted by: John at Oct 17, 2006 12:11:28 PM
I miss it all the time too. As crummy as the place sometimes was, there was a certain charm and ambiance. Saw some of the best shows of my life at Lounge Ax, including my favorite, Neutral Milk Hotel right after the release of In The Aeroplane.
Posted by: Amy at Oct 25, 2006 1:21:06 PM
