[Via Chicago]

the issue is most people in Chicago think these things happen top down. machine politics, Rahm/Daley esque iron fist government style, mega developments, etc. The thing is thats not how perceptions of NY, Austin, or Portland changed. the notion that outsiders gravitated to austin. it happened organically. it happened because kids grew up idolizing CBGBs and gritty punk rock in gritty atmospheres. or supposed sustainable lifestyles with access to nature in the PNW. there werent big ad campaigns, consultants, and marketing agencies selling this stuff. it was a general understanding and appeal that developed over time.

why is Nashville known as a place to see live music? why is NOLA? why isnt Chicago? sure, people understand the history of the blues but the conversation hasnt moved past that (which now, is a museum legacy act rather than something relevant). its because this city itself generally dosent revere these places the way NYers revered CBGBs. why isnt the Empty Bottle on the lips of the country as a place where cutting edge things are happening every night? why arent Fitzgeralds and the Hideout on the tips of tongues as some of the premier clubs in the United States to see musical acts? its because our city dosent appreciate what it has until its gone. while it exists, its simply seen as something to take for granted but not an integral part of what makes us unique. cutting edge music is happening at smartbar every night, and theres probably 50 people there on your average thursday. in a city of 3 million. why do clubs in Berlin have lines out the door and around the block and people flying in from other countries for the exact same acts?

how many bands can the average person identify as from Chicago in 2019? im guessing precisely zero. does that mean they dont exist? of course not. but its not elevated in our cultural discourse. if you want outsiders to appreciate what it is you have, you have to appreciate it first, and frankly chicago does a horrendous job at supporting locally grown talent.

why does everyone know about Brooklyn brownstones and their historical significance and why they should be protectedbut no one could tell you a thing about chicago bungalows or workers cottages? Why do we tear these things down like they don't matter and then expect the world at large to care about them when we give them zero respect?

we can talk about Lincoln Yards and the 78 until the cows come home, but that is not what moves the needle on this shit. it happens at the grass roots level. and this city frankly is garbage when it comes to supporting grass roots (see how anything someone supports outside the corporate infrastructure is branded as "red shirts"). What message does that send to a creative, grass roots minded person? Why would they want to locate in a city that doesn't embrace weirdness and different ways of thinking? They'll go somewhere else that does. we offen get what we deserve.