It's sad but true: this is one of the oddest layouts I've ever seen at a venue. It has a series of blocked off seating areas and tiers with guard rails that make seeing the stage quite a challenge if you're not a particularly timely person like myself. The bathrooms are pretty foul and lines pretty long, for them and for the coat check. The sound wasn't horrible, nor wonderful. And it can get warm for such a big place.
Still, I love the vintage marquee.
Great balcony seating, decent acoustics, and all the charm of such a classic venue but certainly not as well maintained as other similar spaces such as The State Theater in Detroit or The Paramount in Seattle. Â Saw Frightened Rabbit here on 3/23/13 and with a jammed packed house the sound was good, but not great while the crowd was largely drunk, but not totally obnoxious. Â Judging from the echo I can only imagine that sound on the floor, or for a much louder band would suffer.
Review Source:It has potential. It really does. Or, maybe it used to. My boyfriend and I saw Pentatonix last Saturday and it was great. Thanks to our VIP tickets (a birthday present for my boyfriend) we got to come in and meet them and had reserved seating. Maybe I'm becoming an old woman, but that's nice so we don't have to stand the whole time. And touching a band's member's hand doesn't give me self validation, so I could care less if I were up close, anyway.
If you just watch the band, you're fine. Try not to look around or walk around more than just to your seat. It's multi colored on the inside. It looks like it was purple and gold for a while, then there's some patches of white, like they started to paint it white and stopped. Kind of odd.
The bathroom had an attendant with candy in bowls, which I thought was kind of weird. It's always nice having an attendant to hand you paper towels, but the candy in bowls was weird. I mean, I'd rather not eat a tootsie roll or life saver from a stranger in the bathroom. Also, the bathrooms were kind of disgusting. I honestly haven't seen bathrooms in that poor condition for a long time. The stalls were very small. If you can old it, don't go to the bathroom here.
On another note, if you are 6 feet taller or above (I'm 6'4"), be careful on your way downstairs to the bathroom. The ceiling is quite low.
I haven't been here often, one of the best shows I have been to was here... but unfortunately the venue is a little odd. Â It's a bit of a amphitheater feel, there are levels with guard rails in concentric half circles leading away from the main stage. Â I hate it when venues have those levels and bars. Â Ugh.
The show that I saw had great sound quality, but I am not sure if that is normal or abnormal. Â I'd go here again, though.
Are you guys serious with your coat check system?? One girl in the basement taking coats in the dead of winter means the line curved up the stairs and through the lobby. Took AN HOUR to get to the front. Amongst so many other things, the Riv definitely needs to revamp this system.
Possibly the only thing saving this place is that it is conveniently off the Lawrence Red Line and easy to get to. The bars nearby are always fun to stop at before the shows.
To me, the Riviera is like the Vic & the Congress had a baby... except this child was not conceived willingly. More like a drunk night that ended up in a Whoops! situation.
It's big, like the Congress. It has a decent "step" set-up like the Vic, so us short people can snag a good spot on the 2nd level and still feel somewhat close to the action. It has crappy bathrooms, like the Congress, and like how the Vic used to be. It has ridiculously steep stairs that could cause you to fall to your death on the way to said bathrooms like the Vic. The sound isn't the greatest I've experienced, but it wasn't horrible. I wish they'd give this place a coat of paint and some shining up... it really could be gorgeous.
Everyone's hating on the staff in their reviews, and though I didn't have many interactions with them, the one security dude made a joke to me about the Ben Harper show being a sausage fest & that's always fun.
Get there early so you can snag a decent viewing point, be it on the main floor or in the balcony... those coveted spots go fast.
Like any other Chicago venue, if I like the band I'm going to see, I can get over the dinginess of the theater, but it just makes me sad to see a place that could be so beautiful crumbling in front of my eyes.
Well just as fellow customers before me rated Riviera horrible it was. We went to see PTX last night. They said the doors would open at 6:30pm. We arrived at 6:30pm and no one was getting in. We followed the line around 2 blocks and finally at 7:30pm we got into the theater. They separate females and males once you are at the door which is not good to find people once in. Then you are in and the seating is horrible. Broken seats, missing seats.... I have never been to a theater where it looks like it could fall apart before your eyes. Obviously, the owners don't care. People had to sit in the aisles because obviously they sold the number of seats they have and so many were broken so many people had to stand or sit on the steps. Horrible horrible venue. The show was suppose to start at 7:30pm didn't start till 8:15pm. Would never ever go back.
Review Source:Unfortunately I can't leave less than one star. Don't bother coming here but if you dare DO NOT pay for VIP. You'll stand in the cold and be segregated from your group once you're let in. I've never seen an overall experience so disorganized. The staff, especially "security" are slow, incompetent, and rude. Several delays occurred simply because they couldn't get their act together.
The buidling is beautiful, sound is okay, view is sub-par.. overall just not worth the hassle involved. Wait for your favorite band to come to somewhere better... such as the Metro.
Worst venue I have ever been to. Â The first time I went there, we arrived over an hour early and settled in a good place to stand with only a couple of people in front of us. Â After the show started, those people encouraged their 7-10 friends to come join them in their "great spot". Â We nicely asked them to move, explaining we got there early. Â They wouldn't. Â I go to shows all the time and this is totally against all show etiquette I have experienced.
It was only until we moved to find a new spot that I realized what a death trap this place is. Â Only one bathroom facility for each sex all the way in the basement, overcrowded and 50% of the space has no view at all. Â
Second time I went there, I was too distracted by the "security guard" picking out cute girls from the crowd to stand in the best spots along the wall. Â The guy was old and gross and the musician was a woman, so it's not as though they were groupies - he was just a perv.
I wouldn't go there again regardless of who was playing.
I must say....when I read the yelp reviews before we left for the show, I almost gave up my ticket. But, I didn't want to be lame, so I decided to give it my best smile and try not to whine too much. This place is a dump. In addition to that, about 80% of the people who work their are absolutely miserable. Â
My friend asked an employee where he could get outside to smoke and be able to come back in and her response was "YOU DON'T". Ummm, ok? Â I'm not a fan of smoking and love that smoking is banned inside now. But, honestly, when you're a concert venue, you need to allow people in and out to smoke. People are going to be here for probably 4+ hours and you're serving drinks. So what is the result? Tons of people smoking INSIDE! Just looking around, there were so many clouds of smoke, and they were doing nothing about it. Â
The paint is peeling off the ceiling, the balcony seats feel like they are going to fall to the floor (and I'm little, 125lbs) and everything about this place screams dingy. Â Put a little money into it and it could totally be re-vamped.
I actually stopped drinking so I wouldn't have to go use the restroom as much...LOL. I've been to better bathrooms at outdoor concert venues.
All and all - not my cup of tea. It would take someone I really really really want to see for me to even consider coming back here.
I've tried to like this place. Â REALLY, REALLY TRIED. Â I go to a lot of live shows in Chicago, probably 2-3 times a month, and I've gotta say that this is the absolute worst of the larger venues. Â This coming from a guy who thinks the Congress isn't that bad by comparison. Â Even if my favorite artist were to put on a free show, I'd still think twice if it was being held at the Riv.
I'll just run through the low points. Â Err... yeah, pretty much everything here, from the bottom to the top.
Men's restrooms on the bottom floor are filthy disgusting. Â Usually have standing water on the floors. Â Usually smells musty and... sewage-ey? Â Don't know about the ladies room, but I'm guessing it is a "hover only" situation.
One star for the lobby bars. Â Typical setup - nothing out of the ordinary, enough service points, and competent, sometimes friendly staff. Â
The layout of the main floor is horrendous. Â So much wasted space and truly horrible sightlines. Â If you're not in the tiny front floor section or on the rail behind it, have fun watching backs of heads all night. Â The bar plopped right in the middle of the second "level" on the first floor makes no sense and is way bigger than it needs to be. Â Scoot it to the back wall - its not like demo and construction will cost much because it really isn't anything special. Â This place books enough acts that it should have the money to at least improve the layout.
Head on up to the balcony if you want to sit and chill out, or try to get a better sightline. Â Just don't do it after the show has started because there is zero aisle lighting and you won't be able to see a thing. Â Oh look, I found some empty seats! Â Oh wait, they're empty because they're broken, and have been for several years.
This place just sucks. Â Shame that they are getting bookings, while live acts at the Aragon seem to be getting more and more rare.
Worst sound system around. Â Terrible sight lines. Â Filthy venue. Â Crumbling walls. Â If you escape the mob to sit upstairs the seats are broken with springs punching through. Â And again, sound system is atrocious. Â Never heard a worse mix. Â Street festivals do it better. Â Even the beer tastes depressed. Â A few thousand dollars invested in this dump and coat of fresh paint would work wonders. Â A shame really, because the building has such personality and history. Â This is a gem waiting to be polished. Â I wish someone who cared about it would buy it.
Review Source:I had somehow never been to a show here until a couple weeks ago.  I live for rock and roll shows and would attend one every night if I could  a) afford it  and  b) not have to be at work at 8am the next morning.  My husband on the other hand can take them or leave them, mostly leave them. Â
I am not a "young person" anymore (is 29 considered old? Â To me it is...) but concerts put me in the same place that a televangelist audience member is at a church service, minus the fainting and speaking in tongues (okay, I may or may not have done that at my first Hanson concert in 1998 but whatever). Â
Anyway.
My husband, being the putz that he is, didn't want to be on the floor (too much standng for too long) so we ended up in the balcony. Â The first row in the balcony. Â I tried to see the positive in this and figured I could get some cool pictures from there and unobstructed video of my favorite songs. Â
Imagine my absolute HORROR when I realized that probably 2/3 of our fellow balcony friends SAT DOWN through the majority of the set. Â All the while, the floor is absolutely electric and all I wanted to do was stagedive down there to join the fun people. Â I felt kind of bad because I stood up the entire time. Â It was pretty cool though because there wasn't anyone seated directly behind me and the angle of the seats is pretty steep so I wasn't actually blocking anyone's line of sight (I'm a considerate person) and no one screamed at me to sit down which just would've been weird. Â This was not a sit down show. Â The balcony railing was really high so if you were sitting down you couldn't even get a clear shot of the stage - unless you're much taller than me. Â A couple of my videos have a lovely black bar across them. Â It's like widescreen only the black bar is right across the middle, splitting the picture. Â My seated husband was doing the filming as I was dancing, badly.
I thought the sound was fine but I am far from an audiophile. Â The architecture and decor was pretty similar to most comparable venues I've been in. Â The "old theatre" look, though this one was admittedly more noticeably run down. Â
I didn't see much of the place and I didn't utilize their water closet. Â As soon as we entered, we immediately took the stairs up to the balcony so I have no idea what all else was going on in there. Â
The seats themselves were kind of fun as they reclined/slid backwards a little bit but it was kind of annoying when people were entering and exiting our row because as I'd attempt to scoot back out of their way, the back of my seat would recline thus causing the bottom part to slide forward defeating the purpose of my trying to move out of the way. Â Wouldn't have been an issue if they didn't come and go so damn often! Â I think I pulled a muscle in my hamstring too trying to contort myself. Â
For some of the time, the security guy that was stationed to my immediate left sat down in the empty seat behind me and was really cool about my video-taking which is good because in this day and age, that's kind of impossible to control. Â Back in my day, we had to sneak cameras into shows by sticking them down our pants and then pray the security guards wouldn't confiscate them if the flash went off. Â I was obviously taking video and the guy didn't say a word. Â Maybe he felt sorry for me because my body language had to suggest I was pissed at my husband for sitting there like a "bump on a log," to use the parlance of our times. Â
In conclusion, if a band I want to see is playing here, I'll definitely go, but I won't hang in the balcony if I feel like jumping around like a damn fool. Â I will be down on the floor where the cool kids are. Â Â
Bonus: Â 'L station is like, right across the street!
I went to Riviera a few weeks back for an Alanis Morisette concert. What can I say I have a soft spot for 90's acts and it was a pretty good show, but enough about me, lets talk about the Riviera for awhile.
    I didn't arrive early enough to get right next to the stage and since I'm getting to old to shove my way through the sweaty masses, we decided to head up to upper decks and find a seat (which we were able to do). Keep in Mind if you want good seats or to stand close to the stage you will have to arrive and wait in line until the venue opens, otherwise you will be standing near the back or sitting in the top deck.
   As others have stated the sound is great. The theater itself has a lot of potential, but it appears the owner don't want to keep it up as there are many spots with peeling paint and the walls are somewhat tattered. Overall, if there's an act I wanted to see I'd go back, but the venue's just Ok. However, a little TLC would make this a great venue.
Pretty so-so venue. Saw Beach House here last night. The show was awesome despite the sound being mixed pretty poorly which says a lot about them as musicians. They had to stop at a few points to fix distortion issues in the middle of their set. I liked the size of the place though. Big enough to book pretty popular acts, but it still feels like an intimate enough setting.
Review Source:This is yet another converted theatre into a concert venue. Â Nothing wrong with that, but the sound is rather dead for every concert I've had here. Â It's easily fixable and I'm not sure why it hasn't been yet. Â I know people have said it's good, but as someone who used to tour the country singing, I can spot good acoustics and bad acoustic. Â The sound is not great by any means and could be improved a lot. I'm not saying it's bad, it's just not great.
The staff has been a non point to me, except once. They are kind of weird. One time I was in line for a show, and let me say there was almost no line. We got there late and there were maybe 10 people infront of me. The bouncer in my line, the typical bouncer, said "STEP UPPPPPPPP!!!!" to someone, and kept saying it, even though nobody was far away from him, and the entire wait to get in to the back of the line would have been maybe 3 minutes. I was fed up with him, so I didn't say anything when he said to me "how's it GOING!" in a weird almost anti-social, but dominant tone. Â Well he took offense to it, and then said "I SAID..HOWS IT GOING" I kind of looked at him, and he accused me of being high, even though there's nothing about me that screams "HIGH." Â I kind of wish he would have called the cops on me. That would have been a mistake for them big time.
Overall, it's an OK venue. Nothing special. They really need to fix their sound issues.
This absolutely is the worst music venue in Chicago hands down. Â Sight lines are atrocious and who knows what is up with that flat deck on the first floor?! Why after all this time hasn't management just razed that whole section is completely beyond me.
Even if my favorite bands visit town and they happen to play here I will refuse to attend. I'd rather spend time sitting in a dumpster listening to my iPod than this awful excuse for fine live music.
The positive: The sound here is great.
The negative: The staff sucks. They're rude and bothersome. Last night we were asked to stand elsewhere no less than six times. Each time we'd move to another location, and we'd be asked to move yet again. They literally weren't happy with us until we left the theater, missing the band we had tickets to see.
I won't be going there again. It was that bad of an experience.
Get there early and get as close as possible to the stage. Â Any farther away and it's pretty damn tough to see. Â I'm not super tall- 5'11"- but Jesus I had a tough time seeing anything past 20 ft. Â That said when I saw the National here I was 5 feet from the stage and it was one of the best shows I've ever experienced. Â
The staff has been both pretty cool and total assholes so I honestly don't know what the deal is. Â My last visit, tough, with a little chit chat and prodding they'll help you out and bend the rules a little.
From Underworld to M83, for about a decade now, every show I've seen at the Riv has been good to great. Good sound, good sight lines, good staff, reasonable beer prices. Depending on the act, I've done the floor, hung on the rail of the elevated section, and been an old fart in the balcony, and would recommend any of those locations (although the opener usually will sound relatively lousy on the balcony).
I don't think Chicago has a better comparably sized (2,500 people) venue. The Riv sure kicks the doors off to the Congress. Would I rather someone get a really big helicopter and plop Minneapolis's First Ave here? Sure. But the Riv is about Chicago's best bet for seeing mid-level national touring acts, and they consistently book some GREAT bands.
PS When the Riv says a show starts at 7:30, they fucking mean it.
The venue itself isn't bad, and the staff selling beer, etc. seem friendly, but the sound quality is awful. Â I've seen two shows here: Spoon and Florence + the Machine. Â
At the Spoon concert, Britt Daniel (the lead singer), actually stopped half way through the show, apologized, and said he has never played a venue with poorer sound quality in his life. Â I thought that maybe it was a fluke, so I gave it another chance with Florence, but the experience was the same. Â If I didn't know the words to the songs by both of these artists, I would have had no idea if they were actually singing or just mumbling into a microphone (and they aren't that type of artist).
I might sound like a bit of a masochist for saying this, but I don't care how filthy the venue, if it has great sound for a concert, I will fall hard. That is precisely my sentiments for the Riv.
Yes, the bathrooms are gross, the security guards are always B's, and the floor is constantly covered with sticky residue that all you can do is hope that it's spilled beer/alcohol, but one thing is certain, it is pretty damn beautiful. Â
I came here the other night to see Young the Giant (which by the way rocked my world) and my date pointed out its interior architecture and happened to guess it was an early theater. Turns out, he was right. Unfortunately, I never thought to look up at the ceiling during a show, but boy am I glad I did that night. Amazing work. If they just tidied up and did a little restoration on it, I think it would look spectacular.
All in all, a great venue for a show. I will hopefully be back many times over :)
Why have I never seen a show here before?
Sound quality: good! Â And I was standing right up front by the speakers... everything was clear, not jumbled. Â You can tell that the sound techs here take their jobs seriously, as well they should!
The house itself: As some before me have said, it's a little worn around the edges, but to me, that was part of the charm. Â I like knowing a lot of people have stomped around in their combat boots long before I got here.
We saw Young the Giant (Walk the Moon opened), and this was, without a doubt, the perfect venue for them. Â We were right up in the front, as I said, yet not smushed by those behind us on the floor. Â The balcony area looked nice, but I wasn't there to chill.
Everyone on staff we encountered was friendly, including the security guard who was right in front of us, and went to GET US EARPLUGS. (not that I used them, of course.)
The only thing I was scared of was getting a boot to the face from the amount of crowd surfing going on. Â We saw a kid that was definitely a victim of flailing crowd surfers. Â That's gonna leave a mark!
My experience was fine until I wandered over to the coat-check to check my coat and poster I had bought. Not only do they make you pay $3 for EACH item you want to check (I know that it's not THAT expensive, but REALLY? You can't just let me check them together?), but the two ladies working the coat-check were the most rude and disrespectful people I have EVER met. THIS IS NO WAY TO TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS!!! I witnessed them tell customers to 'fuck off', and were calling everybody insulting names. Not to mention that the FIRST thing they said was "HAVE YOUR TIPS READY". I really wish that I would have gotten their names, but i DO remember that they both had red hair.
TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bob Dylan and Queens of the Stone Age. Both great shows at a pretty great venue! When it comes to sound, this place rocks.
Keep in mind that this place is small and you shouldn't be expecting this to be the United Center. There's a balcony upstairs and a floor downstairs. It's quite old, so don't expect it to be gleaming with gold either. These are two of the reasons I really like this venue.
I like the location. It's not in a location that gets as much traffic as, say, Wrigleyville does. However, get to your show early, because lines generally end up curving around a couple of blocks! I think for the most part their shows are general admission so this poses a problem for some people. But like I said, if you get there early there should be no problems.
I noticed someone said this place might be iffy for a hard rock show. Well, this place kicked ass when it came to QOTSA!!! Â The sound for this show was better than Bob Dylan's show, so I don't think one should cancel out any one genre when it comes to sound.
I've been to a lot of shows at the Riv in the past 16 years...I've sat and stood everywhere here. The balcony is good for those snoozer bands like Sigur Ros (check) or opening acts when you want to rest those legs for the main attraction.
The Riv has great sound, yes. The sound is just as good in the balcony as it is down on the main floor. Drinks are actually fairly close to affordable. $5 for a beer, with plenty of a selection.
Oddly enough, service here is really friendly! From the older ladies checking IDs at the door, to the bar service, even the guy that sells beer in the basement is super nice- they do service right, not rude, here!
But the bathrooms are bare bones. I was glad that there was a store-bought soap dispenser at least. As a concert venue it's bare-bones as well. As if the beautiful theatre the Riv used to be couldn't exist anymore.
Was here recently for Feist and I stood behind some guy that couldn't stand still. I could tell he was just there to appease his girlfriend, and bored as hell. And every 10 seconds he fidgeted and changed his position, so I couldn't see past him. Finally moving ahead of them, there was a big bag on the floor in front of me. The girl had put her purse and coat on the floor in front of her, so no one would block her view. What an ass move. FYI, there is a coat check in the basement!
Anyway, be warned about the floor situation. Or get there early to grab a good seat in the balcony. But Riv is staunchly three-stars, A-OK, no more no less.
If you've been to the Vic, Congress, or Metro, then you've pretty much been to the Riviera. Â A historical (and decrepit) Chicago theatre that can still land some high profile headliners.
I would probably put this closer to the Vic than the Congress in terms of quality, because the walls weren't completely peeled off and the bathrooms and bars were more accessible.
I wasn't impressed with the sound in the venue, but I saw a hard rock show here instead of the more acoustic shows I'm used to (or maybe I'm just getting old).
One huge plus is the location right off of the Red Line and close to a couple cool restaurants / bars (see Fat Cat).
UGH, The Riv. What happened to you? I hadn't been here in years, and I didn't remember you being a total shithole, but here we are. When Sara Bareilles said she was so lucky to be playing in such a beautiful venue I looked at my friend and said, "are we in the same place?" Scary bathrooms and scary stairs and just completely run down. What part of that is beautiful? It's not even charming.
The show started at 7 and we arrived at about 7:30, which was a mistake. There were no seats left and the only place to stand was back by the bar. If you're back by the bar, you cannot see anything and you cannot hear anything. My friend and I left about 5 songs in because it was pointless to be there.
Also, their security is more thorough than TSA. She opened every single pocket in my purse, but she didn't bother patting me down. Seriously, what the hell do you think I'm trying to smuggle in? Better acoustics? OOH BURN.
Luckily not too many of the bands I like to see play here, but I will definitely either avoid this venue or get there super early next time.
Let's start with the positive: The sound is quite good.
And how quickly I delve into the not-so-good. Why are all the vantage points so screwy in here? You have to wonder how many pints of Guinness the architect downed the day he took his measurements. Sheesh - I'm tall, push through a crowd with a child's fearless abandon until I land a decent spot, and still I'm playing head bob just to get a fleeting glimpse of rockstar. Bogus!
On to her looks. She's an average-looking dame in the dark, but once you flip the light switch, you notice she's coming undone.... stains, crumbling walls, peeling paint. Ol' girl is road hard and it shows.
It's not too difficult to snag a drink at the large, oval bar. Though if you're hard-pressed for a reprieve from the masses and take a free lean against the bar, you will be asked to move.
From a sentimental standpoint, this venue takes the tragic cake. It's been almost eight months since my last visit and I still cringe every time I drive past. Why? Girl buys tickets to see The National with boy, girl gets in fight with boy, girl dis-invites boy yet irrationally hopes boy still shows up at the concert.
Well, the boy never showed. I curse the day the image of John Cusack standing outside that chick's window with a boombox was embedded in my head and became some sort of dysfunctional symbol for what romance is supposed to be. Say Anything? More like say it ain't so. I think The Riv and I are better off as acquaintances who wave hello in the hallways every so often... Schuba's or Lincoln Hall it is.
For us oldies (read: quickly approaching 30), the Riviera is great. Â Great as in they have a balcony with lots of seating, and I don't have to get there ass early to get a good seat. I really can't stand for 3 hrs anymore in the floor section. I get cranky. I need a walker.
But things also suck about this place, namely, the bathrooms. The bathrooms are in the basement, and the place is a total shit hole. I hung up my purse on the stall hanger, and the door nearly fell off it's hinges. Yikes!
Also, the seats can be quite janky.
And people like a da weed. I don't think there is any security at this place.
However, I still like the balcony, and the sight lines are great. Sound is excellent! I don't go to music venues for the bathrooms, so there.
The Riviera is one our stately old theaters which has been put out to pasture rather than maintained or renovated. Â I suppose that we should simply be thankful that she's still with us, but boy does she really show her age. Â It's kind of a sad sight, really, when the house lights are up and you can take in the grand scene of crumbling moulding, water stains, cracked woodwork, and clumpy, unpainted plaster patches.
Then again, I don't attend a concert to ogle the fixtures, and I've been pleased by both visits to the Riviera--coincidentally, both to see the Decemberists (April 2007 and October 2009). Â The sound seems great (much better than the Metro and on par with the Park West) and as a bonus, because of the configuration, there isn't any bar/lobby/stairway noise like there is at those two venues and others. Â The steeply canted upper-level seating allows everyone to see the stage unless there happens to be an unusually tall person in front of you.
I don't drink at concerts, so I can't comment much, but I did hear a waitress quoting $6.50 for a Guinness and $5 for a Miller Lite, which are hardly fair prices but at least not ballpark-level gouging.
The restrooms are aaaaaall the way in the basement, and they stink. Â Miraculously, last night there were paper towels; however, none of the sinks were working: Â two gave no water, and the one which did was clogged and filled to the top. Â Yuck.
It's definitely a serviceable venue. Â When the sound is good and I can get seats, and when they get great bands that I want to see, and it's right off the Lawrence el stop, I don't complain about the rest.
As I sit in the balcony- I squint my eyes to see what this grand theater must have once been with it's crystal chandeliers, the majestic soaring ceilings that make the sound surround you and come from within, and it's hand painted wall murals now covered over in the grit and filth of almost 100 years of people coming and going. Oh if only these walls could talk- they would tell such stories!
Built in 1918 (the project was delayed for a couple of years due to WW II), The Riviera (or the Riv as it is affectionately called) was set up to be the model of what theaters were going to become- safe respectable places that young, upwardly mobile Chicagoans, especially women, who at the time questioned the respectability of theaters in Chicago, went to watch movies.
The Riv was the largest and most ornate theater in the Uptown area until 1925 when the Uptown theater opened just about a block north. When it was functioning as a theater it sat over 2500 people. It remained a movie theater until it closed for the first time in the 1980's. It re-opened later as a night club- only to close again and re-open as the concert venue it is today.
If you go for a concert today- know you will either be hot in the Summer or cold in the Winter. It never seems to be the right temperature in this place. Also- there are no chairs on the first floor- just a large space to stand or dance in. Go up to the balcony if you want to sit- actually pretty nice. And the last time I was there- I was able to score a private box overlooking the stage. The old box seats are gone replaced with a high top and 4 stools- perfect for gathering with friends.
Prices for drinks are a bit steep (and seem to change throughout the course of the night) but the servers are quick at getting through the crowd and remember to check back in on you from time to time. Parking is a challenge in this neighborhood- take public transportation if you can but if you drive- you might be able to find parking east of Broadway on the side streets.
Most of the original beauty is gone- stripped for salvage no doubt. But if you take the time to look- you can see glimpses of what this place once was. The original 2 story foyer chandelier still dominates the entrance way. Crystal chandeliers light up some of the side boxes and there are a couple of the original marble fireplaces still intact. But on closer inspection, the paint is peeling, the ceiling leaks and unadorned 100 watt bulbs fill most of the ceiling fixtures. The amount of money needed to put this beauty back will probably not be forthcoming given the state of disrepair.
As I sit listening to the music, eyes squinting at the scene around me- I can almost visualize the Riv in her day. As I raise my beer to my lips- I toast the Riv- and for the beauty that she once was.
I have mixed emotions about the Riv.
Pros:
1. Ridiculously lax security. At a Black Crowes concert, people weren't even trying to hide their pot smoking. It was joints and bowls for days without a security guard in sight. Take that for what you will.
2. You can get nice and close to the stage. Back in the day I actually touched Mark Wahlberg's leg during a Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch concert. It was the highlight of my youth.
3. If you're not into the whole standing thing, you can head upstairs and grab a seat in the general seating section. Nice for the peeps with leg/back issues that can't stand, but still want to see their favorite band play.
Cons:
1. It's ALWAYS hot as balls in there. Don't expect to come out looking pretty. I'm usually a sweaty mess when all is said and done after shows at the Riv.
2. At my last visit, I wasn't allowed to keep the top to my water bottle. For fear of me throwing it at the stage? Who knows. It was strange.
3. Drinks aren't cheap.
4. Parking is a bitch.
Ah, the Riv . . . how do I love thee? Countless concerts over the years . . . Garbage, Keith Richards, James Brown, Living Color, Lords of Acid, et. al. - and again last night . . . the PRETENDERS, back after a nine year hiatus. Even from our vantage point near the soundboard (every rock chick knows that's where you get the best sound) it was a good view of my hero and longtime role model, Chrissie Hynde.
Enough Hynde worship. I have plenty to spare for this woman that beats the boys at their own game, and has been kicking ASS for 20+ years now. Who, at 58 has more sexxx appeal and sass than women ONE THIRD of her age. She's doing things her way, had her own style and the same haircut for decades, 'cos she OWNS IT. She defies her age and her gender by embracing it. Wearing her trademark tuxedo with tails jacket and a white vest and skinny jeans. At her age! Tasteful. Elegant. Classy. ROCKING!!!
Anyway.
The Riv is the only place to see acts like this. Sure, it's seedy and decrepit. The bathrooms are smelly and in need of an update. The bars are makeshift and the interior is incredibly dingy. The lighting is spotty at best, and the seats can be uncomfortable.
But you're there to see the music, right? Right. If you want some filmy-flossy-fabulous nightclub, go to $oundbar, pay $15 for a drink and $20 cover and get nothing but tinnitus and an STD. OR come to the Riv with me and pay $5 for a can of beer and see the most awesome bands.
And a note to the crowd at the Pretenders show. Quit acting so ^%^%&#@# OLD! Yeah, yeah, I know you are uh . . . probably my age, but you don't have to act so OLD with your Mom jeans and ugly suburban jackets with crappy patches stuck on them. When you see me and my HOT friend, defying our age and rocking out, don't comment derisively "Oh, we've got some fans here." - why are you there? And don't give me that grandma disapproval stare. It's a goddamnded rock concert. I'm wearing leather. I've got cleavage, you oughta display it (tastefully) also. Yes, even at your age. You'd look hot.
Do you want to experience one of Chicago's biggest indoor toilets?!?!? Well come down to The Riv, where you guaranteed to contract something and or the building might fall down on you!!
Sorry but with other mid-sized (2,500 people) venues in Chicago, The Riviera just doesn't add up for me. I luv old theatre buildings and think they have a lot of character but where as they are just old and dusty the Riv is just slimy. I mean you might as well just walk down a couple steps to the basement and unzip, it's not like the floors aren't used to it. If you're late to see a really good band, you can just forget about even getting near the main floor. You also have to admit that the security is pretty shady, I don't have problems with them but you can see a lot of mischievous work happen. Forget about parking too, take public trans!!
Why 3 stars you ask?!? Well it's partly because some of the most magnificent, majestic, mind-blowing bands play here and actually sound really marvelous!! And the other part is that right now the sound guys at the Riv are blowing away their competition. Of course most of it is the bands themselves but if the sound guy is of, you can tell!!! Oh and I can walk there... Whoo hoo!!
P.S. I luv you Chrissie Hynde you still Rock the house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Disappointing, but true... the Riv sucks.
The security is beyond rude. Do you really need to hassle ME of all people when the 16 year old brace-faced jagoff next to me is pushing people and throwing water bottles into the crowd??
The air conditioning is a joke. I think it must consist of an asthmatic blowing his lungs off in a back closet somewhere (yep, it's that effective). It's hotter than Hell in August and all of the dehydrated tweens being carried out on the backs of security guards is a testament to that... would an open door in February have killed them?? I'd hate to be stuck in this hole during a Chicago summer. Â
It's true the vantage here is a joke. Stage too low? Floor too high? Who knows, I just like to be on the main floor and get as close as humanly possible to the talent without being crunched. That usually means about 4 or 5 heads back from the front lines. Well at the Riv that means I get an awesome view of heads, heads and more heads (and a lot of skanky dandruff). A phone book wouldn't even have helped me. Occasionally I got glimpses of the band in between said flaky heads, but never a full stage view. Not once. There are a few great spots here, but get there early and be prepared to fight for your real estate. The pushers here are INSANE and RUTHLESS.
Oh and yes the place is dirty, peeling and in desperate renovation need. Not even the fastest strobe can hide that. I'd be inclined to give the Riv one star but it seems they're able to pull in really great acts somehow and host them in a smaller, intimate venue. I was there to see my fav band of all time last night and they brought the freakin' house down... which is something that I didn't find at HOB, Aragon or The Vic. Even the crappiest of bathrooms couldn't have kept me away for that!!
Things I would have known about the Riviera if I had researched <a href="http://Yelp.com">http://Yelp.com</a> before my Wilco concert:
1) Get there early. Â Then you can have a balcony seat. Â It is hot on the balcony though.
2) If you get a balcony seat, then you don't have to check your coat, and then wait 35 minutes after the show to reclaim it.
3) If you are on main level, expect to see nothing, unless you are up front.
4) Bathrooms are shitty and on the lowest floor. Â There is also a worthless bathroom attendant.
5) Expect to pay $5 for canned Miller Lites. Â Lines for beer weren't too bad though.
Not the best venue for a concert, but Wilco rocked it!
I think that I might be done with the Riv. Â I saw Spoon play back in October and got stuck in a bad spot with awful sight lines and "chatty cathys" all around me. Â Luckily, they're a rock band and you could still hear what they were playing. Â I made it through the entire show but was nervous about going back for Feist in November (I already had tickets). Â Well, it was definitely for good reason, a friend and I actually ended up leaving halfway through the show because all we could hear was crowd chatter and it just got sad and frustrating. Â
What ultimately makes this frustrating is knowing that there is so much potential; it could be a beautiful venue and have a much better sound system if only someone would put in a bit of TLC. Â They get great acts but I think that even if it is my most favorite band ever, I'm not sure if I'll head back to the Riviera.
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