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Good Morning…

So we had two days in Chicago.  First day was at a small club, and then we got back to an old favorite with Death Cab.  The Aragon Ballroom, or Entertainment Center as it is billed.

The “theme” of this place is kind of all over the place.  There is some South Asian feel.

Some Indian-ish.

Some Space Pyramid-ish.

Some Northern African.

Some Gnome Village.

And a dance floor that looks like a roller rink.  It is pretty amazing in there.  The sound is bad, but it is always fun. Except the last time I was there and the girl got knocked off the stage and almost landed on her head.

Chicago has so many old theaters.  This one, The Uptown was right around the corner.

It was built for a initial cost of 5 million dollars in 1925.

About 75% of the electrical system is inoperable, but what there is pretty beautiful.

They have started restoring the building so it might one day be reopened as a venue.

This is what it looks clean and restored.

The Grand Lobby was impressive in it’s unclean state, I can’t imagine what it would look like restored.

There are characters everywhere.

The chandeliers have been removed and are in storage.  I can’t remember the figure, but they are insanely valuable.

These curtains are not original.  They were brought in when HOME ALONE 2 was shot here.  It was Duncan’s Toy Chest.

Fountain’s in the lobby.

There were so many lobbies I didn’t know where to sleep.

The mezzanine boxes, might not have been the best seats but must have been pretty fun, to be able to look over the whole floor of seats.

All the atmospheric lighting was 4 color lighting, so they could make everything match the mood on stage.

Those little windows in the boxes could be changed to any color.

The backlight could be changed to any color.

All the windows could be . . . you get it.

A real fire did not cause this damage.

You recognize this burnt wood.  It is fake, well the wood is real, but it was just nailed here, for the movie BACKDRAFT.

This is the house light controller, I think it would be fun to work this thing when it gets up and running again.

56 line sets to move the scenery for the plays.

This is one of the exit lobbies.

Behind this mural is a radio studio.  It is just an empty room now.

When opened in 1925 it was made to already look old.

I will have to admit, the parts that were made to look old, that are in still good shape still look old, but the parts that are just old, really look old.

Every surface was treated.

And if on original inspection an area was not treated, they made sure something was done to it.

Over the years, of not being in operation, the drain pipes from the roofs would freeze in the winter.

And the running water would destroy whole sections of the walls.

Hand-stenciled walls.  Now they would just use printed wallpaper.

The stairwell is falling apart.

In the balcony of the mail auditorium, the ceiling details keep getting bigger.

The last show here was in 1981, and I think this guy was there.  Proof positive that smoking does kill.

The floor seats, what you can see in front of the balcony.

“An Acre of Seats, in a City of Magic”  This is by far the biggest balcony I have ever seen in a theater.  over 4300 seats.  Can you imagine seeing a movie there?  I don’t know if or when they will get it open again, but I wish them luck.