Chicago has always been on the forefront of the music scene, credited as the birthplace of house music and a world-renowned hotbed for jazz and blues. In the late ’70s and ’80s it was also a magnet for more alternative styles of music, like punk.
The active independent music scene was a draw for musician, recording studio owner and engineer Steve Albini, who moved to Chicago in 1980.
"I came to Chicago as a teenager," Albini says. "It was an exciting place to be in the punk scene, a tremendous place to be, with a lot of activity and bands."
Today, underground and alternative bands from all over the world still seek out Albini’s Chicago-based Electrical Audio recording studio and his engineering prowess to record their music. He has worked with the likes of Nirvana and The Pixies.
Though Albini eschews the mainstream music industry, he does recommend a few music venues in the city, including Reggie’s Lounge, and notes other attractive spaces like the Double Door and Shuba’s, among others.
Aside from his music tastes, he is a big proponent of his own city, from the high-profile Art Institute of Chicago to the back streets of its smaller neighborhoods.
"Each neighborhood has its own corner of interest," Albini says. "Cultural identity used to depend on the neighborhood, and that is still the case in Chicago."
Albini notes that a few neighborhoods have changed, such as Wicker Park and Lincoln Park, both shifting from hip and trendy to upscale.
"But the bulk of the city maintains a thread of its own identity," he asserts. "That’s what’s interesting about Chicago."
Albini enjoys wandering the knickknack shops on Belmont Avenue, close to where he lives.
"There are a lot of second-hand shops and antique shops," Albini says. "The prince is Uncle Fun, which carries toys and novelties and curios—little puzzles and games and rubber spiders, severed head dolls. If you go in there, you are guaranteed to spend a couple of hours looking—everything is cheap and cute and amazing."
Another favorite is the Dusty Groove America record store on Ashland Street, specializing in old and out-of-print soul, jazz and funk, among other genres.
"I’ve never gone in and not blown hundreds of dollars," Albini says.
For offbeat dining options, Albini swears by The Bristol pub for its cured meats and adventurous menu. Late night he heads to San Sous Gap San Korean, an all-night Korean barbecue. Kumas Corner, crowned by some as serving Chicago’s best burger, names its burgers after heavy metal bands.
Chicago also offers its share of outdoor ventures with its myriad parks, Lake Michigan and Chicago River. Albini recommends River Park along the Chicago River for its green trails and bike paths.
"You could go down to the river and walk for a couple of miles and see wildlife—ducks and geese and beavers and coyotes," he says.
Albini is also infatuated with the venerable Art Institute of Chicago, now sporting a Renzo Piano-designed Modern Wing, and singles out the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago as having some exhibitions that are "breathtakingly great."
But the top of the list for Albini as far as a must-do is seeing a ballgame at Wrigley Field.
"Watching baseball there is a unique experience," he says. "It’s small and intimate, so you’re right on top of the action, and there is not a crush of corporate sports identity. Also, it’s right in middle of city; you step off the L [train] and you’re there. There’s something magical about eating polish sausage and watching a ballgame. The Cubs are not anything to write home about, but if you’re not a Cubs fan, you might enjoy the suffering."
