Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
(beyond Bronzeville) continued to slide. Physical and social change that had gripped
large portions of Bronzeville proceeded highly unevenly south of Hyde Park. Thus, se-
lect blocks in Chatham, Avalon Park, and South Shore experienced physical upgrad-
ing and new “urban pioneers” (Moberg 2006). In 2008 the official unemployment rate
for four large South Side communities—Englewood, Auburn Gresham, Washington
Heights,andWestEnglewood—wasastaggering23.2percent(
Chicago Reporter
2009;
see
Figure 3.3
). Among all of urban America's neighborhood groupings, only Northeast
Detroit had a higher rate of unemployment in 2008 (
Chicago Reporter
2009). In and
around these four Chicago neighborhoods, most clubs simply fought to survive. Some
adventurous clubbers—Dennis Grammenos's (2011) “courageous-voyeuristic” music
lovers—journeyed south from places like the Loop and Hyde Park to visit these clubs,
butmostcustomerslivedinSouthSideneighborhoods.AsownerStanleyDavisofLee's
Unleaded (South 74th) noted, “Yeah, we saw at this time some clubbers, but they had
not yet really discovered us—we continued to service mainly the nearby neighborhoods
… and typically they didn't have a lot of money.”
South Side Community Areas that Contain Blues Clubs
Yet, in these Big Nine clubs, business and attendance has been typically excellent, par-
ticularly on weekends. Today throngs of people today populate these venues on Friday
and Saturday evenings. Social relations also seem unduly rich and fulfilling (compared
to other music clubs I have visited across urban America). In the social milieu, social
links seamlessly extend across the clubs; drinks are frequently bought for friends across
tables in gestures of sharing and camaraderie; and many also openly enjoy and sing
along with the music. The ongoing dramaturgy also involves patrons frequently enga-
gingindialoguewithperformersonstage.Asmanypatronsacrosstheseclubshavetold
me, the venue is important to them. Some say the music and social order is a needed
release from their daily round of work and tedium. Others note that instead of bridge
clubs, foreign legion halls, or bowling venues, their social life revolves around a blues
club.Asone61-year-oldmanatArtis'sLoungetoldme,“Iamathomehere…it'swhere
I most wanna be. I hook up here regularly with my war buddies so to speak [laughter]
… My wife and kids know where to find me.”
Five Weeks at Beebe's
It's 10 p.m. on a Sunday evening, and the lights dim in Beebe's Lounge on South 78th
Street. Like otherSouthSidebluesclubsIhavevisited thismonth,people quickly hush,
hear the introduction of the evening's first band, and let out a thunderous clapping. The
crowd has steadily grown, anticipating a club favorite, Tommy Ariva and His Band of
