Post Archive For April 2009

Everybody talks about how cool it would be to own their own bar. They talk about how they have great ideas and how they will have great bar food and play great music. Well, we said the exact same thing after years of going out and watching shows like Cheers and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and now we are close to living that dream. We have started our own little countdown to Lockdown.

We, Dave, PJ, and Perm, had enough trouble brainstorming to come up with the name Lockdown, but after experiencing the wonderfully harrowing journey through Chicago city government we feel a little abused, but are excited nonetheless. Now, construction is about midway though and we are salivating in anticipation of the chance to enjoy at the new venue as owners.

We also came up with a novel concept. Everybody wants to be the next rock god, and there are plenty of venues nearby that give bands that chance. Few places, however, actually try and recreate those mind blowing metal concerts of old.

Lockdown will feature those tried and true hard rocking gods. Watch and listen on HD as James Hetfield’s raw voice and Kirk Hammet’s thrashing guitar incite the crowd at the San Diego Sports Arena in 1992. Relive the golden age of Iron Maiden when Bruce Dickenson first took the band to international fame in the’80s. Revel in the Queens’ rock anthems Bohemian Rhapsody to Another One Bites the Dust. We will immerse these walls with the best of metal and hard rock, from Pantera to Rush to AC/DC.

Of course we want to be more than simply a cement box with classic guitar riffs bouncing off the walls. Lockdown will also be an amazing place to eat as a bar and grill. We, the brain trust, have been coming up with names to go with the playful prison theme. Maybe chomp on some misdemeanors (appetizers) and get one of our juicy burgers from the felony menu (entrees).

Yeah, the names are still a work in progress, but we are being careful not to just say we have good food. Perm is working on concoctions like the Electric Chair Burger and several other scary, playful, or just dirty names. He grew up in the restaurant business.

Lockdown is going to be our dream place, a venue for amazing music and a bar and grill to chill in Chicago. I guess our dream of becoming the guys from Cheers and It’s Always Sunny is almost here, minus Kristie Alley or the morally reprehensible acts…mostly.