Chicago

Chicago functions as the gravitational center of Midwest emo, with venues like Fireside Bowl, Lounge Ax, and the Empty Bottle hosting the scene's most important shows throughout the 1990s. Jade Tree Records artists tour through regularly, and the city spawns countless crucial bands including The Promise Ring (before relocating to Milwaukee), Joan of Arc, and later Rainer Maria. As the region's cultural and economic hub, Chicago provides the recording studios, college radio stations, and concentrated audience that allows suburban and downstate bands to professionalize while maintaining DIY ethics.

Scenes

Artists