Old School House Music in Chicago

Check out the best old school house music clubs in Chicago. Find out where to go to hear the latest tracks, and get information on upcoming events.

Origins of House Music in Chicago

House music is a genre of electronic dance music that was created in the 1980s in Chicago. The style was developed by DJ’s who were influenced by disco, electronic, and funk music. House music quickly spread to other parts of the United States and then to Europe.

DJ Frankie Knuckles

Frankie Knuckles, the godfather of house music, began his career as a disco DJ in the late 1970s in New York City. In 1977, he moved to Chicago and took up residency at the Warehouse, a popular club in the city’s North Side. It was here that Knuckles developed his signature sound, a fusion of disco and electronic music that came to be known as house.

Knuckles’ style of DJing was heavily influenced by his training as a classically-trained pianist. He would often play extended tracks with a variety of subtle changes in tempo and dynamics, something that was unheard of in most clubs at the time. This gave his sets a unique flavor that soon made him one of the most popular DJs in Chicago.

The Warehouse closed its doors in 1982, but Knuckles continued to play at various clubs around the city. He also began producing his own tracks, some of which were released on vinyl by local record labels. One of these tracks, “Your Love,” became an underground hit and helped to spread the popularity of house music beyond Chicago.

In 1987, Knuckles relocated to London, where he continued to perform and produce music. He remains an influential figure in the house music scene today, and his legacy can be heard in the work of many contemporary DJs and producers.

The Warehouse

In the early 1980s, a new style of music was born in the clubs of Chicago. This style came to be known as house music. House music was a direct result of the creative efforts of DJs who were looking to experiment with new sounds. These DJs took elements of existing genres, such as disco and soul, and combined them with new technologies, such as drum machines and synthesizers. The result was a completely new type of music that quickly caught on with clubgoers in Chicago and beyond.

The Warehouse was one of the first clubs to embrace house music. The Warehouse was opened in 1977 by Robert Williams, a DJ who had previously worked at other Chicago clubs such as The Playground and The Joint. Williams intended The Warehouse to be a place where people could come to hear cutting-edge music, and he soon began booking some of the most popular DJs in the city, including Frankie Knuckles and Ron Hardy. It wasn’t long before The Warehouse became THE place to go for anyone looking to hear the latest and greatest in dance music.

The sound of house music continued to evolve throughout the 1980s, as different producers began experimenting with different styles and techniques. By the 1990s, house music had become an international phenomenon, with clubgoers all over the world dancing to its infectious beats. Today, house music is as popular as ever, and its roots can be traced back to those early days at The Warehouse in Chicago.

The Second Wave of House Music in Chicago

In the early 1990s, a new form of house music was created in Chicago. This new style was a departure from the original sound that had been popular in the city. The new sound was darker, more minimal, and more experimental. It was also more influenced by hip hop and other forms of black music.

DJ Pierre

DJ Pierre is one of the most important figures in the history of house music, and he was at the forefront of the second wave of house music in Chicago.

Pierre’s career began in the early 1980s, when he was a member of the group Phuture. Phuture’s track “Acid Tracks” is widely considered to be one of the first acid house tracks, and it had a major impact on the development of house music.

After Phuture, Pierre went on to found the record label Relief Records, which was one of the most important house music labels of the 1990s. Relief was home to many iconic tracks, including “Your Love” by Frankie Knuckles and “Can You Feel It” by Mr. Fingers.

Pierre continued to be an important figure in house music throughout the 1990s and 2000s, and he is still active today. He remains one of the most respected figures in the scene, and his influence can still be felt in contemporary house music.

Acid house

In the mid-1980s, a new style of house music called “acid house” began to evolve in Chicago. This style was characterized by the use of synthesizers and drum machines to create a sonic landscape that was both hypnotic and danceable. Acid house tracks often had a ‘ acid’ or ‘squelchy’ sound, which was created by using a low-pass filter to modulate the pitch of a synthesizer. This sound became synonymous with the Chicago house music scene.

Acid house quickly spread from Chicago to other parts of the United States, and then to Europe. By the early 1990s, acid house had become one of the most popular genres of dance music. In 1992, acid house tracks such as “X-Boy” by DJ Pierre and “Funk You Up” by Satomi Matsui became international hits.

While acid house is no longer as popular as it once was, its influence can still be heard in today’s house music. Many modern house tracks still incorporate the ‘acid’ sound, and the genre continues to be an important part of Chicago’s musical history.

The New Wave of House Music in Chicago

Chicago has always been a hotbed for house music, and the new wave of artists are keeping the torch lit. From J.Phlip to Gene Farris, the Windy City is pumping out some of the best house music in the world. But what makes this new wave of artists so special? Let’s take a closer look.

Footwork

Footwork is a style of electronic dance music that emerged in Chicago in the early 1990s. The style is defined by its fast-paced, repetitive nature, and often features samples of juke and ghetto house tracks. Footwork dancers usually perform solo or in groups, and the dancer’s movements are often close to the floor.

Juke

Juke is a type of house music that originated in Chicago in the early 1990s. The style is characterized by its fast tempo and repetitive, percussive nature. It was initially popularized by DJs who would play it at parties and clubs, but it has since gained a wider audience thanks to the Internet.

Juke music is often compared to other forms of dance music such as techno and trance, but it typically has a more minimalist sound and is less concerned with complex arrangements. This simplicity is one of the things that makes juke so appealing to dancers; the repetitive nature of the music makes it easy to keep moving without having to think too much about what you’re doing.

Juke tracks typically contain samples of other songs, which are then looped and manipulated by the DJ. This gives the music an ever-changing quality that keeps dancers engaged. Juke DJs will often create new tracks by mixing and matching different loops together, resulting in a unique sound that can be quite addictive.

If you’re interested in experiencing juke for yourself, there are plenty of ways to do so. There are many online radio stations that specialize in this type of music, or you can search for DJs who play juke sets at clubs and parties in your area. Once you start dancing to juke, you may find it hard to stop!