Sunday, August 23, 2009

100 Historic Bars on the Wall...

A sneak peak from Sean Parnell's Historic Bars of Chicago coming later this fall:

The Mutiny

2428 N. Western Ave. (2400N, 2400W)
Chicago, IL
60647
(773) 486-7774


Website

www.themutinychicago.com

Neighborhood

Logan Square

Open ’til & Cover

2am (3am Sat); never a cover

Drinks

Frosted 32-oz. mugs of Old Style, PBR

Food

None, Sonny’s Pizza across the street

Music

Punk, Saturday afternoon karaoke

Bar Type

Dive Bar, Music Venue

This single-story, one-room building dates back 100 years, as evidenced by the famous mens’ room urinal. Not much is known about the place until a former journeyman boxer named Tommy Kluth ran it from the early ‘50s to May 1973. Back then, the draw at “Tommy Kluth's Gallery Bar-Headquarters, Veteran Boxers Association of Illinois, Ring No. 2” was a small boxing ring in the front of the bar, where Kluth would box patrons, though more for show than actual matches. Locals say the place was a two-lane bowling alley prior to that and a string of dive bars following Tommy’s. The current owner, Ed, opened “The Mutiny Corporation” in September 1990 as part of his own rebellious act. Whatever his unspoken reason, Ed’s Mutiny is our gain: free shows (no cabaret license) of the most raucous indie punk music around are held almost every day, some of which are also featured on the jukebox. After early experiments and a watershed concert on Halloween 1998, put on by the Gaza Strippers, The Nerves andGrand Theft Auto, Mutiny has become the place for bands to cut their teeth, often being their first show or tour. Many bands will cause more than a few of your cilia to perish, but some might make it big some day. In the meantime, you can always enjoy your 32-ounce Pabst Blue Ribbon while gazing at the full suit of armor and drop ceiling panels painted by regulars and local artists, a la Guthries Tavern.

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