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Chicago is not underrated? To become a world-class city you have to have a few things: cosmopolitan atmosphere, uniqueness, and the arts.
Chicago's North side is what you would call a yuppie, suburban area. There you will find more people dawning University of Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, (add Big 10/12 school here) flags than showing allegiance to their newly adopted home.
This usually isn't a problem when the people dividing their loyalties are from different countries, but in the case of much of the Northside, not only are they Americans, but they bring no unique culture.
New York Italians brought pizza, the Jews brought breadmaking, Germans also brought their bakeries, the Puerto Ricans brought and developed new styles of Salsa, the blacks brought the lindy hop, jazz, hip hop, etc.
In LA, of course their movies are America's greatest influence overseas, in terms of culture. Their beaches were a breeding ground for surf culture and their streets gave birth to skateboard culture. Skateboarding is still a form of transportation in SoCal.
Chicago cannot live up to these two cities. It's becoming more and more gentrified with people asking where is the next "up and coming" neighbourhood, a euphemism for "where will there start building more coffee shops, offering more Asian Fusion restaurants, yoga studios, and wine bars."
Chicago has very little art. It is confined to painting, it doesn't extend to a new type of music genre as in NYC hip hop or SoCal punk rock, fashion, etc.
Also, Chicago Fashion is bland. The people don't dress like the live in a world-class city. The style is more H&M, Gap, and those major retailers. There definitely isn't anything original to be seen on the streets.
Ask. What stores does Chicago have that you cannot find anywhere else?
Chicago did spawn house music and it's own style of jazz and blues from the Southside, but that was some time ago, and for one reason or another other cities claimed credit for house music and other Chicagoan music contributions.
The culture in much of Chicago's young community is going to a bar and drinking alcohol all night. That's great is you are still at a frat house in college, but to be a world class city you have to do a little bit more than drink alcohol.
Youre generalizing certain parts of the city and only certain folks. Your post is so full of BS that they should be able to smell this in Hong frickin Kong.
Wow, it must be nice to live in a major city where your young communities DONT go to a bar and drink all night. Must be nice to live in a city where everybody dresses like theyre on the cover of Vogue, and not shop at Gap, etc. Must be nice to live in a city where the music is allllllllll their own style. Tell me, chap, where can I find a city like that?!?!?! Id love to move there so I can experience such a place.
Also, can YOU list stores that other cities have that Chicagoland doesnt have? Hmmm?
Take a hike. Maybe you'll find a clue along the way.
I highly believe that NYC is overrated too. I am an east cost girl and have lived in Delaware and Philadelphia and visited and have friends in NYC and to me, NYC it ovverrated, yes it has some great attractions and pretty lights in Manhattan at night, but outside of watching Sex & The City, I have never had an appeal to live or really even travel to NYC for entertainment purposes.
To each its own and everyone has a preference, but I visited Chicago last year and absolutely loved it. I can't wait to move there, even with all the negativity I hear about the weather and how it is harsh. I am like, I will get my boots and coats, but I am going, going.
I agree, when I visited Chicago, it had every store that other cities have from your Gaps and Old Navy's to your Fendis and Gucci. Just depends on what your preference is. If you like high end, by all means go for it, but I would rather wear Gap, Old Navy, heck even Value City, and own a nice home, versus wearing Fendi and driving a BMW living at home with the folks. Because as we all know the economy is not doing well enough, unless you already have money, rich, well-off, etc, to be spending money frivolously on clothes, and material possessions but can’t afford rent or a mortgage.
aww, you're getting hostile and insecure. Meaning there is some truth behind what the previous poster was saying.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-o
Youre generalizing certain parts of the city and only certain folks. Your post is so full of BS that they should be able to smell this in Hong frickin Kong.
Wow, it must be nice to live in a major city where your young communities DONT go to a bar and drink all night. Must be nice to live in a city where everybody dresses like theyre on the cover of Vogue, and not shop at Gap, etc. Must be nice to live in a city where the music is allllllllll their own style. Tell me, chap, where can I find a city like that?!?!?! Id love to move there so I can experience such a place.
Also, can YOU list stores that other cities have that Chicagoland doesnt have? Hmmm?
Take a hike. Maybe you'll find a clue along the way.
it is not that people do not go out to the bar and drink in different areas. I think the poster meant that a lot of the Chicago culture is let go to the bar and drink. I noticed this too, and i do not like that
Youre generalizing certain parts of the city and only certain folks.
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Yes, of course I am. I can't meet everyone in the city. Therefore I am judging my impression of the city.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-o
Wow, it must be nice to live in a major city where your young communities DONT go to a bar and drink all night.
For someone who doesn't drink like myself, it is very nice to live in a place where it is possible to meet people without the prerequisite of going to a bar to drink. Like I said, it is not bad if people choose to focus primarily on drinking alcohol. That's great. Everyone in this world has their unique version of fun. But a select few cities have constructive, creative ways of having fun and those are world class cities. Any group of people can drink alcohol. There's nothing special about it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-o
Must be nice to live in a city where everybody dresses like theyre on the cover of Vogue, and not shop at Gap, etc.
....................................
Also, can YOU list stores that other cities have that Chicagoland doesnt have?
Not dressing bland, doesn't mean being Vogue. To be able to dress creatively does not mean buying Gucci. I will digress from this because, no offence, but some people just don't get fashion. But those who do get it, know art doesn't just belong on the wall, art is not a thing to be bought and sold, art is the product of creativity, and those who believe in creativity, express themselves creatively by the way make things work or function aesthetically.
1. Downtown Nashville, TN has some of the best women's fashion you will ever see. and no, the sun dresses they wear can't be seen on the cover of Vogue nor at the Gap.
2. San Francisco was a city that popularized the messenger bag, a modern staple on urban life and fashion.
3. On the streets of Antwerp's it is almost impossible to find a woman dressed shabbily. Kris Van Asche, Dirk Bikkemberg, Marina Yee, Ann DeMeuldemeester ,etc. have all come from the Fashion Institute there.
Is it unfair to compare Chicago to the above, rare contributions. Yes, unless you claim to be a world class city on par with New York City, Milan, London, Tokyo, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-o
Must be nice to live in a city where the music is allllllllll their own style. Tell me, chap, where can I find a city like that?!?!?! Id love to move there so I can experience such a place.
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3. On the streets of Antwerp's it is almost impossible to find a woman dressed shabbily. Kris Van Asche, Dirk Bikkemberg, Marina Yee, Ann DeMeuldemeester ,etc. have all come from the Fashion Institute there.
Is it unfair to compare Chicago to the above, rare contributions. Yes, unless you claim to be a world class city on par with New York City, Milan, London, Tokyo, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, etc.
-Muer
LOL at Rio being a world class city. You don't judge world class cities by fashion alone
Chicago is not underrated? To become a world-class city you have to have a few things: cosmopolitan atmosphere, uniqueness, and the arts.
Chicago's North side is what you would call a yuppie, suburban area. There you will find more people dawning University of Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, (add Big 10/12 school here) flags than showing allegiance to their newly adopted home.....
OK. I take it you have only been to Lincoln Park, possibly Lakeview, and only hung out with people under 25. Chicago has an incredible theater scene, an enormous number of clubs and music venues, some of the best restaurants in the country, and huge immigrant communities from all over the world.
Quote:
Originally Posted by muer
Chicago has very little art. It is confined to painting, it doesn't extend to a new type of music genre as in NYC hip hop or SoCal punk rock, fashion, etc.
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SoCal punk rock?!?! What has come out of Southern California for real Punk Rock since before House came out of Chicago? Recent musicians to come out of Chicago include Kanye West, Wilco, Fiery Furnaces, Ponys, Tortoise, Neko Case, and many more. Recently the CSO lost it's conductor to La Scala and picked up a new one by hiring Muti - beating out the NY Philharmonic. Chicago has a very solid music culture on all levels.
Architecture is also a form of art. If you don't realize how strong Chicago is in this area you are truly brain dead.
Chicago also has one of the most vibrant theater scenes in the world, for both large productions and smaller black box productions. The Producers and Holy Grail came out of Chicago and are some of the most successful productions to go to Broadway. The smaller theaters in Chicago are what are really interesting tho', and you can find scores of new plays to see in Chicago any day of the week.
Quote:
Originally Posted by muer
The culture in much of Chicago's young community is going to a bar and drinking alcohol all night. That's great is you are still at a frat house in college, but to be a world class city you have to do a little bit more than drink alcohol.
Once again, get out of Lincoln Park and hang out with someone over 25. Go to a bar other than a sports bar even. Do people in Chicago go to bars? YES! But in my experience no more than in London, Berlin, Prague, SF, NYC, DC, or Bangkok. And I would say less than in Seoul or Tokyo.
Adults in Chicago generally spend an evening out going to dinner, seeing a play, going to an opening etc.... and then maybe going to a bar. People just out of college tend to just go out drinking, that is true around the world.
SoCal punk rock?!?! What has come out of Southern California for real Punk Rock since before House came out of Chicago? Recent musicians to come out of Chicago include Kanye West, Wilco, Fiery Furnaces, Ponys, Tortoise, Neko Case, and many more. Recently the CSO lost it's conductor to La Scala and picked up a new one by hiring Muti - beating out the NY Philharmonic. Chicago has a very solid music culture on all levels.
Umm are you serious Punk rock isn't the only thing. Hardcore, Psychadelic Rock, Surf Rock, Glam Rock, Ska and much more. Bands that have come out of California include: Beach Boys, Dick Dale, Jefferson Airplane, Red Hot Chili Peppers, No Doubt, Carlos Santana, Grateful Dead, The Doors, Frank Zappa, The Eagles, Journey, Fleetwood Mac, Motley Crue, Quiet Riot, X, The Germs, Black Flag, The Circle Jerks, Bad Religion, Social Distortion, The Vandals, Suicidal Tendencies, Dead Kennedy's, Metallica, Rancid, Sublime, Sugar Ray, Jane's Addiction, Hole, Stone Temple Pilots, Megadeth, Slayer, Ice-T, Eazy E, Ice Cube, NWA, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Too Short, E-40, Atreyu, Korn, etc.
The Los Angeles Philarmonic is regarded as the most "contemporary minded", "forward thinking", "talked about and innovative", "venturesome and admired" orchestra in America and has been around since 1919.
Now before you go and say that you can't compare the whole state of California to Chicago, just know that 95% of these bands formed in either San Fran of LA.
Umm are you serious Punk rock isn't the only thing. Hardcore, Psychadelic Rock, Surf Rock, Glam Rock, Ska and much more. Bands that have come out of California include: Beach Boys, Dick Dale, Jefferson Airplane, Red Hot Chili Peppers, No Doubt, Carlos Santana, Grateful Dead, The Doors, Frank Zappa, The Eagles, Journey, Fleetwood Mac, Motley Crue, Quiet Riot, X, The Germs, Black Flag, The Circle Jerks, Bad Religion, Social Distortion, The Vandals, Suicidal Tendencies, Dead Kennedy's, Metallica, Rancid, Sublime, Sugar Ray, Jane's Addiction, Hole, Stone Temple Pilots, Megadeth, Slayer, Ice-T, Eazy E, Ice Cube, NWA, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Too Short, E-40, Atreyu, Korn, etc.
The Los Angeles Philarmonic is regarded as the most "contemporary minded", "forward thinking", "talked about and innovative", "venturesome and admired" orchestra in America and has been around since 1919.
Now before you go and say that you can't compare the whole state of California to Chicago, just know that 95% of these bands formed in either San Fran of LA.
I was not knocking the LA Philharmonic or CA music at all, I was responding directly to a post that used SoCal punk as an example of how Chicago has no culture - and I don't believe SoCal has produced much serious punk since the 80's. Oh, and you left out the Minutemen - that's a cardinal sin, one of the greatest bands ever.
I will say it doesn't make sense to lump SF and LA together and compare it to Chicago, especially when you are throwing a lot of SF psychedelic bands that haven't been around for awhile.
I also restricted my examples of Chicago music to the last 10 years or so, there's a lot more if we go as far back as many of the bands you're listing -
Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James, Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson, Junior Wells, Willie Dixon, Gene Chandler, Jerry Butler, Von Freeman, Karl Seigfried, Bix Beiderbecke, the Impressions, the Chi-Lites, Jimmy Ellis, Fred Anderson, Ernest Dawkins, Aaron Getsug, Eddie Condon, Isaiah Spencer, Jackie Wilson, Etta James, Johnny Griffin, Bud Freeman, Gene Krupa, Frank Trumbauer, Curtis Mayfield, Tyrone Davis, Jeff Parker, and Jim Baker, and David Boykin, Ministry, The Staple Singers, Local H, Big Black, Liz Phair, Eleventh Dream Day, Lupe Fiasco, Veruca Salt, Material Issue, Urge Overkill, Common, Disturbed, Alkaline Trio, Naked Raygun, The Academy Is, Rise Against, Smashing Pumpkins, Waco Brothers, The Audition, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, Spitalfield, Chevelle, the Plain White T's, Fall Out Boy, Twista, The Jesus Lizard, The Sea and Cake, Califone, OK Go, The Greenskeepers, Andrew Bird and Umphrey's McGee.
Please note that I left out Styx, Chicago, R Kelly, and Survivor. Please remove the Eagles and Journey from your list. That is nothing to be proud of
In terms of classical the LA Philharmonic is great, I'm just making the point that the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is trading conductors with La Scala - if that is not cosmopolitan I don't know what is.
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Must be nice to live in a city where everybody dresses like theyre on the cover of Vogue, and not shop at Gap, etc. Must be nice to live in a city where the music is allllllllll their own style. Tell me, chap, where can I find a city like that?!?!?! Id love to move there so I can experience such a place.
World Class, not quite
