The Vic Theatre is a

music venue A music venue is any location used for a concert or musical performance. Music venues range in size and location, from a small coffeehouse for folk music shows, an outdoor bandshell or bandstand or a concert hall to an indoor sports stadium. Ty ...

located in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

. Vic Theatre can easily accommodate 1,400 people or with a seated capacity of 1,000.

History

Vic Theatre, designed by architect

John Eberson John Adolph Emil Eberson (January 2, 1875 – March 5, 1954) was an Austrian-American architect best known for the development and promotion of movie palace designs in the atmospheric theatre style. He designed over 500 theatres in his lifetime, e ...

, opened in 1912 as the Victoria Theatre. It took three years to build the luxurious five-story

Vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

house. The theatre was owned and built by Robert E. Ricksen and Frank Gazzolo. Ricksen and Gazzolo operated the Crown and Imperial theaters as well. Costing $300,000 to construct it was equipped with every luxury. (Source: September 14, 1912 Billboard publication) In 1983 The Vic was purchased by Walt Klein who spent several million restoring it. Opening with the 20th Anniversary of Second City and recorded for broadcast by HBO The Vic was originally programmed by Lou Valpano and Celebration Flipside. Within a year programming was handled by Dave Frey, who brought in Holiday Star Theater as a partner. In 1986 Walt and his team brought in Thunderdome Enterprises to handle day-to-day operations and bring the popular ClubLand nightclub to extend the venue's operating hours. During this period concert booking and promotions were moved to Jam Productions. In 1988 Michael Butler produced the 20th anniversary revival of "Hair" at the Vic. In 1990 ClubLand closed, and Thunderdome Enterprises reconcepted the nightclub into the short-lived Catwalk. In the mid-1990's, Brew & View was established at the Vic, offering movies and drinks on non-concert nights. Later, Walt sold The Vic to Jam Productions.

Some notable performances

''Please add in ascending order by date'' *

The Residents The Residents are an American art collective and art rock band best known for their avant-garde music and multimedia works. Since their first official release, ''Meet the Residents'' (1974), they have released over 60 albums, numerous music vid ...

at the Vic on February 7, 1986. * The Replacements at the Vic on April 11, 1986. *

Trouble Funk Trouble Funk is an American R&B and funk band from Washington, D.C. The group helped to popularize funk and the subgenre go-go in the Washington metropolitan area. Among the band's well-known songs is the go-go anthem "Hey, Fellas". They rele ...

Red Hot Chili Peppers The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, consisting of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (musician), Flea (bass), John Frusciante (guitar), and Chad Smith (drums). Their music incorporates elements of a ...

Beastie Boys The Beastie Boys were an American Hip-hop, hip hop and Rap rock, rap rock group formed in New York City in 1979. They were composed of Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Mike D, ...

at the Vic on January 4, 1987. *In November 1988, Michael Butler produced the musical ''

Hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and ...

'' at the Vic Theater to celebrate the shows' 20th anniversary. The production ran until February 1989.Horn, pp. 118–20 *

Gymboree Gymboree is a sub brand of The Children's Place. Gymboree began with operating retail stores between the early 1970s and the later 2010s. It was founded by Joan Barnes. History Early years In 1986, the company opened a chain of clothing stores ...

taped their home video

Parachute Express Parachute Express was an American band of three California-based entertainers who performed, wrote, and produced music for children. Members were Stephen Michael Schwartz, Janice Hubbard, and Donny Becker. Parachute Express gained national promine ...

Live in Concert at the Vic in 1989. *

Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the bands Nazz and Utopia. He is known for his sophistica ...

performed two nights March 2–3, 1990, with the second show being broadcast live on

WXRT WXRT (93.1 FM), also known as XRT and 93-XRT is an alternative rock radio station in Chicago, Illinois. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. The station broadcasts from a transmitter atop John Hancock Center and its studios are located at T ...

. *

Bill Hicks William Melvin Hicks (December 16, 1961 – February 26, 1994) was an American stand-up comedian and satirist. His material— encompassing a wide range of social issues including religion, politics, and philosophy— was controversial and ofte ...

recorded an HBO special, One Night Stand, at the Vic in 1991. *

Tangerine Dream Tangerine Dream is a German electronic music band founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese. The group has seen many personnel changes over the years, with Froese the only constant member until his death in January 2015. The best-known lineup of the grou ...

was scheduled to play at

The Riviera () is an Italian word which means , ultimately derived from Latin , through Ligurian . It came to be applied as a proper name to the coast of Liguria (the Genoa region in northwestern Italy) in the form , then shortened in English. Riviera may a ...

on Oct 17, 1992, however, just a few days prior to the concert date, the venue was moved to the Vic. *

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...

brought his

Earthling Earthling or Earthlings may refer to: Film and television * ''Earthling'' (film), a 2010 sci-fi film * ''Earthlings'' (film), a 2005 animal rights documentary * '' The Earthling'', a 1980 drama film * "Earthling" (''Fringe''), a 2009 TV episod ...

tour to the Vic on September 19, 1997. *

Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees ( ) were a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. Post-punk pioneers, they were widely influential, both over their contemporaries and later ...

at the Vic on April 22, 2002. *

Porcupine Tree Porcupine Tree are an English rock band formed by musician Steven Wilson in 1987. During an initial career spanning more than twenty years, they earned critical acclaim from critics and fellow musicians, developed a cult following, and became ...

In Absentia ''In Absentia'' is the seventh studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, first released on 24 September 2002. The album marked several changes for the band, with it being the first with new drummer Gavin Harrison and the f ...

tour played The Vic on July 25, 2003. * Ween recorded ''

Live In Chicago Live in Chicago may refer to: Albums *Live in Chicago (The Apples in Stereo album), ''Live in Chicago'' (The Apples in Stereo album) *''Live! in Chicago'', an album by Kenny Wayne Shepherd *Live in Chicago (King Crimson album), ''Live in Chicago'' ...

'', a DVD and CD of their three night run at the Vic in 2003. *

Wilco Wilco is an American Rock music, rock band based in Chicago. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo after singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup changed frequently during its fir ...

recorded '' Kicking Television: Live in Chicago'' at the Vic in May 2005. *

Jim Gaffigan James Christopher Gaffigan (born July 7, 1966) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. His material often addresses fatherhood, laziness, food, religion, and general observations. He is regarded as a "clean" comic, using l ...

's '' Beyond the Pale'' CD, DVD and TV special were recorded at the Vic in 2006. *

brought The Incident tour to The Vic on September 22, 2009. *

Soundgarden Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Cornell switched to rhythm guitar in 1985, replaced on drums initially ...

played their first reunion show at the Vic on August 5, 2010. *

Hannibal Buress Hannibal Amir Buress ( ; born February 4, 1983) is an American comedian, actor, producer, and writer. He started performing comedy in 2002 while attending Southern Illinois University. He starred on Adult Swim's '' The Eric Andre Show'' from 20 ...

Recorded his second Comedy Central special at the Vic in January 2014. *

Papa Roach Papa Roach is an American Rock music, rock band from Vacaville, California, formed in 1993. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Jacoby Shaddix, drummer Dave Buckner, guitarist Jerry Horton, bassist Will James, and trombonist Ben Luth ...

recorded '' Live & Murderous In Chicago'', a

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...

of their live performance at the Vic. *

Cage the Elephant Cage the Elephant is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 2006 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. They moved to England and settled in London in 2008, shortly before their Cage the Elephant (album), self-titled first album was released. The ban ...

recorded a live album, Cage the Elephant Live at the Vic in Chicago in 2012. *

King Crimson King Crimson were an English progressive rock band formed in London in 1968 by Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald (musician), Ian McDonald and Peter Sinfield. Guitarist Fripp remained the only constant member throughout the ...

played in a line-up featuring among others guitarist

Robert Fripp Robert Fripp (born 16 May 1946) is an English musician, composer, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a session mu ...

and three previous line-ups' drummers performing simultaneously, for 4 consecutive nights in autumn 2014, one of only nine city stops for this incarnation of the band. *

Pete Correale Peter Correale (born April 20, 1970, in Oakdale, New York) is an American actor, stand up comedian, and writer. He currently co-hosts ''The Pete and Sebastian Show'' podcast with fellow comedian Sebastian Maniscalco that airs weekly on iHeartRadio. ...

's stand-up special "Let Me Tell Ya" for Showtime was recorded at the Vic in May 2015. *

Iliza Shlesinger Iliza Vie Shlesinger ( ; born ) is an American stand-up comedian, actress and television host. She was the 2008 winner of NBC's ''Last Comic Standing (season 6), Last Comic Standing'' and went on to host the syndicated dating show ''Excused'' f ...

's stand-up

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

special ''Confirmed Kills'' was recorded at the Vic on April 23, 2016. *

Pete Holmes Peter Benedict Holmes (born March 30, 1979) is an American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and podcaster. Holmes gained recognition in the early 2010s as a stand-up comic, during which he launched his podcast ''You Made It Weird'' (2011–p ...

’s stand-up HBO Special “Faces and Sounds” was recorded at the Vic in 2016. *

Midnight Oil Midnight Oil (known informally as "The Oils") are an Australian rock band composed of Peter Garrett (vocals, harmonica), Rob Hirst (drums), Jim Moginie (guitar, keyboard) and Martin Rotsey (guitar). The group was formed in Sydney in 1972 by H ...

played here on May 18, 2017, on The Great Circle World Tour, their first tour since 2002. *

Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Regarded as a pop icon and an influential figure in popular music, Grande is known for her four-octave vocal range, which extends into the whistle re ...

played here on August 22, 2018, for her "Sweetener Sessions" mini tour to celebrate her new album "Sweetener". *

Sabaton A sabaton or solleret is part of a knight's body armour, body armor that covers the foot. History Sabatons from the 14th and 15th centuries typically end in a tapered point well past the actual toes of the wearer's foot, following poulaines, f ...

played here on October 26, 2019, for their Great Tour, opened by fellow

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

band

HammerFall HammerFall is a Swedish power metal band from Gothenburg. The band was formed in 1993 by ex- Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak. They have released thirteen studio albums. History Early days (1993–1996) HammerFall was formed when g ...

. *

Jerry Cantrell Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. (born March 18, 1966) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and main songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains. The band rose to internatio ...

Alice in Chains Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AiC) is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1987. Since 2006, the band's lineup has comprised vocalist/guitarists Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez, and drummer Sean Kinney. Voca ...

played here on March 26, 2022, on his

Brighten ''Brighten'' is the third solo album by Alice in Chains guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell. Released on October 29, 2021, it is his first independent album as well as his first solo album in 19 years, since 2002's ''Degradation Trip Volumes 1 ...

tour. *British rock band the Darkness played here on October 13, 2023, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album, ''

Permission to Land ''Permission to Land'' is the debut studio album by the British glam rock band The Darkness (band), The Darkness, released on 7 July 2003 in the UK and 16 September 2003 in the US. The album topped the UK Albums Chart and reached number thirty-s ...

''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Vic Theatre, The Vic Theatre, The * Theatres completed in 1912 1912 establishments in Illinois Event venues established in 1912