Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom. The Most Complete Listing of Shows from the 60s thru the 90s
Ah the Aragon Ballroom. This is a fun listing for the old Rock ‘n’ Rollers that visit the Cool Album of the Day site. Here’s a list of just about ever show that was held at the Aragon Ballroom in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. If you went there, have fun looking thru this list. Look for the shows that you saw. Feel ‘bummed’ about the ones you missed. Be angry about the ones that you would have checked out but you didn’t know about, until now.
I’ve combined different listings to form this list. I’ve even contacted band members and did poster research to find others. It’s the best list on the ‘net!
If you were never at the Aragon (it’s still up and running by the way.) it’s still fun to see the shows that were held at the 4500 capacity ‘brawl-room.’ In the old days that would put strung-together folding chairs on the floor. I think they just pack them in now.
Tell us your tales about the Aragon Ballroom below!
VIEW BY DECADE: 60s // 70s // 80s // 90s
The 90s
Make sure you click on all four decades to view all four pages.
- January 19, 1990 Cult /Bonham /Dangerous Toys
- February 9, 1990 Violent Femmes
- March 16, 1990 Joe Satriani
- November 30, 1990 Jane’s Addiction / Henry Rollins Band
- December 29, 1990 Public Enemy / Sonice Youth
- January 1, 1991 Slayer
- February 1, 1991 Replacements /Posies
- February 2, 1991 Replacements /Posies
- February 8, 1991 Living Colour /Urban Dance Squad
- February 15, 1991 Bad Company /Damn Yankees
- May 17, 1991 Black Crowes /Jellyfish
- September 20, 1991 Jesus Jones /Neds Atomic Dustbin /New F.A.D.’S
- October 5, 1991 Anthrax /Public Enemy /Primus
- November 8, 1991 Morrissey
- November 15, 1991 EMF /Carter Unstoppable
- November 26, 1991 Ozzy Osbourne /Infectious Grooves
- November 29, 1991 Red Hot Chili Peppers /Smashing Pumpkins/ Pearl Jam
- February 13, 1992 Skid Row /Soundgarden
- February 14, 1992 Skid Row /Soundgarden
- April 10, 1992 Big Audio Dynamite /Public Image LTD. /Live
- April 11, 1992 Big Audio Dynamite /Public Image LTD. /Live
- August 1, 1992 Black Sabbath / Danzig
- August 6, 1992 Black Crowes /Urban Shake Dancers
- August 14, 1992 Beastie Boys /L7 /House of Pain
- September 19, 1992 Faith No More /Helmet
- October 31, 1992 Ramones /Social Distortion /Over Color Fast
- February 4, 1993 Keith Richards /Soul Asylum
- February 6, 1993 B-52′s /Juliana Hatfield
- March 28, 1993 Pantera /Sacred Reich
- April 10, 1993 Phish
- April 30, 1993 Sugar /Jawbox Cell
- May 8, 1993 Jesus Jones /Stereo MCS
- July 17, 1993 Butthole Surfers /Stone Temple Pilots /Flaming Lips
- July 31, 1993 Anthrax /White Zombie /Quicksand
- September 3, 1993 Fugazi /Tar Slant 6
- September 14, 1993 Lenny Kravitz /Raging Slab
- September 24, 1993 Cypress Hill /House of Pain /Funkdoobiest
- September 25, 1993 Alice In Chains /Tad Sweet Water
- October 1, 1993 Dwight Yoakam /Jimmie Dale Gilmore /Kelly Willis
- October 16, 1993 Primus /Melvins
- October 23, 1993 Nirvana /Mudhoney /Jawbreaker
- October 25, 1993 Nirvana /Mudhoney /Jawbreaker
- November 24, 1993 INXS /Catherine Wheel
- November 25, 1993 INXS /Catherine Wheel
- November 26, 1993 Bodeans /Lowen & Navarro
- December 9, 1993 Smashing Pumpkins /Swervedriver Frogs
- December 10, 1993 Smashing Pumpkins /Swervedriver Frogs
- February 25, 1994 Black Sabbath /Motorhead /Morbid Angel
- March 17, 1994 UB40 /US3
- April 20, 1994 Pantera /Crowbar
- May 6, 1994 Cracker
- May 13, 1994 Blues Traveler /Soulhat
- June 3, 1994 Violent Femmes /Dig Eve’s Plum
- June 10, 1994 Soundgarden /Eleven Tad
- June 11, 1994 Soundgarden /Eleven Tad
- August 11, 1994 Helmet /Rollins Band /Sausage
- August 27, 1994 Mana Eclypsie /Epica
- October 14, 1994 Blues Traveler /Sheryl Crow
- October 21, 1994 Candelbox /Flaming Lips /Mother Tongue
- October 22, 1994 Candelbox /Flaming Lips /Mother Tongue
- November 4, 1994 Sugar /Magnapop /Velocity Girl
- November 13, 1994 Cranberries /MC 900 Ft Jesus /Gigolo Aunts
- November 18, 1994 Green Day /Pansy Division
- November 23, 1994 Bodeans /Orange Hunters
- February 3, 1995 Slayer /Biohazard Machine Head
- February 10, 1995 Megadeth /C.O.C.
- February 18, 1995 Offspring Quicksand /No Use for a Nam
- February 19, 1995 Offspring Quicksand /No Use for a Nam
- March 10, 1995 Black Crowes /Dirty Dozen Brass Band
- March 11, 1995 Black Crowes /Dirty Dozen Brass Band
- March 12, 1995 Pantera /Type O Negative
- March 17, 1995 Big Head Todd & the Monsters /Dave Matthews Band /Ugly Americans
- March 24, 1995 Toad the Wet Sprocket /Hootie & the Blowfish
- May 19, 1995 White Zombie /Reverend Horton /Heat Melvins
- August 8, 1995 Weezer /Teenage Fanclub /That Dog
- September 1, 1995 Bush Hum Toadies
- October 6, 1995 KMFDM /Korn /God Lives Under Water
- October 19, 1995 Ozzy Osbourne /Fear Factory
- October 21, 1995 Blues Traveler /Fiji Mariners
- October 22, 1995 Blues Traveler /Fiji Mariners
- October 28, 1995 Mana
- October 29, 1995 Mana /Santa Maria
- November 3, 1995 Ozzy Osbourne /Fear Factory
- November 24, 1995 Freddy Jones Band /Sonia Dada /Willy Porter
- February 2, 1996 Lenny Kravitz /Triple Fast Action
- February 8, 1996 Korn /Candle of Thorns
- February 23, 1996 Cypress Hill /311 Pharcyde
- February 27, 1996 Oasis /Pulsars
- March2, 1996 Alanis Morissette /Loud Lucy
- March 9, 1996 Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers
- April 5, 1996 Primus /Cows
- April 8, 1996 Ministry /Young Gods
- April 9, 1996 Ministry /Young Gods
- April 15, 1996: Primus/Cows
- July 5, 1996 Everclear /Spacehog /Tracy Bonham
- July 19, 1996 Butthole Surfers /Toadies /Reverend Horton Heat
- August 17, 1996 Sex Pistols /Gravity Kills /Goldfinger
- September 7, 1996 311 Urge
- September 16, 1996 Rage Against the Machine /Girls Against Boys /Stanford Prison Experiment
- September 17, 1996 Rage Against the Machine /Girls Against Boys /Stanford Prison Experiment
- October 5, 1996 Black Crowes /God Street Wine
- October 6, 1996 Black Crowes /God Street Wine
- October 31, 1996 WideSpread Panic /Tina & the B-Side Movement
- November 1, 1996 G3 Tour Joe Satriani /Eric Johnson /Steve Vai /Adrian Legg
- November 2, 1996 ZZ Top
- November 7, 1996 Rusted Root
- November 9, 1996 Soundgarden /Rocket From the Crypt /Tenderlion
- November 10, 1996 Soundgarden /Rocket From the Crypt/ Tenderlion
- November 14, 1996 Tool Cows
- November 22, 1996 Tragically Hip
- January 25, 1997 Pantera /Clutch Neurosis
- March 10, 1997 Counting Crows /Engine 88
- March 11, 1997 Counting Crows /Engine 88
- March 14, 1997 Big Head Todd & the Monsters /Nil Lara
- March 22, 1997 Korn /Helmet /Limp Bizkit
- April 20, 1997 Silverchair /Local H /Hanson
- April 26, 1997 Deep Rave �97 Orb /Chemical Brothers
- May 9, 1997 WideSpread Panic
- May 13, 1997 OffSpring
- August 8, 1997 Megadeth /Misfits
- September 23, 1997 Pantera /Machine Head /Coal Chamber
- September 26, 1997 Morrissey /Elcka
- October 10, 1997 Offspring /L7 /A.F.I.
- October 17, 1997 David Bowie/ DJ U-Sheen
- October 21, 1997 Foo Fighters /Talk Show /Treble Charger
- October 31, 1997 Big Head Todd & the Monsters /Lonnie Brooks Band
- November 3, 1997 Jane’s Addiction /Goldie
- November 21, 1997 Blues Traveler /Jonny Lang
- November 22, 1997 Blues Traveler /Jonny Lang
- December 30, 1997 Poi Dog Pondering /Liquid Soul /DJ Kid Koala
- December 31, 1997 Poi Dog Pondering /911 Mambo Orchestra /DJ Jesse De La Pena
- March 8, 1998 Matchbox 20 /Cool for
- March 13, 1998 Megadeth /Coal Chamber /Life of Agony
- March 26, 1998 Third Eye Blind /Smashmouth
- October 24, 1998 Rob Zombie / Monster Magnet / Fear Factory
- November 19, 1998 Metallica / Battery
- July 25th 1999 Iron Maiden / Monster Magnet / Clutch
- October 13, 1999 Creed / Our Lady Peace / Oleander
- September 16, 2002: The Rolling Stones.
Posted by Larry Carta
My God, what an impressive list. I do miss the old days!
For the following shows (can’t remember which date I attended):
April 10, 1992 Big Audio Dynamite Public Image LTD. Live
April 11, 1992 Big Audio Dynamite Public Image LTD. Live
Blind Melon opened with Shannon Hoon making the crowd throw the chairs that were set up on the floor off to the side then proceeded to body surf into the crowd.
The best part about the 1997 Jane’s Addiction show was the surprise set by the Smashing Pumpkins between Goldie and Jane’s with Matt Walker on drums. Amazing how many great shows this venue has hosted over the years… especially in hindsight.
I was also there. Holy cow was that awesome. The show sold out in minutes without anybody even knowing that the Smashing Pumpkins would be playing.
Didn’t Maiden play the Ballroom in 1999 to warm up the band after Bruce Dickenson’s glorious return that year? Also, that Cult/Guns-n-Roses show in Aug. ’87 was canceled and a return show was not at the Aragon as far as I know. I do remember seeing the “show cancelled” notice on the doors and being more than upset after a fight through Chicago traffic.
Thanks Eric. I was able to find the Iron Maiden show as well. July 25th, 1999. Thanks again,
At the 12/29/90 Public Enemy show, Sonic Youth opened.
I was at about ten of these shows . Anthrax, Slayer, Living Colour,, Jesus Jones,- Public Enemy/Sonic Youth being the best, Rage a close second. Nirvana? Not so much.
2/2/96 This was the night that I found myself face to face with Prince. I was in the wrong place at the right time. I was packing up my drums backstage after my band Triple Fast Action supported Lenny Kravitz and a door pops open to an outside alley or staircase and in walks this little guy with a huge guy. I was told by this guy, whom I thought was Prince’s head of security, that he would have lost his job if I had said anything to him. He wanted to be known only as “The Boss” that night. You can catch up with the new FB Page for our band at https://www.facebook.com/triplefastactionband.
this is not acurate, i saw ” The Doors ” in 1972 after Morrison died. not even listed…
I never said it’s 100% complete. We’re updating it all the time!
1992 Halloween – Ramones. I wore a Mad Hatter costume with a giant top hat. “Who are you, Tom Petty?”
The sound was kinda sucky, they didn’t have enough acoustic power.
Hi! I have a ticket stub from the Big Head Todd show in March of 1995. It was on 3/17, not 3/16…just FYI.
Fixed! Thanks
Friday September 25th, 1998, Third Eye Blind with Eve 6
Wow, unreal list. Great work. I was at many of these in the 90’s. I remember going to the Rage show specifically to see the opener Girls Against Boys and the crowd pissed me off so bad as they just kept chanting for Rage to come on. Ruined the show for me. I think I stupidly left during Rage’s set and didn’t come to appreciate Rage until years later. Oh well.