Riviera Theatre
| The Riv | |
 | |
| Address | 4746 N. Racine Ave. |
|---|---|
| Location | Chicago, Illinois |
| Owner | Jam Productions |
| Type | concert venue |
| Capacity | 2,500 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1917 |
| Website | |
| www.jamusa.com | |
Riviera Theatre is a concert venue located on the north side of Chicago, Illinois. The Riviera Theatre is capable of seating approximately 2,500 audience members.
Built in 1917, it was designed by Rapp and Rapp for the Balaban & Katz theatre chain run by A. J. Balaban, his brother Barney Balaban and their partner and brother-in-law, Sam Katz.[1] It is an example of French Renaissance Revival architecture.[2] It later became a private nightclub in 1986. The theatre is located in the Uptown section of the city, at the intersection of Lawrence, Broadway and Racine. The area has several notable theaters, including the Aragon Ballroom, which is only 0.2 miles away. It has been owned by Jam Productions since 2006.[3]
Today, it serves as a venue for many popular acts, both local and national.[4]
Events
- My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult performed at the theatre October 28, 1988 and three tracks of from the performance were released in 2004 as part of the reissue for their debut album.
- Jody Watley performed at the theatre July 21, 1989 during her Larger Than Life album tour.
- Tin Machine performed at the theatre during their It's My Life Tour on December 12, 1991, which was recorded and became part of their live album, Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby.
- The Smashing Pumpkins played a release party for their 1996 album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness the night before its release here.
- Type O Negative performed with Moonspell and Cradle of Filth November 22, 2003 for their Life Is Killing Me album tour.
References
- ↑ The Chicago Movie Palaces of Balaban And Katz by David Balaban & Joseph Ducibella (Arcadia Publishing, 2006)
- ↑ Valentine, Maggie (1994). The Show Starts on the Sidewalk: An Architectural History of the Movie Theatre. New Haven (Conn.): Yale University Press. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-300-06647-0.
- ↑ Jam Productions affiliate buys Riviera Theater
- ↑ About the Riviera http://www.jamusa.com/Venues/Riviera/VenueDetails.aspx
