THE BAD NEWS is that the glory days of Chicago house are history. There’s no more Shelter, no more warehouse raves, and fewer venues willing to let in under-21s, which has pretty much meant the end of club-kid culture. The good news is that none of this has stopped Chicago from growing a world-class danceclub scene. Pull out Section 3, flip to the “Dance” portion of the music listings, and you’ll find DJs spinning a couple dozen different kinds of music at name-brand clubs, dive bars, and a range of spots between the two.
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If your idea of what a nightclub should be is based solely on the movies—all trance music, hot chicks, and Red-Bull-vodkas—you’re thinking of what’s known cozily as a
Carlos D, and their residencies—from a dancehall reggae night to the electro-gothic Dark Wave Disco—are a consistent good bet. Smart Bar (downstairs from the live-music club Metro at 3730 N. Clark, 773-549-4140) succeeds on a similar level. The sound there sticks more to variations on the four-on-the-floor beat, offering regular appearances by Chicago’s better-respected house and techno DJs, and gigs with MSTRKRFT,Matthew Dear, James Murphy, and other dance tastemakers.
