Alley entrance
Neo was a
nightclub located at 2350 N. Clark St. in the
Chicago neighborhood of
Lincoln Park . Established on July 25, 1979
[1] Neo was the oldest
[2] or one of the oldest
[3] running nightclubs in Chicago and was a hangout and venue for a variety of musicians and artists, including
David Bowie ,
Iggy Pop ,
David Byrne ,
the Clash ,
Siouxsie and the Banshees , and
U2 .
[4]
[5]
[6] The nightclub has been noted for being gay-friendly
[7] as well as part of
goth subculture .
[8] Sources differ
[9] as to whether or not the character
Neo from
The Matrix franchise drew inspiration from the nightclub and its patrons.
[10]
[11]
History
In the 1980s the club was a center for Chicago's
Punk and
New Wave scenes.
[6] In 1988, on the advice of one of the bartenders employed by Neo's management, the bar was renovated to look like
lower Wacker .
[12]
[13]
a DJ at the club in 2009
In 2009, Neo celebrated its 30th anniversary and was Chicago's oldest nightclub.
[14]
In 2015, the nightclub lost its lease and had to move to a new location.
[15]
[16]
[17]
[13] Since 2017, the club is currently located inside the Debonair Social Club at 1575 N Milwaukee Avenue at Chicago.
See Also
References
^
"Neo Nightclub to Move After Losing Lease" . Retrieved 2015-09-21 .
^ Biasco, Paul (2015-07-24).
"Neo Closing Iconic Lincoln Park Location After 36 Years" .
DNAinfo . Archived from
the original on 2015-07-24.
^
"Neo nightclub closing; seeking new location - Chicago Entertainment - Chicago Sun-Times" . Retrieved 2015-09-21 .
^ Lauren Viera, "The Miracle of Neo",
Chicago Tribune , Aug, 2009.
full text .
^ Sean Parnell, "Neo",
Chicago Bar Project
full text .
^
a
b
"The time David Bowie called Chicago home" . Retrieved 2015-09-21 .
^
The Social Ecology of Lesbians' Drinking: Considering the Contexts of Urban Neighborhoods . 2015-09-24.
ISBN
9780549797173 .
^
"Chicago's Top Goth Bars And Clubs" . chicago.cbslocal.com . Retrieved 2016-02-16 .
^ Galil, Leor (2021-12-09).
"Neo: where misfits fit in" . Chicago Reader . Retrieved 2021-12-11 .
^
"Neo | Chicago Bar Project Review" . www.chibarproject.com . Retrieved 2020-01-27 .
^ Selvam, Ashok (2015-07-22).
"Whoa! Neo Announces Weekend DJs as Nightclub Preps Move" . Eater Chicago . Retrieved 2020-01-27 .
^
"NEO transforms into Lower Wacker Drive (November 25, 1988)" . Retrieved 2015-09-21 .
^
a
b Geffen, Sasha.
"After 36 years, Neo leaves a changing Lincoln Park" . Chicago Reader . Retrieved 2016-02-16 .
^ Tribune, Chicago.
"An eon of Neo" . chicagotribune.com .
^ Schroering, Heather.
"Neo nightclub in Lincoln Park loses lease" . chicagotribune.com .
^ Cromidas, Rachel.
"Neo Nightclub Loses Lease, Prepares Temporary Move To Wicker Park" . Chicagoist . Archived from
the original on 2015-07-20. Retrieved 2015-09-21 .
^
"Neo Closes Iconic Lincoln Park Location" . Retrieved 2015-09-21 .
Music venues of Illinois
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