Aragon Ballroom (Chicago)
Encyclopedia
The Aragon Ballroom is the name of a ballroom
in Chicago, Illinois.
Located on West Lawrence Avenue approximately five miles (8 km) north of downtown in the Uptown
neighborhood, it was built in 1926 and designed in the Moorish architectural style with the interior resembling a Spanish
village and named for an autonomous community
of Spain, the Aragon was extravagantly appointed. The hall was an immediate success, and remained a popular Chicago attraction through the 1940s. The Aragon's proximity to the Chicago 'L'
(elevated railway
) helped people flock to the hall, and crowds often exceeded 18,000 guests over the six open nights each week. Powerhouse radio station WGN
broadcast an hour-long program from the hall each night to radio audiences throughout the Midwestern United States and Canada.
Legend has it that the secret tunnels under the nearby Green Mill
bar, a Prohibition
-era hangout of Al Capone
, lead to the Aragon's basement.
A fire
at an adjacent cocktail lounge in 1958 forced the Aragon to close for several months. After the reopening, crowds declined significantly. Regular dancing ended in 1964. A succession of new owners used the Aragon as a roller skating
rink, a boxing
venue, and a discothèque, (the Cheetah, a spin-off of the New York disco) among other uses, plus occasional efforts to revive it as a traditional ballroom.
The Aragon hosted nearly all of the top names of the big band era. During the 1970s, the Aragon was home to so-called "monster rock" shows, which were marathons of rock and roll acts often lasting six hours or more. The shows gained a reputation for attracting a tough crowd, leading to the nickname
"the Aragon Brawlroom".
In 1973, Latin promoters Willy Miranda and Jose Palomar became owners of the Aragon. The two men had promoted Hispanic
dances and concerts in Chicago for years, and moved their productions to the Aragon with the purchase. They soon teamed up with rock promoters Arny Granat and Jerry Mickelson, who used the hall for their rock concerts.
In the late 1990s, the Aragon was bought by Luis Rossi (previous owner of La Raza Newspaper), Ivan Fernandez, and Mercedes Fernandez.
Today, under the name Aragon Entertainment Center, the hall hosts a variety of Spanish language
and Vietnamese language
shows as well as English language
rock concerts. The occasional boxing events are still held as well.
On June 26, 2004, funk metal
band Primus
filmed their first concert DVD, Hallucino-Genetics
, at the Aragon.
During a performance on October 17, 2009, sludge metal
band Mastodon
recorded a live album and concert DVD at the venue. Live at the Aragon
was released on March 15, 2011.
The Ballroom was also the site of Barack Obama's 50th birthday party, on August 3, 2011. Dinners were $38,000 a plate for the fundraiser, though tickets to the event itself ranged from $50 and up. The air conditioning was apparently out, with the inside temperature of 92 degrees. The Aragon also used non-union labor for the event since overtime issues were a concern. There were also immigration picketers present at the event, with slogans such as "Obama, don't deport my momma".
Ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
in Chicago, Illinois.
Located on West Lawrence Avenue approximately five miles (8 km) north of downtown in the Uptown
Uptown, Chicago
Uptown is one of Chicago’s 77 community areas. Uptown has well defined boundaries. They are: Foster on the north; Lake Michigan on the east; Montrose , and Irving Park on the south; Ravenswood , and Clark on the west. Uptown borders three community areas and Lake Michigan...
neighborhood, it was built in 1926 and designed in the Moorish architectural style with the interior resembling a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
village and named for an autonomous community
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
of Spain, the Aragon was extravagantly appointed. The hall was an immediate success, and remained a popular Chicago attraction through the 1940s. The Aragon's proximity to the Chicago 'L'
Chicago 'L'
The L is the rapid transit system serving the city of Chicago and some of its surrounding suburbs. It is operated by the Chicago Transit Authority...
(elevated railway
Elevated railway
An elevated railway is a form of rapid transit railway with the tracks built above street level on some form of viaduct or other steel or concrete structure. The railway concerned may be constructed according to the standard gauge, narrow gauge, light rail, monorail or suspension railway system...
) helped people flock to the hall, and crowds often exceeded 18,000 guests over the six open nights each week. Powerhouse radio station WGN
WGN (AM)
WGN is a radio station in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is the only radio station owned by the Tribune Company, which also owns the flagship television station WGN-TV, the Chicago Tribune newspaper and Chicago magazine locally. WGN's transmitter is located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois...
broadcast an hour-long program from the hall each night to radio audiences throughout the Midwestern United States and Canada.
Legend has it that the secret tunnels under the nearby Green Mill
Green Mill
Green Mill may refer to:-*The Green Mill Jazz Club, Uptown, Chicago*Green's Mill, Sneinton, a windmill in Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom*De Groene Molen, Joure, a windmill in Friesland, the Netherlands...
bar, a Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
-era hangout of Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
, lead to the Aragon's basement.
A fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
at an adjacent cocktail lounge in 1958 forced the Aragon to close for several months. After the reopening, crowds declined significantly. Regular dancing ended in 1964. A succession of new owners used the Aragon as a roller skating
Roller skating
Roller skating is the traveling on smooth surfaces with roller skates. It is a form of recreation as well as a sport, and can also be a form of transportation. Skates generally come in two basic varieties: quad roller skates and inline skates or blades, though some have experimented with a...
rink, a boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
venue, and a discothèque, (the Cheetah, a spin-off of the New York disco) among other uses, plus occasional efforts to revive it as a traditional ballroom.
The Aragon hosted nearly all of the top names of the big band era. During the 1970s, the Aragon was home to so-called "monster rock" shows, which were marathons of rock and roll acts often lasting six hours or more. The shows gained a reputation for attracting a tough crowd, leading to the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"the Aragon Brawlroom".
In 1973, Latin promoters Willy Miranda and Jose Palomar became owners of the Aragon. The two men had promoted Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
dances and concerts in Chicago for years, and moved their productions to the Aragon with the purchase. They soon teamed up with rock promoters Arny Granat and Jerry Mickelson, who used the hall for their rock concerts.
In the late 1990s, the Aragon was bought by Luis Rossi (previous owner of La Raza Newspaper), Ivan Fernandez, and Mercedes Fernandez.
Today, under the name Aragon Entertainment Center, the hall hosts a variety of Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and Vietnamese language
Vietnamese language
Vietnamese is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of 86% of Vietnam's population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese. It is also spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities of Vietnam...
shows as well as English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
rock concerts. The occasional boxing events are still held as well.
On June 26, 2004, funk metal
Funk metal
Funk metal is a subgenre of funk rock that fuses elements of heavy metal and funk. Allmusic has claimed that "funk metal evolved in the mid-'80s when alternative bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Infectious Grooves, Mordred and Fishbone began playing the hybrid with a stronger...
band Primus
Primus (band)
Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
filmed their first concert DVD, Hallucino-Genetics
Hallucino-Genetics
-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – bass, vocals*Larry LaLonde – guitar*Tim Alexander – drumsProduction*Zoltron – producer*David Lefkowitz – management*Jesse Rice – project coordinatorMedia...
, at the Aragon.
During a performance on October 17, 2009, sludge metal
Sludge metal
Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...
band Mastodon
Mastodon (band)
Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. The band is composed of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor...
recorded a live album and concert DVD at the venue. Live at the Aragon
Live at the Aragon
-Reception:Thom Jurek of Allmusic described the live performance by stating "There is little to no spontaneity or improvisation -- which is neither here nor there -- because what Mastodon do musically is so impressive...
was released on March 15, 2011.
The Ballroom was also the site of Barack Obama's 50th birthday party, on August 3, 2011. Dinners were $38,000 a plate for the fundraiser, though tickets to the event itself ranged from $50 and up. The air conditioning was apparently out, with the inside temperature of 92 degrees. The Aragon also used non-union labor for the event since overtime issues were a concern. There were also immigration picketers present at the event, with slogans such as "Obama, don't deport my momma".
External links
- Aragon Ballroom (Chicago) official web site
- 1925 Article about Aragon Ballroom, Chicago Daily Tribune
- 1925 Article about Aragon Ballroom, Chicago Evening American
- Hear Dick Jurgens perform live from the Aragon Ballroom in December 1950
- Animated History of the Uptown Chicago Entertainment District
- 2007 behind-the-scenes video tour
- Aragon Ballroom History-Jazz Age Chicago
- Obama Celebrates Birthday in Chicago