Chicago - Northside/Southside

[Alexander Hawkins]

Not that consequential, I suppose, but interesting to know for the purposes of recognising other things I might like!

I've now seen in a few places the distinction between 'Northside' and 'Southside' playing from Chicago. Is this a valid disctinction? What are the distinguishing features of playing from the respective 'sides'? Am I correct in thinking that the AACM is predominantly a Southside thing?

Sorry, these are questions from a non-American, non-Chicagoan - I'm just curious!

Thanks in advance!

[Alexander Hawkins]

One other thing. More embarassing than the above, north/south of what? A river?

[Chuck Nessa]

It's a racial/societal thing. South side = Black, North side = White.

Generally it is either side of the Loop (central business area) but legally/geographicly/numerically the dividing line is Randolph Street.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Thanks Chuck.

Is it musically significant? Are there any obvious ways to pick one from the other just by listening? I often see Ken Vandermark referred to as a typical Northside player, which was what suggested this question to me; as far as I'm aware, I haven't heard any 'Northside' music, and wondered whether North/South side styles were sufficiently cognate that liking one, I would have an idea that I liked the other!

[Chuck Nessa]

I ain't gonna jump into this one now.

FWIW, there's also South side and West side blues and they are both Black.

[rostasi]

I ain't gonna jump into this one now. 

FWIW, there's also South side and West side blues and they are both Black.

Yup and they are much better than that watered down East side Blues.

[Larry Kart]

There's some discussion here:

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...20shelton&st=30

[Alexander Hawkins]

Thank you - that discussion is really interesting.

[Brandon Burke]

[Alexander Hawkins]

A propos of absolutely nothing...

Is there a correlation between Chicago geography and whether you support the White Sox or the Cubs? I visited last year and saw almost exclusively Cubs merchandise...

[Larry Kart]

In the old days, by and large, it used to be South Side Sox, North Side Cubs, though I grew up a Sox fan in a Northern suburb in the 1950s and remain one. Then, about a decade ago, the whole The Cubs are Chicago nonsense/mania/what have you began, and all bets were off. Seems like now you're as likely to encounter a Cubs fan from any part of the area, but a lot of those fans are just fans of being a Cubs fan IMO and don't know or care s*** about baseball. On the other hand, a lot of Sox fans also want the Cubs to die an ugly, painful death; I'd just as soon see them do well, especially now that that jerk Sosa is gone (and because my son grew up a genuine Cubs fan), though Dusty Baker really did a lot to f*** up the team last year and seems eager to continue in the same vein.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Thanks! I wondered if it was something like that. FWIW, we get a little baseball here on UK tv, but not enough that I really understand what's going on in the season. It's fun to watch, though!

[Free For All]

When I first moved to Chicago in 1989 or so (the lights were just up)I lived about two blocks from Wrigley on Clark street (right by "Nuts on Clark"). I could open my window during games (the ones I didn't attend) and hear Harry Caray singing at the seveth inning stretch. That's when you feel like you're really in Chicago.

The real thing and Will Ferrell.

Edited April 3, 2005 by Free For All