Constellation

great place and great bar – not a lot to add – find parking west of Western

Great intimate venue. You can come here just for the bar area and not see a show if you want. The place is intimate which I vastly prefer over a larger crowd. Cash only. Huge bar. Saw a pop up Amy Schumer show here and it was hilarious and a unique experience that only 200 of us coolest Chicagoans got to see.

Came here for the first time to see a friend’s band play. I don’t recall seeing a sign on the outside of the establishment which caused me to waltz past it (my friend had to come outside and flag me down). But let me say, this place is a hidden gem! As soon as I walked in I was really impressed by the overall vibe of the place.
They have a good amount of seating in the bar area; bathroom wasn’t a nightmare. Thumbs up to the water cooler located right by the entrance. It definitely is a chill place to get a drink with a friend or two. On this particular night after a 2 mile walk, all I wanted was a coke ($ 4).
The performance room is amazing. Very spacious and they have theater esq seating! Provides good viewing of the stage area no matter where you plant your booty. All the bands performances sounded great; high five to the sound guy.
I can’t wait to come here again for another fun filled night of good tunes.

Besides being an out-​of-​left-​field performance space, I really have to tip my hat to its dual identity as a speak-​easy, with that funky little bar and its esoteric menu of cocktails, all attended to by a skilled bar keep. We went there last night and just did the drinks since we arrived way too late for the show. The shadowy off-​ramp street, the scruffy exterior with its mysterious signage … this is a great place to escape the razzle-​dazzle of the City; a new hide out. Drinks are priced economically as well.

After months of stalled attempts I finally made the journey: not the quickest journey on public transportation from downtown, but not too far. A lot of the shows I want to see are on Sunday nights later, which also cramps my efforts. The old Viaduct space transformed into a music venue like no other in Chicago, with a focus on Jazz, Contemporary Art/​Classical, and other innovative/​improvisational ensembles. Following the New Music scene in Chicago, it is a major player in innovative programming, including the creative Spektral Quartet that I heard tonight. Bar and ability to bring drinks in the open, casual space makes this so much a better venue that more formal halls. If I only lived next door I would be there all the time.

Great bands!

THANKS for existing and your contribution to Chicago and music lovers.
Great venue.
Great musicians.
We are lucky to have it in Chicago.
How does it compare to the likes of The BimHuis of Amsterdam or Shinjuku Pit Inn of Tokyo, the old Knitting Factory of New York, or Painted Bride of Philly in terms of sound, acoustics, etc. It does not — but the types of people who play here, that alone, warrant giving it a five star.
Tonight I was lucky to see Muhal Richard Abrams and Roscoe Mitchell. For those into Kenny G., these folks are on the opposite end of the spectrum, and thank the heavens for that…
A few months ago they had Peter Brotzman play (whom I have seen perform in a few countries and is one of a kind).
These are just a few names of talented performers Constellation brings to Chicago.
Highly recommended. Keep up the good work.

Wonderful spot and the the new cornerstone of Chicago’s vibrant jazz, avant-​classical and contemporary dance scene. Get a drink and see some of the coolest new shit.

you know nothing. your corrupted in your own ego. and you will be set free here. thought provoking and deeper talent than most will understand the –place is un pretentions and says come ion and be free to not understand what’s going on. someday you will… pure awesomeness by talent scouts/​booking agents. soooo GOOD! trust them with your FURTER experience

A great venue to see bands, and interesting bookings. I went there for a benefit show, so that indicates the owners are philanthropic minded, as well as hip. Love the movie theater style seats.

Great new performance space with a major emphasis on jazz. There is a picture of Fred Anderson hanging above the bar. Nice separation of the bar from the listening rooms, as in the Hideout. There is a selection of different chairs, some of which might be construed as being more comfortable than those at the Showcase…
The smaller of the two listening rooms is very intimate, has great acoustics and the feeling is one of the musicians playing in your living room. Great for all that subtle audience interaction.
The cover charge is very reasonable and outstanding programming; musicianship.

This is the best new venue in Chicago. It has small crowds, an intimate feel, carefully curated acts that are sometimes intellectually and emotionally challenging, other times so much fun that you could almost burst. The owner is one of the programmers of pitchfork, and this place basically gets the acts that are too cool for pitchfork. Obviously, not the place to go to if you’re looking for a sports bar and are willing to settle on a concert venue: this is a place for people who are interested in exploring the frontiers of modern culture and seeing how contemporary compositional techniques can reflect our current social/​political/​moral position in the world.