Thoughts, anyone? Considering new place to live. (Chicago, Irving: apartment, to rent)

[flattkatt]

Hello, I am considering a move to a bigger city up north(currently in texas). I need a great public transit system(preferably rail). I like to play music from all sorts of cultures, like to improv to jazz, and want a reasonable cost of living. I work from home and make roughly about a grand a week, give or take. I'd like to find a house or apartment to rent, I have 2 cats. Safety is a high priority; I don't want to get jacked for my clarinet if I take transportation to go somewhere to play. The music thing is a big deal for me, as it's my social outlet. Ideally, there would be plenty of community bands, informal jazz improv meetups, and a community college where I can continue to take lessons. Any thoughts on this? I'm also learning baritone horn and would like to play in some beginner friendly brass bands. Thanks for reading,

Flatt

[C. Maurio]

Originally Posted by flattkatt

Hello, I am considering a move to a bigger city up north(currently in texas). I need a great public transit system(preferably rail). I like to play music from all sorts of cultures, like to improv to jazz, and want a reasonable cost of living. I work from home and make roughly about a grand a week, give or take. I'd like to find a house or apartment to rent, I have 2 cats. Safety is a high priority; I don't want to get jacked for my clarinet if I take transportation to go somewhere to play. The music thing is a big deal for me, as it's my social outlet. Ideally, there would be plenty of community bands, informal jazz improv meetups, and a community college where I can continue to take lessons. Any thoughts on this? I'm also learning baritone horn and would like to play in some beginner friendly brass bands. Thanks for reading,

Flatt

Nobody will jack you for your instrument. They will for an Ipod/Iphone so if you got one, don't flash it around too much.

[marothisu]

Welcome. As C. Maurio said, I wouldn't be concerned at all about the safety thing. People will jack you for things like iPods and what not wayyyyy before an instrument, but even so, there are many safe areas of Chicago. Don't believe all the stuff you hear on TV. It's partially true, sure, but only a few areas. If you're making a grand per week, I would bet you wouldn't live near those areas anyway.

With that being said, most places will accept cats (though I'm not sure if there's a limit). Chicago has the 2nd most extensive rail public transit system in the US, so you aren't at a loss there. A good number of Jazz places are close-ish to train stations (within a block or two at least). With $1000/week made (pre tax I assume), you could probably afford to live in a good number of places in Chicago I'm guessing. Not all, but a good number.

I'm going to make you a list of some known/good jazz joints here in town to give you an idea of this.

* Green Mill - Uptown, right near Lawrence Red Line stop.
* Underground Wonder Bar - Near North Side. Maybe 5 minutes walk from Chicago Red Line stop. Play a lot of world music there too.
* Mayne Stage - East Rogers Park. Right near Morse Red Line stop
* Jazz Showcase - South Loop (Printers Row). Not far from Harrison Red Line stop
* Andy's Jazz - Near North Side. Not far from Grand Red Line stop
* Rosa's Lounge - Logan Square. Not near a train stop but there are buses that go right by it
* Katerina's - North Center and right near the Irving Park Brown Line station (Red Line links with Brown Line in a few places)

If you are big into places like that and just world things in general, becoming a local at these places, etc then you might want to consider living around those. My pick would probably be North Center. Just an all around good neighborhood. Katerina's is there and a good number of other world (i.e. restaurant) stuff kind of in that area. Not far from other places like Green Mill (not real close but not real far).

[flattkatt]

Thanks for these responses, let's keep 'em coming! I don't possess much, and as far as living space need only enough for a bed and a practice corner. The 2 bedroom apartment(my desired setup)is more for the cats than me. Gives them space. And it gives me a office to work out of. I have a bass clarinet and a contrabass, and a brass instrument(not sure if it's tuba or baritone horn at this point. If I am not allowed to practice where I live, I'll probably sign up for lessons at a community college and use their practice rooms. I haven't lived in an apartment since I was 18 or so. I'm 40 now. Is it considered rude to practice an instrument in an apartment?

[Larry Siegel]

Almost everyone who plays an instrument lives in an apartment. There are relatively few SFHs in the central part of Chicago. Just practice before about 10 p.m. and be sensitive to neighbors with odd sleep times such as those who do shift work. (I lived in an apartment for many years and have a piano, violin, 7 guitars, a mandolin, a banjo, a viola, and two African drums.)

If you want to live a richly musical lifestyle there are about 4 places in the country you can do it, and Chicago is one of them. Come on up.

[flattkatt]

Nice. I'm hoping to find a clarinet choir also. I really enjoy playing in the one I'm in now. I also am interested in exploring brass band music, and hopefully I can find an opportunity to play while I'm learning. Some groups allow that sort of thing; sometimes allowances are made if you play or are learning to play an instrument considered important. In my limited experience, bassoon, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, baritone saxophone on the woodwind side are desired. On the brass side, Tubas are usually very welcome, as are Euphoniums and Trombones. However, it would be up to the director of the group. Concerning living in a musical city where I can play somewhere almost every night, I find it very exciting.

[marothisu]

I forgot to mention The Back Room in the Gold Coast which is kind of between two El stops but not terribly far (locals get in without a cover on weekdays I think).