Editorial Review

After years of being just another Wicker Park venue where local bands give the college try, Subterranean has gradually established itself by booking larger touring acts for its main upstairs room. (On the calendar as of press time are Cursive, the Meatmen and White Stripes nemeses the Von Bondies.) It also maintains respectable dance music and hip-hop nights in its ground-floor lounge. The first-floor vibe ranges from college dorm room to Urb afterparty. Climbing the massive staircase reveals a long, rickety room with a small stage, uneven sound and a third-floor balcony. Though Sub-T can be surprisingly intimate, sometimes the best part of the show is the drunks falling down those treacherous stairs on the way out.