Smartbar

About Smartbar

Smartbar is one of the most important nightclubs in the history of electronic music. Opened in 1982 in the basement of the Metro concert hall in Wrigleyville, Smartbar was one of the first clubs to champion house music — the genre that was being born in Chicago at the same time. The club's Funktion-One sound system is widely considered one of the finest in North America, and its programming has remained uncompromisingly underground for over four decades. Smartbar has hosted virtually every major name in house and techno, from Frankie Knuckles to Derrick May to Jeff Mills.

History

Founded in 1982, Smartbar predates the mainstream recognition of house music by several years. The club played a crucial role in the development of Chicago house, providing a venue where DJs like Frankie Knuckles, Larry Heard, and Ron Hardy could experiment with the new sound. Smartbar's influence on global electronic music culture cannot be overstated — it is, in many ways, the ground zero of house music.

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