Evanston SPACE

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Founded in 2008, Evanston SPACE (Society for the Preservation of Art and Culture in Evanston) is a quaint little concert venue at the intersection of Chicago and Dempster streets downtown. After a few years showcasing mostly bluegrass and folk talent, SPACE’s repertoire has expanded to include rock, alternative, indie and jazz acts, with performers such as Alabama Shakes, The Lumineers, Todd Rundgren, and Preservation Hall Jazz Band taking the stage in recent memory. With capacity for only 250 patrons, the venue is rather small, and it’s better that way. While watching El Ten Eleven perform at SPACE at the end of May, I was really taken by this setting; there was no bad view from any section, and the acoustics of the instrumental indie rock duo from Los Angeles were great across all volumes. Listening to a concert at SPACE just feels right. The band interacts easily and often with the audience, and the entire experience is very intimate and organic. The room’s décor is rather unique as well. A dark wooden bar and floors combine with industrial metal rafters to provide a very modern ambience. SPACE’s atmosphere definitely adds to the experience of going to a concert there.

According to venue manager Nia O’Reilly Amandes, SPACE brings in people from all over Chicagoland to its shows. In addition, the venue has firmly established itself in the Evanston community, with regular local clientele and fans. Despite this, SPACE seems to still fly low on the radar among Northwestern students. I asked several friends if they had heard of the venue and most replied they hadn’t. When asked about this, Nia responded that she wished there was more of a connection to the Northwestern Community, adding that she feels “Northwestern kids don’t necessarily seem to know about us.” This is quite unfortunate, because SPACE is relatively close to campus and a great venue. Concerts at SPACE are exactly how they should be: they look and sound great, and are comfortable and easy to get to. Ultimately, SPACE’s commitment to their artists and patrons really shines through, making it a must-see Evanston spot.