The Vic Theatre

The Vic Theatre is a historic live-entertainment venue in Chicago, Illinois. The building opened in 1912 as the Victoria Theatre, a five-story vaudeville house designed by architect John Eberson. Robert E. Ricksen and Frank Gazzolo developed and operated the theater; they were also associated with Chicago theaters including the Crown and Imperial. Conceived as a luxurious entertainment palace, the venue was built for vaudeville and subsequently adapted to changing forms of theatrical, cinematic, musical, and comedic programming. The theater underwent a major revival after Walt Klein purchased it in 1983. Klein invested substantially in restoration, returning the building to use as a performance venue. Its reopening was associated with the 20th-anniversary presentation of Chicago's Second City, which was recorded for HBO. Early programming was handled by Lou Valpano and Celebration Flipside, with Dave Frey taking a larger role within the first year and Holiday Star Theater becoming a partner. In 1986, Thunderdome Enterprises assumed day-to-day operational responsibilities and introduced ClubLand, a nightclub concept intended to extend the building's use beyond conventional concert hours. Concert booking and promotion during this period shifted to Jam Productions. The Vic has repeatedly served as a flexible home for touring music acts, theater productions, comedy recordings, filmed broadcasts, and special events. Its stage has hosted artists ranging from the Residents, the Replacements, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers to David Bowie, Coldplay, Soundgarden, Ariana Grande, and the Darkness. It has also been used to capture live albums, concert films, television broadcasts, comedy specials, and other recorded performances. Notable recorded projects associated with the venue include Bill Hicks's HBO special One Night Stand, Ween's Live in Chicago, Wilco's Kicking Television: Live in Chicago, Jim Gaffigan's Beyond the Pale, and filmed specials by Hannibal Buress, Iliza Shlesinger, and Pete Holmes. The building's operating model has changed over time. ClubLand closed in 1990 and was briefly replaced by the Catwalk nightclub concept. During the mid-1990s, the venue developed a Brew & View format, screening films with drink service on non-concert nights. Walt Klein later sold the theater to Jam Productions, a Chicago concert promoter that became its long-term operator and owner. The Vic remains principally positioned as an intimate-to-mid-sized concert and entertainment room, combining historic architecture with a program capable of accommodating standing concerts, seated shows, comedy, theater, and filmed performances.

The Vic Theatre opened in Chicago in 1912 under the name Victoria Theatre. Architect John Eberson designed the five-story building as an elaborate vaudeville house. Robert E. Ricksen and Frank Gazzolo built and owned the venue, continuing their involvement in Chicago's theater business. Its original format reflected the early twentieth-century appetite for large-scale vaudeville entertainment and ornate urban theaters. After decades of changing use, Walt Klein acquired the building in 1983 and undertook a substantial restoration. The restored theater reopened with a presentation connected to the 20th anniversary of Second City, an event recorded for HBO. Programming initially involved Lou Valpano and Celebration Flipside; Dave Frey became involved within the first year, with Holiday Star Theater serving as a partner. This period re-established The Vic as a functioning performance room rather than simply a surviving historic structure. In 1986, Klein's operation brought in Thunderdome Enterprises for daily management. Thunderdome developed ClubLand, a nightclub concept that extended the venue's schedule and commercial use. Around the same time, booking and promotion of concerts shifted to Jam Productions. ClubLand ended in 1990, after which Thunderdome briefly recast the nightclub space as Catwalk. In the mid-1990s, The Vic also operated a Brew & View concept, presenting films with beverages on evenings without concerts. The venue's later identity was shaped by Jam Productions, which eventually acquired The Vic from Klein. Under that ownership and operating structure, the theater became a prominent Chicago room for alternative rock, hard rock, pop, progressive music, comedy, theater, and special recordings. Its capacity of roughly 1,400 standing guests, or about 1,000 in a seated configuration, makes it large enough for nationally touring acts while retaining the atmosphere of an intimate theater. The Vic's history is particularly notable for the number of performances recorded there. Artists and productions have used the room for live albums, DVDs, radio and television broadcasts, and comedy specials. Examples include Todd Rundgren's 1990 WXRT-broadcast performance, Bill Hicks's 1991 HBO special, Ween's Live in Chicago, Wilco's Kicking Television: Live in Chicago, Jim Gaffigan's Beyond the Pale, and later filmed comedy specials by Hannibal Buress, Iliza Shlesinger, and Pete Holmes. The theater has also hosted significant tour appearances, including David Bowie's 1997 Earthling tour, Coldplay's 2002 MTV $2 Bill performance, Soundgarden's 2010 reunion show, King Crimson's 2014 multi-drummer lineup, Ariana Grande's 2018 Sweetener Sessions appearance, and later shows by Sabaton, Jerry Cantrell, and the Darkness. The Vic remains an active Chicago venue whose historic building supports a broad contemporary entertainment program.

• 2014

  King Crimson presents its multi-drummer lineup

  [1]The Vic Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  King Crimson performs four consecutive shows at The Vic with a lineup featuring Robert Fripp and three drummers associated with earlier incarnations.

• 2010

  Soundgarden plays its reunion show

  [1]The Vic Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Soundgarden presents its first reunion performance at The Vic.

• 2005

  Wilco records Kicking Television

  [1]The Vic Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Wilco records the live project Kicking Television: Live in Chicago at the venue.

• 1991

  Bill Hicks records an HBO special

  [1]The Vic Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Bill Hicks records One Night Stand at The Vic.

• 1990

  ClubLand closes

  [1]The Vic Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  ClubLand ends and is briefly replaced by the Catwalk nightclub concept.

• 1990

  Todd Rundgren performances are broadcast

  [1]The Vic Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Todd Rundgren performs two shows, with the second broadcast live by Chicago radio station WXRT.

• 1986

  ClubLand and Jam Productions era begin

  [1]The Vic Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Thunderdome Enterprises takes over daily operations, ClubLand is introduced, and Jam Productions assumes concert booking and promotional work.

• 1983

  Walt Klein acquires and restores the theater

  [1]The Vic Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Walt Klein purchases the venue and begins a major restoration, leading to its return as a live-performance space.

• 1912

  Victoria Theatre opens

  [1]The Vic Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The five-story vaudeville theater designed by John Eberson opens in Chicago under the name Victoria Theatre.

A historic, independently operated Chicago theater positioned between a traditional theater and a modern concert club, with an emphasis on touring music, comedy, theatrical events, and high-profile live recordings.

• Concert programming · 1912

  Live music concerts

  The Vic's central offering is live concert presentation for touring artists. Its room supports standing audiences of approximately 1,400 people and can be configured for roughly 1,000 seated guests, allowing it to host established touring acts while preserving a close connection between performers and audience.

• Comedy and variety entertainment

  Comedy and spoken performances

  The venue accommodates stand-up comedy, theatrical presentations, and other spoken-performance formats. Its history includes tapings and recordings by Bill Hicks, Jim Gaffigan, Hannibal Buress, Pete Correale, Iliza Shlesinger, and Pete Holmes.

• Media production

  Live recordings and broadcasts

  The Vic is also used as a recording location for live albums, DVDs, television programs, radio broadcasts, and comedy specials. The building's intimate scale and established concert infrastructure make it suitable for capturing audience-centered performances.

• Film screening

  Brew & View

  During the mid-1990s, The Vic offered a Brew & View format on non-concert nights, combining movie screenings with drink service. This was a historical operating concept rather than the venue's primary present-day identity.

• 2018Sweetener Sessions

  United States

  Ariana Grande used The Vic for an August 2018 stop on the Sweetener Sessions mini-tour, a small-room promotional series associated with the release of Sweetener.

  Source
• 2002MTV $2 Bill Concert Series

  United States

  Coldplay performed at The Vic as part of MTV's $2 Bill Concert Series, bringing a nationally visible broadcast-oriented event to the venue.

  Source

• 1990

  Reconfigure nightclub programmingStrategy

  Background

  The ClubLand concept had ended after several years of operation.

  Action taken

  The operator reworked the nightclub use as the short-lived Catwalk concept.

  Aftermath

  The venue later experimented with Brew & View film programming before concentrating more strongly on concerts and performances.

  Source

• 1986

  Expand operations beyond concertsStrategy

  Background

  The restored venue was being developed for broader and longer operating hours.

  Action taken

  Thunderdome Enterprises introduced ClubLand as a nightclub concept while managing daily operations.

  Aftermath

  ClubLand closed in 1990 and was briefly replaced by Catwalk.

  Source

• 1983

  Restore and relaunch the historic theaterStrategy

  Background

  After acquiring the building, Walt Klein sought to return the former Victoria Theatre to active performance use.

  Action taken

  The theater underwent a major restoration and reopened with Second City anniversary programming.

  Aftermath

  The restoration established the modern Vic Theatre as a functioning Chicago live-entertainment venue.

  Source

1. 1The Vic Theatreen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Jam Productions venue pagejamusa.com