Even though Chicago’s newest venue The Salt Shed has only been open for less than a calendar year, it has already made a huge impact. Built-in the historic, 100-year-old Morton Salt complex right on the water, The Salt Shed has already hosted Fleet Foxes, Iron and Wine, Sharon Van Etten and Jorja Smith to name a few. While the venue is still in its infancy, the team behind this freshly-minted concert space is already growing as 16” On Center looks to move indoors.
The team has announced that The Salt Shed will be opening its new indoor venue, properly titled The Shed, in 2023. With their new space comes a lineup as monumental as the building itself. For its first string of shows, The Shed will host the likes of Iggy Pop, Bikini Kill, The Roots, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (3 nights), and a slew of other heavy hitters to help ring in the new space.
On the cusp of its grand opening, Glide spoke with Jake Samuels, one of the Directors of Music over at 16” on Center to discuss The Shed, the history behind the building, and how everything came together.
The Salt Shed was considered one of the best new venues in the U.S. last year and now you are taking things forward another big step with an indoor venue. Why the change?
We’re thrilled with the warm welcome we received from fans last summer, but that series of 13 shows was always meant to be the first phase of unveiling this project. The indoor venue is the crown jewel, something we’ve been working on for many years that we think is unrivaled in Chicago’s music scene right now.
What shows last year did you find most defining in your inaugural year and what shows this year are you most looking forward to hosting on your lineup? I see you have some strong bands that include Iggy Pop, Viagra Boys, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.
We really looked at that 13-show condensed lineup last summer as a bit of a yearbook of many of our favorite artists who have grown with us over the years. Every single show had at least one or two artists who have played Thalia Hall, Empty Bottle, SPACE, or Promontory. We thought it was incredibly fitting to have friendly acts like that be a part of this monumental first step for our biggest project to date. To have everyone from Makaya McCraven to Sharon Van Etten, Mt. Joy to Death Cab for Cutie, just a huge thrill all around. The indoor lineup will expand on the musical perspective a bit, but we thought it was important to let people know that the same types of acts from these smaller clubs would be very much at the core of what Salt Shed was about.
I noticed you book very non-mainstream acts yet you find artists that have a rather large fan base but without all the popular culture hooplah–- shall we say you’re a punk venue that doesn’t actually book punk?
I’d argue we do book some punk! But I think what you’re getting at is this wide swath of amazingly popular bands that are still somehow under the radar. To see bands like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Goth Babe, Hippo Campus, and others sellout their shows almost instantly without any sort of mainstream notoriety is just the greatest thing to be a part of.
The city of Chicago has a long history with the arts, how do you hope The Shed adds to that history, and what venues in Chicago and nationally do you most admire when planning the Shed?
We’ve always been grateful to be a part of such a vibrant arts scene here in Chicago, and we hope The Salt Shed will have much to offer the arts community as the largest independent venue in town. I’m not sure there’s another venue in Chicago quite like this, but there are a growing number of venues around the country that have a GA floor, premium seating in a grandstand or balcony, top-of-the-line production capabilities, and loads of amenities like plentiful bars and bathrooms, easier ingress and egress, just a generally elevated concert experience that is harder to offer in a venue that was built a long time ago.
In the press release, it was mentioned that you guys will be using the L-Acoustics sound system. What went into that decision and why did this system feel like the right choice?
It was a pretty exhaustive search to find partners that really understood what the room was going to be. Their team builds incredible-sounding equipment and they were super responsive to the goals for this particular project. Having one of the only L-Acoustics sound systems in a rock venue in Chicago is a nice feather in our cap and we’ve already seen some artists get really excited about that.
I also read that you guys plan to add indoor markets to the venue soon. What can fans expect from these markets and how do you hope to make your concert experiences different?
We hope you’ll find all sorts of programming at Salt Shed, far beyond just concert events. We always talk about our venues as beacons in their respective communities; the proverbial town hall where folks can meet for shows, celebrations, education, markets, graduations, or meetings. The markets we’ve held so far, Summer Salt and Winter Glow, both take the idea of an outdoor market and refocus it on really unique, local, artisan vendors, memorable food, drink, sights, and of course music.
Can you talk about the history of the building itself? I saw it used to actually be a salt shed.
Yes, this was very much a real salt shed right up until about 7 years ago. Since the 1920s this site housed Morton Salt’s operations. Many elements of the building’s past life are still evident now, from the conveyer structure that took salt from barges into the shed, to the packing house which now houses the venue lobby and retail storefronts, and most recognizable the Morton Salt umbrella girl logo on the roof which will be there for the foreseeable future.
On your about page you stressed how important it was to keep the architectural integrity of the building, how was this goal accomplished?
The design of the building is all centered around showcasing the incredible architectural elements of this historic site. The outdoor fairground space where the summer shows happen is framed by the weathered shell of the former second salt shed. The interior venue will feature the very striking trusswork of the original shed, reinforced and exposed. Whereas those could have easily been covered up we’ll really be lighting them up and showcasing them against the newer modern amenities the venue has to offer. Same goes for the beautiful 4” thick wood floors in the packing house and lobby and original metal doors. There will be lots to take in for those interested in the architectural journey of this space.
Is there any dream artist(s) you hope to book at The Shed?
There are tons of dream artists we’ve identified, and some of them have already graced our schedule. We are thrilled to have this amazing option to share with artists that may not have been possible to book in our smaller venues. We’re really painting on a much bigger canvas with Salt Shed.
Besides the concerts, what part of The Shed are you most excited for people to see/interact with?
I think this building holds a lot of significance for a lot of people who have spent time in Chicago. For people taking the Metra, traversing the Elston corridor, or driving on the Kennedy Expressway this building and the logo on the roof are so iconic and a part of their daily routines but few have ever been inside. I’m hoping the opportunity to engage with this property more fully is something that will really bring a lot of joy and excitement. We’re already feeling the ownership and pride that the people of Chicago feel for this place. It’s a great responsibility to do right by that goodwill and bring in the next chapter as The Salt Shed.
Get more information on The Salt Shed and tickets to their upcoming shows here: https://www.saltshedchicago.com/
Photo © Sandra Steinbrecher @sandysteinbrecherphotography Instagram
