Metal Insider is getting into the Halloween spirit this year with something a little different. Throughout October, we’re sharing the history and eerie tales behind venues across the world. Check out our latest column, Halloween Countdown for more, and Enjoy!
Introduction
House of Blues Chicago
Source: Facebook
Before becoming the House of Blues, the popular Chicago venue was once the Marina Cinemas, a triplex movie theater that opened on September 25, 1970, and was owned by United Artists. MarinaCity.org reports it was one of Chicago’s first mini-cinemas. The House of Blues Chicago will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026. The venue opened in 1996 within the Marina City Complex, located near the Chicago River, part of the city’s downtown. With a capacity of about 1,800, the 55,000-square-foot venue is one of the main mid-sized concert halls the Windy City has to offer. The construction inside features winding hallways, multi-tier balconies, and a design inspired by folk art and the now-iconic “In Blues We Trust” sign.
The chain itself was founded in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Café, and Dan Aykroyd, one-half of the Blues Brothers. The Chicago location is one of the few music venues in the River North area of downtown, surrounded by restaurants and bars, making it an overall hotspot. Today, it remains under the Live Nation umbrella, hosting artists across many genres.
First Avenue
First Avenue and 7th St Entry are two venues within the same building, which used to be a Greyhound bus depot in downtown Minneapolis. Built in 1937, the building was later reconstructed into a nightclub in 1970, known as The Depot. Eventually, new ownership came in, and it became First Avenue in 1981. Since then, the venue has become a historic location for music events, with 400 painted stars on the outside of the building honoring the artists who’ve performed there.The club is forever tied to Prince, who filmed much of Purple Rain in 1983. To this day, First Avenue remains independently owned and operated.
Facts
House of Blues Chicago
Location: 329 N. Dearborn St., Chicago, Illinois, USA
Venue Type: Concert hall and restaurant
Year Built (and key dates): Opened in 1996 inside the Marina City Complex (House of Blues chain founded in 1992)
Status: Active, operated by Live Nation
Capacity: 1,800
First Avenue
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Venue Type: Music venue / nightclub (includes First Avenue Mainroom + 7th St Entry)
Year Built (and key dates): Built in 1937 as a Greyhound bus depot; converted into a music venue in 1970 (The Depot); renamed First Avenue in 1981
Status: Active, independently owned and operated
Capacity: Mainroom 1,500; 7th St Entry 250
Music Cred
House of Blues Chicago
Just like any other venue, this is a common stop on “name your favorite band” tour. Therefore, many artists have performed here since 1996. To name a few, Until I Wake, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Thin Lizzy, Dream Theater, Deep Purple, Judas Priest, Cannibal Corpse, Gorguts, Nile, Sevendust, Suicidal Tendencies, Morbid Angel, Sepultura, We Came As Romans, Mayhem, Steel Panther, and many, many more.
First Avenue
With 400 stars highlighting bands who have performed there and over 40 years as a venue, countless acts have made an appearance. To name a few, The Sword, Full of Hell, Cannibal Corpse, Black Flag, Ministry, and the legendary Motörhead.
Reported Hauntings
House of Blues Chicago
Digging up history on Chicago’s House of Blues isn’t easy; most searches get buried under glossy ticket links and event promos. That in itself feels a little haunting, as if the ghosts and the past are being scrubbed away. At first glance, you might wonder how a venue with just 30 years of history could have paranormal activity. But anything can be haunted if the energy is strong enough. The “aha” moment here is knowing that before it was a concert hall, this space was a cinema, and with that came a darker past.
According to Time Out, the building was once the site of a murder. In 1972, cinema manager Gloria Kirkpatrick was stabbed and later died en route to the hospital. The suspected killer, Theodore J. Jagiello, died before he could be arrested. Kirkpatrick also lived in the Marina City complex, tying her fate even closer to the site. While reported paranormal sightings at House of Blues are rare, one story claims a ghostly little girl has been seen drifting through the venue. The evidence isn’t strong, but between a tragic past and the layers of history under the Marina towers, there’s plenty of room for speculation. You be the judge.
First Avenue
Minneapolis itself has plenty of haunted sightings and a history of ghost stories, with plenty of ghost walks and even this cool Trolley tour. From experience, giving something to do while waiting for Metallica in 2024 was well worth it. For the First Avenue location, the prominent reported activity is of a woman said to have hanged herself in the Greyhound depot days, often described in a green coat or fatigues, appearing in the women’s restroom or even dancing legless in the Mainroom. Since the 1980s, there have been reports of cries, sudden hair-pulling, and record players in the old Record Room acting out on its own. DJs have picked up odd sounds from their headphones.
Visit Info:
House of Blues Chicago
First Avenue
Interested in horror and the paranormal? Metal Insider is teaming up with the newly resurrected site Dizarranged, which is also running a haunted countdown to Halloween, featuring 31 haunted places from around the globe.
