Kinetic Playground, Former music venue in Uptown, Chicago, United States.
Kinetic Playground occupied a corner building at the intersection of Clark Street and Lawrence Avenue and was a significant music venue in the late 1960s. Today, a modern residential condominium building constructed in 2003 stands on that site.
The building was constructed in 1928 and initially operated as Rainbo Gardens, a dance and skating venue. In 1968, Aaron Russo transformed it into the Electric Theater, which later became known as Kinetic Playground.
The venue became known for hosting performances by major rock bands including Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Pink Floyd, and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. These concerts drew music fans from across the city and made it an important gathering place for the rock music scene of that era.
The location is at the corner of North Clark Street and Lawrence Avenue in the Uptown neighborhood. It is important to know that the original building no longer exists and has been replaced by modern residential construction, so only the history of the site remains.
The interior of the venue appeared in the film Medium Cool during coverage of the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. These film scenes documented a turbulent moment in the city's history and made the music space part of cinema history.
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