Ka-Boom was a weird warehouse of night clubs.

This flyer represents one of the coolest nights of my college life; it was the first time I ever visited Chicago. I grew up in Michigan and I had always intended to visit metropolitan Chicago… but I didn’t do so until my Senior year in college (1992).

I recall driving from Ann Arbor, MI to Chicago, IL for a weekend of “big city fun.” Checking into the hotel, I perused the “Entertainment” section of the local rag. There were *two* shows that interested me: Shakespeare’s Sister (One-hit Wonders with the 1992 Pop Tear-Jerker, “Stay”) as well as an unexplained performance called “Songs for Swinging Junkies,” starring Chris Connelly and William Tucker. I recognized both names from my love of then-popular “Industrial” music, bands like A Split Second, Skinny Puppy and Nine Inch Nails.

Turns out, these were the same dudes I had hoped for: Industrial rockers who had performed in such famous outfits as Ministry, Pigface, Murder, Inc. and others. This show was billed as an “Intimate Performance,” consisting of Chris and William sitting on bar stools. The two leather-pants-clad dudes sat on a small stage in front of a movie screen that played old black-and-white, B-grade horror movies.

SO COOL. I called it “Industrial Lounge.”

But back to my point: I knew I couldn’t miss that show, but I also didn’t want to miss Shakespeare’s Sister, either!

But this is Chicago! The land of Cool in the Midwest! Chris and William took the stage at 9pm, while Shakespeare’s Sister was scheduled to take the stage at midnight. With the help of a cross-town cab, I was able to see both shows.

Shakespeare's Sister (1992)

Viva Chicago. Viva Industrial Music. Viva Pop Music.