If you’ve been to a live show in Chicago, there’s a good chance Bruce Finkelman had something to do with it. Starting with just $900 and a dream of creating a place where he belonged, Bruce opened the Empty Bottle in 1992, turning a scrappy Ukrainian Village dive into one of the city’s most beloved music venues. Since then, he’s helped shape Chicago’s cultural landscape through Longman & Eagle, Thalia Hall, The Promontory, and, most recently, the sprawling Salt Shed. And he’s showing no signs of slowing down. Bruce joins us to trace his unlikely journey from high school troublemaker to one of the driving forces behind Chicago’s live music scene. We talk about the landlord who nearly killed his dream after its first concert, the Japanese noise band that helped him build the Empty Bottle, transforming a century-old factory into a world-class venue, and why, after more than three decades, he still believes the best projects are the ones that find you.
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