Riviera Theatre

4746 N. Racine Avenue,
Chicago, IL 60640

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spectrum
spectrum on August 3, 2023 at 9:12 pm

Looks like the renovation is complete! Their website calendar lists concerts going on throughout the summer. The new photos look great!

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on March 28, 2022 at 5:52 pm

The JAM Productions Facebook page has dozens of photos of ongoing renovations in the link below. Today they posted 8 photos of old balcony seats removal and the installation of 820 new seats on that level. Posted in gallery as well. (I recall some of the old seats had Granada stenciled on their backs at past shows.)

https://www.facebook.com/jamusa/

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on March 12, 2022 at 3:14 pm

Before & After photos & descriptions added credit Jam Productions, Ltd.

PHASE 1: DISCOVERY The front windows at the Riviera Theatre You may have noticed something different about the entrance to the Riviera Theatre. We uncovered the original transom windows that had been covered for at least 60 years. All but one were still intact allowing customers to get a glimpse of the lobby chandelier before even getting in the front doors. See the before and after photos!

Broan
Broan on March 23, 2021 at 11:35 pm

The Riviera was the first mechanically refrigerated (air conditioned) theater in Chicago, with ads for its “freezing plant” first appearing in the Tribune on June 12, 1919. The Central Park, which is often cited as the first air conditioned theater, did not open with a plant in place, but was added at the same time as the Riviera’s, with its advertisement appearing June 21. The Central Park is probably usually cited as first because it opened before the Riviera.

However, the Empire Theater in Montgomery, Alabama had a CO2 refrigeration system in 1917. http://archive.org/details/motionpicturenew162unse/page/2804/mode/2up?view=theater

And a similar system was described in the National Theater in Los Angeles in 1914: http://archive.org/details/motionpicturenew102unse/page/n490/mode/1up?view=theater

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on July 5, 2020 at 1:46 pm

WBEZ piece on Uptown.

https://www.wbez.org/stories/from-cemetery-saloons-to-movie-palaces-how-uptown-became-an-entertainment-hub/ff35dc6f-fcde-4ca4-81e5-22fe33947291?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wbez

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on May 2, 2020 at 2:15 pm

Fall 1977 Reader ad designed for Jam Productions by and courtesy of long time Chicago graphic artist Shelley Howard added. It confirms that the Riviera was already doing double duty as a concert venue prior to 1983. The Billy Joel date of 11/19/77 is confirmed via the Chicago Tribune as well.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on April 29, 2020 at 5:00 pm

Jam Productions downloadable coloring book of the Riviera and other theatres.

https://www.jamusa.com/coloringbook/?utm_source=Chicago+–+Jam+Mail+List&utm_campaign=b5807b82ef-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_08_01_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1cddcb52a5-b5807b82ef-247204449&mc_cid=b5807b82ef&mc_eid=2a384cf67a

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on February 7, 2018 at 5:29 pm

The Riviera closed as a movie theatre in 1983.

spectrum
spectrum on February 7, 2018 at 4:11 pm

New official website:

https://www.rivieratheatre.com/

They have an extensive lineup of concerts for 2018!

rivest266
rivest266 on December 26, 2017 at 5:02 pm

Air Conditioning ad as found by Texas Two Step.

Found on Newspapers.com

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on May 31, 2016 at 8:29 pm

1923 photo added via the Calumet 412 facebook page.

RickB
RickB on May 25, 2013 at 8:23 pm

Cited for code violations re fire escape and exterior walls. DNAInfo story here.

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on October 16, 2012 at 1:52 pm

This is what I fear the Uptown will become – trashed, as a so-called “music venue”. Additionally, consider what what has happened at the Congress and what soon might happen to the Portage.

John P Keating Jr
John P Keating Jr on October 16, 2012 at 1:07 pm

I was in the Riveria during Open House Chicago last Sunday. It is in very bad shape with many bars throught the main floor. The floors are sticky and the whole building is dirty including the washrooms. The balcony still has the theater seats. It seems that the owners are squeezing every pennny form the building and the concert goers have no idea what an elegant venue this was.

rivest266
rivest266 on June 26, 2012 at 8:12 pm

This opened on October 2nd, 1918. It’s grand opening ad is in the photo section for this theatre.

Ramova7719
Ramova7719 on August 12, 2011 at 9:46 pm

Like the Rivieras facebook page! Its Riviera Theatre Chicago IL

Bway
Bway on December 25, 2009 at 9:28 pm

I just saw the film, “The Break Up” with Jennifer Aniston, and there is a great scene involving the Riviera, you can see a lot of it.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on November 19, 2008 at 4:51 pm

Passed by the Riviera today. It had some newer looking, protective white tarps over the top span of the front wall, oer the marquee.
Same as the Uptown still has. Though the Uptown’s upper terra cotta arches had been removed a while back.

A good sign that both are being protected from the elements, until brick/facade work can be done.

Broan
Broan on September 1, 2008 at 12:18 pm

Actually given the billboard I suppose that would be 90s

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on August 19, 2008 at 9:50 pm

Ah The Riv. This place could still be the ultimate, if it would just get some cosmetics done. Concert business has cleary kept it alive. I’ve seen so many shows there I can’t even remember which were films and which were concerts. Robert Palmer, Cheap Trick years back on New Years, etc. (Noticed they had seats from the Granada in the balcony.)
My last was The Pretenders last Christmas. Which unfortunately we were not told was a Toys-For-Tots show, so we arrived empty handed.
All we could do was say “Hi” to WXRT’s Terri Hemmert.

Back in the `80’s, there was a brazen armed robbery of whoever ran the then Riviera niteclub. The newspapers later reported that it was an inside job. When pictures they ran surfaced of the alleged thieves laying on a bed of money.

In the early `90’s, then Chicago Bull Cliff Levingston reportedly bought the Riviera. But he was unfortunately traded from the team days later. So I don’t think he ever took over.

As I get older, I kind of wish these places didn’t remove all the main level seats. It’s what make the House Of Blues only viable if you pop for the dinner packages. I know I’m in no way their main cash cow audience, but I think it’s why bands like Steely Dan & Ray Davies now play the Chicago Theatre. The Congress also removed all the main floor seats. Surely essentially costing themselves the recent roller derby revival. Which re-opened on their floor, and coincidentally in Chicago in the 1920’s. Yeah, yeah I went.
They had an original roller girl in her 80’s there. And initially seats.
A friend told me once Natalie Merchant apologized to the audience at one of the two, for the conditions of the house. Which ever one she doesn’t play at again we’ll know.

The Riviera I’m pretty sure did a short late `70’s stint as a revival house, similar to the Parkway & Music Box. Mixed double features of cult classics.
Had the nearby Uptown not succumbed to all that befell it since 1981, The Riviera might itself now be dormant. But it’s a trooper. “Faded Elegance” can certainly be reversed with money and vision though.

Broan
Broan on August 15, 2008 at 3:55 pm

Some sort of work is going on with the Riv’s facade:
View link

Broan
Broan on May 12, 2008 at 1:47 pm

Here are some blog posts on the Riv restoration:

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Also, a couple on the proposed multiplex across from the Aragon:

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