Wes Pope has worked as a photojournalist for twelve years and is currently a staff photographer at the Chicago Tribune. He has a B.A. in cultural anthropology from the University of Washington. We're proud to include him as a guest artist. - ed
In the year 2000 philanthropist Gary Comer hired more than 200 photographers to create a record of Chicago at the millennium. Called CITY 2000 (3 Book Publishing, distributed by UIC Press), I was one of a lucky handful who worked on the project throughout the year. The archive is now housed at UIC.
The following set of photos does not appear in the book. It is a small sample from the half million in the archive that didn't make it in (not an indictment of the book, it is nicely done). I spent a week documenting the last days of Lounge Ax. I am from Seattle and spent my rock-and-roll youth at the Crocodile Cafe, RCKCNDY, OK Hotel, Moore Theatre. Caught a few shows at Lounge Ax after my arrival in Chicago, but am sorry I missed most of the fun.
A lecture for the book will be held Sunday, June 4 at 2 p.m. at the Harold Washington Library. A complete list of book fair events can be downloaded as a PDF here.
Wes, thanks for sharing those great pictures of an overwhelmingly fun yet terribly sad week. Six years later and my heart is still heavy with emotion from it all.
Mark, do I recall you giving a great rant - screaming out the back door at the yuppy neighbors? Am I remembering correctly?
Yes, Wes, I did yell my guts out that night out that back door. It was cathartic. The sad truth is that that neighborhood probably gets even louder yells these days... mostly by people ordering another basket of wings or an expensive pitcher of beer. Oh well...
Lounge Ax was a very special place and will be missed by many. Thanks again for sharing your great shots!
Mark - one of the highlights of the week: your rant and the Coctails reunion. Am glad you enjoyed the photos. Thanks!