Timeline

Please add events to the timeline in chronological order with exact dates where possible. Try to limit your entries to a single line. Important punk events that are not Chicago related can also be added for perspective, but should be italicized. Footnotes should be added where facts are in dispute or indisputable sources are discovered.

The Events

• ??/??/73 - New York Dolls record and release "New York Dolls."
• 03/31/74 - Punk at CBGB's begins with Television's first performance there. (4)"
• 02/??/76 - Skafish begins performing in Chicago.
• 05/??/76 - Ramones release first album, tour London later in July spawning British Punk. (6) (7)
• 05/05/77 - La Mere Vipere opens. The first punk discothèque in the whole wide world. (1) (5)
• 06/21/77 - Ramones play B'Ginnings in Schaumburg with Skafish as warm-up. (9)
• 07/06/77 - Ramones and Dictators play (for $1) at the Ivanhoe Ballroom. (9)
• 10/28/77 - Sex Pistols release first album "Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols."
• 12/??/77 - Wire releases first album "Pink Flag".
• ??/??/77 - The Greenleaf opens in Rogers Park as a gay bar that plays punk rock music at night.
• ??/??/77 - Silver Abuse forms.
• ??/??/77 - First issue of Gabba Gabba Gazette. Chicago's first punk fanzine shared La Mere Viperes address. (8)
• 03/??/78 - The Greenleaf is renamed Oz, creating the first of what will be 3 locations.
• 06/??/78 - O'Banions opens. Along with Oz a focal point of early Chicago punk.
• 04/27/78 - La Mere Vipere burns down. (2)
• 10/??/78 - NYC's Mudd Club opens inspired by Steve Mass's visit to La Mere Vipere. (5)"
• 11/25/78 - Wax Trax Records opens.
• 05/??/79 - Patti Smith releases last album ("Wave") before retiring with husband ex-MC5 guitar player Fred "Sonic" Smith
• ??/??/79 - The Space Place opens. An important practice space with inexpensive all-ages shows.
• ??/??/79 - Neo opens. It still survives as Chicago's longest running punk/new wave/goth/alternative night club.
• 04/??/80 - Club 950 Lucky Number, aka "Club 950" and "the Lucky Number", opens.
• 05/18/80 - Ian Curtis of Joy Division hangs himself.
• 06/21/80 - Naked Raygun (as Negro Commando) plays their first show at 222 S. Morgan St. (3)
• 06/??/80 - The Wayouts form.
• 08/??/80 - Oz relocates to second location on Hubbard Street near O'Banions.
• 11/9/80 - the Effigies play their first show at Oz.
• 12/8/80 - First issue of Coolest Retard is published. THE premier Chicago punk fanzine. (8)
• 12/12/80 - Black Flag plays Stages
• 12/13/80 - Black Flag plays Oz
• 12/31/80 - The Wayouts play their farewell gig at Oz.
• 02/??/81 - Oz relocates to third location on Broadway.
• 03/11/81 - "Busted at Oz" live recording sessions completed.
• 03/23/81 - Black Flag plays Space Place; Husker Du plays after party at Oz and assaults audience with Blue Paint
• 05/09/81 - Oz closes final third location.
• 05/??/81 - Da releases "Dark Rooms / White Castles" single on Autumn Records
• 10/??/81 - Bad Brains finish recording first album "Bad Brains" for a RIOR cassette-only release
• ??/??/81 - Wax Trax Records releases Strike Under's "Immediate Action."
• ??/??/81 - Articles of Faith forms.
• ??/??/81 - The original Exit on Wells street opens in the former location of Wizards.
• 02/03/82 - O'Banions closes.
• 12/??/82 - Big Black releases its first EP "Lungs."
• ??/??/82 - Space Place closes.
• ??/??/82 - First issue of Bullshit Detector is published.
• 01/??/83 - Matter publishes its first issue.
• 07/02/83 - Both Breaking Circus and Silent Language debut at the Cubby Bear
• 08/23/83 Minor Threat plays their last show
• ??/??/83 - Silver Abuse breaks up.
• ??/??/83 - Second (final) issue of Bullshit Detector is published.
• 03/??/84 - Silent Language breaks up.
• 07/??/84 - The Crass play their final gig at a benefit for striking miners in England
• ??/??/84 - The Effigies release their first LP "For Ever Grounded" after earlier EPs and a single.
• 07/??/85 - Articles of Faith play their final show at the Cubby Bear.
• ??/??/86 - Touch and Go Records relocates to Chicago.
• ??/??/86 - Dreamerz (aka Club Dreamerz) opens in Wicker Park.
• 07/07/87 - Hüsker Dü release their last studio album "Warehouse: Songs and Stories"
• ??/??/87 - Big Black breaks up.
• ??/??/88 - Breaking Circus breaks up.
• ??/??/99 - Rapeman forms.
• ??/??/90 - Pegboy forms.
• ??/??/90 - Rapeman breaks up.
• 05/??/92 - Naked Raygun breaks up.
• ??/??/92 - Shellac forms.
• ??/??/92 - Exit closes its Wells Street location.
• ??/??/93 - Dreamerz closes.
• 12/??/00 - The original Club 950 Lucky Number closes.
• ??/??/00 - Pegboy disbands, but later has various reunions.

Footnotes

• (1) Date according to Gantry.
• (2) Date according to Gantry.
• (3) Liner notes to the Basement Screams reissue
• (4) According to Wikipedia [1]
• (5) According to Monica Lynch. Article calls LMV "first punk disco in the country". [2]
• (6) Ramones hisory page in Finland [3]
• (7) Ramones meet the Clash in 1976 [4]
• (8) Coolest Retard date based on unnumbered issue in the Dementlieu archive. Also note information about the Gabba Gabba Gazette. [5]
• (9) Deduced from information in Gabba Gabba Gazette #3 and Ramones: An American Band