Batteries Not Included

Batteries Not Included was a bar/venue from August of 1985 to about 1994 or 1995. They put on a fair amount of punk shows during its run. The owner of BNI (who Ben Weasel called "s paranoid freak who was a dead ringer for Eddie Murphy"), changed the name to Chez Delphonse in the mid 90s - Chez adopted a Carribean theme and stopped booking shows. After Chez Delphonse the bar became it's current name/location, Flounders Bar and Grill, in 1999.

The venue itself was quite small and intimate, the room for the shows was in the back of the bar. Many shows were sparsely populated, playing mostly for the other bands and personal friends. Because of the low numbers, the bands were often not paid for the gigs.

Address

 * 2201 N. Clybourn
 * 60614

Shows and Bands who played there

 * Screeching Weasel's first non-house gig in the summer of 1986
 * The Bhopal Stiffs - half a dozen or so shows
 * An early show of the Smashing Pumpkins in 1987 or 1988 (rumor)
 * Screeching Weasel & Bhopal Stiffs played a show together in the summer of 1986
 * Dead Milkmen
 * Poster Children
 * Devil Luggage (late incarnation of Toothpaste)
 * Barbie Army
 * December 10, 1987 - No Empathy, The Maggots, Mystery Girls
 * Chesterfield Kings and Precious Wax Drippings

Fun Facts

 * Jim Elison from Material Issue used to book the bands in the mid 80's
 * The original building is from 1880 and is possibly haunted
 * Russ Forester and Ben Weasel met there, resulting in the first SW record to be on Underdog Records