Sidetrack vs. Gentry (was Re: Screaming Queens ...)

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This posting is from: annie
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> We've been to SideTrack a lot in earlier PF years. For those
> who might remember, it is where:

> - the insult comic/piano player was

I swear that the insult comic guy was at Gentry on Halsted!

I am very sure on this. IIRC, Sidetrack had more of a video
bar theme and plain old bar-bar theme on Saturdays in those
years. I don't remember Sidetrack having a piano player or
comedy act ever during Pinkfest.

IIRC, this guy was in the same comedy circuit as Rudy De
La {something} who used to appear at Gentry on State.

I thought that insult comic guy was very funny at first,
but as the act went on he got a bit too crude even for my
non-virgin ears. :) I remember trying to "bait" him by
flashing my Chicken Ranch t-shirt, but he did not take
the bait. :) He seemed more fascinated with this other
lady's boobs. :)

> - the place with the really long bar down one side

I don't really remember the exact shape of the bartop at
either, but in general, I remember Gentry on Halsted as
being on the west side of Halsted, long and narrow in shape,
and Sidetrack as being on the east side of Halsted, wider
and possibly not as deep as Gentry. I would call both of
them as being in "commercial vernacular" buildings.

> - has that area in the back where you can actually talk,
>which is why so many liked it

I remember that Gentry On Halsted did have an area in the very
back where this was possible, but Sidetrack having at least
one area where conversation was possible as well.

> - had the "French patio" open doors to the streets when the weather
>was nice

I do remember the patio doors were at Gentry. I remember this
very clearly from Pinkfest 2001. We had a couple of our people
who appeared to be a bit shy to enter, and I remember I had to
go back out the open doors and kind of herd them in.

Sidetrack, on the other hand, has 1-2 doorway type points of
entry. I remember that they "card hard" at the door and that
one of our people in one year did have some kind of ID issue
and I was afraid she was not gonna be admitted. I never
remember being carded at either Gentry.

> P.S. to Annie: I think you may have your captions switched for 2004. IIRC,
> the brick wall background (seen behind the singer and piano player in front
> of the pride flag, mis-labeled as Gentry) is SideTrack and the wood panel
> walls (also including where we are by the exit sign) is Gentry on Halstead,
> so some pix are also co-mingled. Of course, that was a few years ago, so
> alcohol may have muddled my memories. :-)

As I look back at these, I'm very sure that the piano player with
the rainbow flag is Gentry on Halsted. I do agree that I may have
a few of these miscategorized. You were wearing the same outfit
at both, and I'm not certain about several of these, but I do
remember Gentry On Halsted as having a bare brick wall on the
south side of their bay.

Am I on drugs here? :)

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This posting is from: Tina
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Hi Annie,

> Am I on drugs here? :)

No more than usual. :-) :-)

You always did have a better memory than me, so I bow to your expertise.
Anyway, the Halstead area is fun, so I'm sure a good time will be had by
all.

Wish I could make it, by my Z surgery isn't until 11/16, so the gap is too
big to combine into one trip.

Best wishes for a happy and safe PF 2010.

-- Tina

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This posting is from: June LaTrobe
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Hi,

Sorry to tell you this, but Gentry on Halsted has been gone for about 3
years. It is now Scarlett, which had a fire and only re-opened about a
year ago.

Gentry on State also closed. I don't know of a cabaret type bar in Chicago.
As for SideTrack, I can not speak too highly of this delightful place.

The owner, Art Johnson is a fantastic Allie of the Trans community, the
place has several different rooms, all of which have various videos
playing-not porn, but music video's.

Several of the nights are theme night; Sunday, for instance is Broadway
show tunes.

There are a couple of areas where you can have some conversation, but it
is still a bit noise.

June

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This posting is from: Elena
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The insult comic/piano player was definitely at Gentry's. Sidetrack has
always been a video bar with some relatively quiet areas. Gentry's is
sadly gone but Sidetrack is still open and welcoming of us.

Elena

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(This posting was entered by Elena, an external user of MyDLV.)

[External Poster]

This posting is from: annie
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>> Am I on drugs here? :)

> No more than usual. :-) :-)

I didn't think I was. I do have a very good memory regarding
bars, for some reason. :)

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[External Poster]

This posting is from: annie
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> Gentry's is sadly gone

The one I really miss is the Gentry downtown on State. :(

They always had decent entertainment, some quite areas, a
video bar downstairs, and a plain old bar-bar to the left
if you just wanted to hang out and have a few drinks.

They say that the Second Story Bar absorbed a number of the
Gentry regulars, but as we found out, it can be extremely
crowded and it's not that large.

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