rednofive

The bachelor party I attended converged with the bachelorette party for a grand finale at rednofive - an intimately sized joint located on nightclub heavy Halsted St. just north of Chicago's downtown. This club was chosen for sentimental reasons as it hosted the first date for the bride and groom-to-be.

Thankfully it wasn't your typical strobelighted claustraphobic meatmarket type of club. Oldheads won't necessarily feel out of place at this establishment which featured a diverse crowd of mostly well dressed young professionals in dresses, blazers and dress shirts. Not too many thugs or kiddies (no sneakers allowed). The space was small but not overcrowded - dunno if its because rednofive is past its heyday (they recently closed the bottom level of the club) or because its loungy atmosphere attracts/selects a specific demographic. Either way, I enjoyed the laidback atmosphere which allowed for easy mingling and moving about the room.

rednofive was dimly lit in warm shades of, you guessed it - red. Chandeliers hung from the ceilings and ornately framed mirrors adorned the walls with velvety draped curtains substituting as restroom doors. Several couches are located near the entrance/exit to catch photo-ops and stumbling drunkards. The dancefloor contained some random dancing and half-stepping with a small stage for exhibitionists. The DJ was situated above and mixed mostly mainstream stuff - old school and current hiphop with a little reggae and dancehall. I think I even heard some reggaeton from Daddy Yankee. I was suprised that I didn't hear any Chi-town hiphop like Kanye, Common, Cool Kids or Kid Sister, but maybe that would be too predictable.

All in all, it was a nice atmosphere for drinking, chatting and people watching. I held down the nearby bar taking shots from the groomsmen and meeting distant cousins that I never knew. Isn't it crazy when your extended family is that big and gets even bigger with each wedding?