As rock concerts blossomed in the late ‘60s, with a capacity of 12,000 the Coliseum (1513 S. Wabash) provided a space larger than concert venues such as the Auditorium Theater, Civic Opera House and Arie Crown Theater. Although the building was an acoustically challenged barn that was in serious need of repair in a less than ideal neighborhood on the near South Side of Chicago, it provided a perfect place for rock crowds who could have cared less about the condition or location of the facility. From 1968-71, the Coliseum became the major Chicago concert venue.
For those who remember the stone façade, it was originally built in the 1880s to surround a Civil War museum constructed by candy magnate Charles Gunther. The façade was a re-creation of the Confederate Libby Prison which was brought to Chicago from Richmond, Virginia, and re-assembled brick-by-brick on the site. In the early 1900s it was the premiere indoor arena, and was actually a model for future arena designs. The venue hosted six national political conventions and was the original home for the Chicago Blackhawks.
Following the Depression Era, the revitalization of Chicago saw the Chicago Stadium open in 1929 and the International Amphitheater in 1935. The Coliseum quickly became antiquated and too small, relegated to second tier events. By World War II, the venue became a training facility for American troops.
After the war, both the Coliseum and the neighborhood it was in deteriorated in major disrepair. Still, the size of the venue continued to make it viable even if only for events such as roller derby, professional wrestling, and evangelical revival meetings.
Venues being used at the time including the Civic Opera House and Auditorium held less than 4,000, and the popularity of rock forced promoters to seek a larger venue. And the Coliseum fit the bill.
Triangle Productions was one of the main promoters at the time and brought in acts like The Doors (here’s audio of their May 10, 1968 performance https://youtu.be/qYoCynZHl9E). 1968 also saw the likes of Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and the Rascals play there; with future concerts featuring the Grateful Dead, Alice Cooper, etal.
One of the promoters who went into the venue was Dick Gasson of 22nd Century Productions. In 1970, he re-branded the building as The Syndrome when his plans to reopen the Kinetic Playground did not materialize. The first show was on October 16, 1970, with Grand Funk Railroad, Humble Pie and Chase. As the Syndrome, it only lasted six months. The Syndrome concerts were general admission with folding chairs on the main floor. The last show was James Taylor and Carole King on March 12, 1971. A day later, the City of Chicago shut the building down citing health and fire code violations. Concerts then moved to the International Amphitheater.
The site is now occupied by the Soka Gakkai USA Culture Center. The commemorative Coliseum Park is located across Wabash Avenue from the original venue site.
Coliseum concerts
April 27, 1968 Cream & Mothers of Invention
May 10, 1968 The Doors & Shady Daze & One-Eyed Jacks
Sept. 28, 1968 The Rascals
Oct. 13, 1968 Cream & Conqueror Worm
Nov. 3, 1968 The Doors
Dec. 1, 1968 Jimi Hendrix Experience & Soft Machine
Jan. 23, 1970 Grateful Dead
May 16, 1970 B.B. King
Nov. 27, 1970 Grateful Dead
Dec. 31, 1970 The Byrds & Alice Cooper
Mar. 19, 1971 New Riders of the Purple Sage & Grateful Dead
Syndrome concerts
Oct. 16, 1970 Grand Funk Railroad, Humble Pie, The Brethren, Chase
Nov. 6, 1970 Traffic, Siegel-Schwall Band, Mott the Hoople, Conqueror Worm
Nov. 13, 1970 Small Faces with Rod Stewart, Elvin Bishop, Haystack Balboa, Soup
Nov. 20, 1970 Ten Years After, Mylon, Skid Row, Quatermass
Nov. 27, 1970 Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage
Jan. 20, 1971 Free, Siegel-Schwall Band, Hammer
Feb. 20, 1971 Mountain, Fleetwood Mac, Ned
Mar. 5, 1971 Steppenwolf, Flash
Mar. 12, 1971 James Taylor, Carole King, Jo Mama
As the Syndrome was closed effective March 13, other shows that were scheduled had included:
Mar. 19, 1971 Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage (cancelled)
Mar. 20, 1971 Black Sabbath, J. Geils Band, Dreams (cancelled)
Mar. 26, 1971 Johnny Winter, Allman Brothers (cancelled)
Apr. 2, 1971 Jethro Tull, Brethren, McKendree Spring (cancelled – moved to Opera House)
Apr. 9, 1971 James Gang, Spencer Davis & Peter Jameson (cancelled – moved to Opera House 4/10/71)
Apr. 23, 1971 Moody Blues, Trapeze (cancelled)
May 1-2, 1971 Grand Funk Railroad (cancelled – moved to International Amphitheater)
May 28 1971 Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention (cancelled – moved to Auditorium)