Outset

Outset is a general-admission live music venue at 1675 N Elston Ave in Chicago, opened in 2024. It was built to put the production values of a large-scale room into an intimate, up-close setting, and the venue points to its audio and production capability, its several bars and a wraparound balcony as what sets it apart from others in the city. A 10,000-square-foot outdoor patio adjoins it, with seating of its own, and opens an hour before doors. The main room is standing-room-only, though some events add seating. Outset is cashless and its ticketing is entirely digital — there is no box office, and tickets are scanned from the Ticketmaster app at the door. Age limits vary by show and are usually set by the performer's management. There is no parking of its own; the nearest train is the Red Line at North/Clybourn.