Chicago is widely recognised as the birthplace of House. From Frankie Knuckles to Jesse Saunders, it’s important to remember that, just like any other art form, the origin of music matters.

If you agree with the above, you might be keen on a trip down Hot Mix 5 Way, on the other side of the world, where small venues all over Chicago have become exempt from paying a three percent tax on admission fees.

Officials from the area boiled the change down to seeing DJ acts and live music venues as “recognised art forms,” with the Cook County Commissioner (no pun intended) John Fritchey saying: “This agreement makes it clear that it was never the intent of the Administration for the County to play culture police and make decisions on what is, or isn’t, music or art.”

This seemingly small change is a big win for the smaller venues pushing fresh talent in the city. Something Chicago venue owner, Joe Shanahan, knows all too well: “These musical styles are all recognised as art around the world and Chicago is rightly recognised as the birthplace of some of the best-known artists …. this agreement confirms that government officials should not be the arbiters of what constitutes art.”

[Source: Mixmag]