Authored By seanphippster

Everybody has a favorite JJ’s Bohemia story. What’s yours?

The popular venue at 231 M.L. King Blvd. has been named one of the top 100 live music venues in the United States.

The staff at Consequence of Sound, one of the premier digital news outlets for music and entertainment, released a list of the 100 Greatest American Music Venues last week. According to the article, the team sought to find venues that have a “transportive quality.”

Sure, the most unexceptional concert venues might be near and dear to our hearts because of the shows we saw there or the people we met, but the really great venues go beyond that. There is history between their walls, features that are unlike any other concert space, and state-of-the-art lighting and sound that allow for artists to realize their vision of live presentation.

Click here for the full list.

Chattanooga’s JJ’s Bohemia was listed at No. 95 for the “undeniably chaotic” vibe and seemingly random décor. The site also applauded the small stage, which allows concertgoers an intimate, in-your-face experience with the bands. And, of course, no mention of JJ’s would be complete without a nod to the back porch.

The accolades come during what has been a rough start to 2016 for JJ’s Bohemia owner John Shoemaker. In January, Shoemaker announced that he had started a Go Fund Me page to help pay debts related to a lawsuit. The debt amounted to about $25,000.

Read more about the lawsuit here.

But despite the financial issues, Shoemaker said the COS mention is a nice pat on the back for his staff.

“It’s so awesome to have a little recognition for all the work me and the incredible staff at JJ’s have been putting in for the past nine and a half years,” he said. “The [COS list] mentions some of the touring bands we’ve had, but the real magic has come from the locals that have made JJ’s their second home. We have loyal regulars that come in for the love of live music, and they are what makes JJ’s so unique.”

Other regional venues mentioned on the list include Knoxville’s Tennessee Theater; Asheville, North Carolina’s Orange Peel; Atlanta’s The Earl and Tabernacle; Nashville’s The Bluebird Café and Ryman Auditorium; and The 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia.