William Shakespeare famously wrote that “all the world’s a stage,” yet places like libraries, museums, and hospitals typically frown upon musicians rocking out at full volume. Performers need stages on which to entertain, and concert halls are where they’re best able to shine. Just as a picture frame should accent and enhance a painting, a well-built venue can maximize the listening experience.
One company designing such spaces is 16” on Center. The quirky name is an architectural reference used to identify the center mark that will create the sturdiest building. It’s an appropriate title, as the term reflects their overall mission of designing music halls and eateries made to stand the test of time. Abbreviated as 16OC, the hospitality collective has existed since the ‘90s, starting with co-founders Bruce Finkelman and Craig Golden building Empty Bottle in the Ukrainian Village of Chicago. Although the bulk of their venues, bars, and restaurants reside in The Windy City and other locales throughout Illinois, they’ve recently expanded with Joomak, a restaurant featuring new American cuisine fused with Korean influences located in N.Y.C.’s trendy West Village.
Brent Heyl is one of 16OC’s two Directors of Music, the other being Jake Samuels. Though he never planned on a career in the music industry, Heyl’s passion for attending concerts eventually led him down that path. After graduating college, he followed a girlfriend to Chicago, where he was amazed that the local radio station, unlike others, was playing his favorite music. He began volunteering there and later served in marketing and booking roles. In addition to involvement in an online radio station named CHIRP, he snagged an internship at Thrill Jockey, a local record label he adored. All these experiences prepared him for what came next.
While still interning, Heyl was a bartender at a Windy City club. When that spot closed, Finkelman asked if he would like to become a booking agent for the new one they were opening in that location, Beauty Bar. Heyl also became a manager, although Heyl admits that role isn’t his strength. Finkleman and others recognized his true talents, and toward the end of 2011 Heyl was placed in charge of off-site bookings under the Empty Bottle banner. Heyl subsequently helped launch Thalia Hall, after which 16OC became formalized as a corporate entity.
Being a Director of Music means Heyl helps shape the identities of 16OC’s clubs. Having been in charge of Empty Bottle’s calendar, Heyl was focused on punk, rock, and experimental sounds. Samuels had worked for SPACE, which deals primarily in roots music, jazz, and folk. Together, they would be able to cover an extraordinary breadth of musical ground when working on Thalia Hall. “We talked about what the aesthetic, would be,” attests Heyl regarding the venue’s sound and marketing, which included taking cues from the historic nature of the building erected in the late 1800s.
Heyl continues to put on shows in unusual places. One series he’s been running for over a decade, Beyond The Gate, takes place at Bohemian National Cemetery. Other far-flung locales include boats and a local conservatory. “The challenge is forming a partnership with the place you’re doing it and making it feel organic,” he says. “Doing shows in a cemetery isn’t everybody’s idea of where a show should be. We have been very sensitive with what we’re doing and trying to achieve.”
Each booking agent under the 16OC umbrella has autonomy to pick and choose which acts they want. Heyl offers advice on how artists can improve their chances of getting into their good graces and onto their bills. “Have all your materials together,” he imparts. “And it’s good to have a few shows under your belt.” Furthermore, naming a few dates that would work and explaining why is far superior to simply saying you’re free during a few particular months. “A little legwork on the band’s end really helps start the conversation.”
New venues are always in the works. “It’s no secret that we’re looking at the property across the street from Salt Shed,” mentions Heyl. “If it ends up happening, it’s going to be a game changer.”
Heyl and his cohorts are doing everything they can to continue weathering the endlessly shifting live music scene. One trend they’ve noticed is that people are drinking less alcohol, so the team added a wider selection of mocktails and other non-alcoholic drinks to their menus. The Salt Shed even boasts a bar exclusively devoted to NA libations. 16OC also puts on a wide array of community-focused events. Their hotspots have been known to host Dungeons & Dragons tournaments, Magic: The Gathering events, and workshops on crafty endeavors such as how to build a wind chime. Notably, The Salt Shed recently presented its own version of a dog show.
Heyl chalks up the success of 16OC to the entire team being lovers of all things food, wine, and song. “We’re always going to shows. We’re always eating out. We’re always looking for the new thing,” he summarizes. “And we want to create the places that we’d like to be.”
