"Few venues epitomized the passion of live music like small, scrappy all-ages venue Chain Reaction. With an interior covered with band stickers and T-shirts and a cramped, enclosed alley with walls covered in gum and graffiti, the Anaheim venue on Lincoln Avenue spent nearly 30 years as a staple for punk, ska, hardcore, emo and more that helped put OC on the map for generations of local music fans."
"This call wasn't made quickly. We wrestled with it and have ultimately made the decision to close our doors. We want to thank every band, fan and attendee of our shows. We want to thank the scene that supported us for almost three decades. We want to thank you for the friendships and memories made in our special club. Thank you for supporting us through the years and when we needed it most. CHAIN REACTION FOREVER."
"But after so many years of slowly waning attendance numbers, and a major hit from the COVID-19 pandemic, Chain Reaction began to sink. Unfortunately, even the concession of adding a bar to the longtime dry venue wasn't enough to keep the club profitable, and they made the last-minute announcement via Instagram last week: The closing of a staple in one of the biggest alternative music communities in the country is a symbol of a dismal state of affairs for a once-thriving scene."
Chain Reaction was a small, scrappy all-ages venue in Anaheim with walls of band stickers, T-shirts and a cramped alley of gum and graffiti. The club operated on Lincoln Avenue for nearly 30 years as a staple for punk, ska, hardcore and emo and helped put Orange County on the map for local music fans. Since 1996, Chain fostered breakout bands such as Touché Amoré, Atreyu, Thrice and Eighteen Visions and hosted touring acts including Paramore, Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance. Attendance declined over years, COVID-19 caused major losses, and adding a bar could not restore profitability, prompting a last-minute closure announcement thanking bands, fans and the scene.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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