Five minutes past Disneyland in Anaheim, CA in a small strip mall right off the 5 freeway sits Chain Reaction. It’s a small building that’s painted green and white and says “Chain Reaction” across the top of the building. When you see the venue from the outside it looks like an average building, but this average building has been an important building block in the Orange County music scene and even the entire United States music scene.
Chain Reaction went from being a biker bar to a Mexican restaurant to becoming what it is known as today. Bands used to completely skip over Orange County when they were touring because there was no venue to play at. Then 20 years ago Chain Reaction opened up as a music venue that gave bands a chance to play when no one else would and put OC on the map as a good music destination. The venue is alcohol free, concerts are cheap and it’s a safe place for kids to go see their favorite bands.
On Saturday, September 17 Chain Reaction celebrated the momentous occasion of their 20th anniversary with Chain Fest. The festival took place at The Observatory, a sister-venue located in Santa Ana. The three stages were filled with the sounds of 15 bands throughout the day. The night ended with Underoath, Circa Survive and Coheed & Cambria. Other bands that played were Dance Gavin Dance, Tigers Jaw, Citizen, Movements and Basement. The lineup was so loaded with awesome bands, there were stages to run back and forth to throughout the time I was there.
You may be asking why these bands were chosen to play and why they're significant to Chain Reaction’s history? Well, to answer that you have to go back to the beginning of when these bands began. All of these bands have played at Chain Reaction at some point in their careers. Now, these bands are some of the biggest in the music scene! Chain Reaction has helped launch the careers of Underoath and Circa Survive and all the other bands that played. Sure, Chain Reaction is not solely responsible for getting these bands to where they are today but to have played a part in their careers is something worth noticing
Along with all of that Chain Reaction is an important facet in the local Orange County music scene because they let local bands open for bigger bands that come through. Just about every time I’ve seen a show there’s been a local band opening before everyone else. Giving kids in bands a chance to play on a real stage at a real venue is really important and really amazing.
If you’ve never been to Chain Reaction you should change that and get to a show! There are good shows just about every week, with varying music genres. Chain Reaction has created a place for up and coming bands and veteran bands to come and play in Orange County. Happy 20th anniversary to Chain Reaction and thanks for helping keep the scene alive.
