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Saturday, August 31, 2013

North Coast Weathers Friday Evacuation #NCMF



The 4th Annual
Summer's Last Stand
NORTH COAST MUSIC FESTIVAL 2013

At approximately 5:30 on Friday afternoon, North Coast Music Festival executed an emergency evacuation of the festival grounds due to sever weather warnings including high winds, hail, and more. All attendees vacated the premises by approximately 5:50 PM. 

The attendees were informed through warnings on the three screens at each stage, push notifications through our official app, social media (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram),  website, and announcements over the speakers at each stage. 

The Gates reopened and NCMF allowed attendees to re-enter the festival. The festival was extended until 11 PM.

North Coast Music Festival 2013
August 30th - September 1st, 2013
Union Park
Chicago, IL 60607
All Ages
Friday: 3 PM - 10 PM
Saturday/Sunday: Noon - 10 PM

Friday, August 30, 2013

#NCMF Sets On Our Radar: Big Gigantic #originalphotos #SCAMP

ChiIL Live Shows caught a rare mash up at Summer Camp Music Fest this year...   

Click here for our whole photo filled recap of that Saturday.

We got to hear Karl Denson's Tiny Universe with a guest appearance by Dominic Lalli-Saxophone/Producer from Big Gigantic! 




BTW... Lalli holds a Masters Degree from the Manhattan School of Music.



I'm a HUGE fan of saxaphone.   My grandfather played and so did my little sister.  I've also seen Karl Denson a number of times over the years, so I was stoked to hear he'd be back at Summer Camp again with KDTU.   They went on my must see list early on.   It was an extra sweet sax bonus to see him rock the stage with Big Gigantic's Dominic Lalli!


Catch Big Gigantic 8:30-10pm Saturday on The Coast Stage at North Coast Music Fest. 

#NCMF Bands on Our Radar: Disco Biscuits & Conspirator

Talk about Philly's Best and most people picture a mouth watering cheese steak.   But not this weekend.   Check out THESE tasty treats from Philly-- Disco Biscuits & Conspirator!



They're on tonight at North Coast Music Festival 8:30-10 on the Last Stand Stage

Then they'll be playing a sold out show at Logan Square's hottest new venue, The Concord (close in proximity to but not to be confused with the much larger Congress) Saturday.   ChiIL Live Shows will be there... will YOU?!



Didja Know...CONSPIRATOR (FEATURES MEMBERS OF DISCO BISCUITS) 



They're on Sat from 3:30-4:30 at North Coast Music Festival North Stage

Conspirator features Aron Magner and Marc Brownstein (The Disco Biscuits keyboardist and bass player) as an outlet to channel their electronic mad scientist personae. Formed in 2004 with New York DJ/producer DJ Omen, Conspirator has taken on many forms through the years. With the addition of virtuoso guitarist Chris Michetti and a rotating cast of some of the country's best drummers – Darren Shearer (the New Deal), Mike Greenfield (Lotus), KJ Sawka (Pendulum) and Adam Deitch (Break Science, Pretty Lights) – Conspirator has reached another level.   The band issued web only remixes of dance tracks from Porter Robinson and Avicii in 2012 that blew away the electronic music circuit. 

According to Brownstein, the idea to do remixes happened one day when hanging out in their studio space in Philadelphia with Khadafi Dub, a rapper from Philly who has become an MC for many of the top dub-step artists in the world.  “We mentioned that we would be interested in getting stems from some of the artists whom he knows and with whom he has worked.  A few days later the stems started to roll in.   The artists included Porter Robinson, Avicii, 12th Planet and more, which enabled us to get to work straight away. When stems from "Seek Bromance,” a dance hit of mega proportions (60 million views on YouTube) come in, you jump on it and remix it immediately. “

The response to the remixes of Avicii’s “Seek Bromance” and the Porter Robinson’s track “Say My Name” were huge after being posted to the popular blog, ThisSongIsSick.com

Conspirator put out a full-length release entitled Unlocked - Live from the Georgia Theatre (release date April 10, 2012), which captures the spirit of these true genre blenders. The collection is a smorgasbord of electronic rock bliss, delving, twisting and diving effortlessly between house, dub-step, drum and bass, and electro.  Coming off of breakout performances at Ultra Music Festival and Nocturnal Festival, Conspirator has begun to catch the eye of electronic music aficionados everywhere.  

Action-packed tours filled 2011 and 2012 with groundbreaking performances at venues across the U.S. and festivals such as Ultra Music Festival, Nocturnal Festival, Electric Forest Festival, Starscape Festival, Gathering of the Vibes, and CounterPoint Music Festival.

With their utmost experience and mastery of the craft, Conspirator pushes into 2013 with more raw power and drive than ever, starting with the release of their new EP Unleashed on January 29 followed by a 28 city U.S. tour. 

Unleashed is a crystal clear demonstration of Conspirator’s heavy, electronically produced core coupled with a skillful and melodic homage to live instrumentation. Electronic rock sensibilities are gracefully smashed into jaw dropping, dance-floor shaking dubstep rhythms to create an effortless fusion of all things deep. This high-impact collision creates an all encompassing, energetic spectacle which will no doubt be used to shock their devoted crowds from coast to coast. 

INCOMING: The 4th Annual Summer's Last Stand NORTH COAST MUSIC FESTIVAL 2013 #NCMF


***Streaming Partnership Announced
***App Released
***Map Released
***Limited Tickets Still Available
***After Party Tickets Still Available

The 4th Annual North Coast Music Festival hits Union Park this weekend! We're thrilled to announce that we'll be streaming the festival with select artists in conjunction with our partners, EVNTLIVE. Catch performances of Wu-Tang Clan, Passion Pit, NaS, Rebelution, Gramatik, Just Blaze, Poolside, and many more! Head here for links to view the stream each day:  http://www.northcoastfestival.com/streaming.

EVNTLIVE is the increasingly popular online concert service for music enthusiasts.  Having broadcast shows and festivals from Bon Jovi to Slash to the Mountain Jam Festival, the destination has been widely welcomed for the access and immersive experience it brings music lovers worldwide.  From its multiple camera viewing, concertgoers are discovering EVNTLIVE as an engaging way to see more music they love, regardless of location. The high definition video can be experienced through one’s computer, mobile, or tablet device

The official APP for North Coast Music Festival is now available for download at the iTunes store. Customize your NCMF experience, receive exclusive announcements and deals during the festival, and more! The MAP was also recently released, which features the This Song is Sick Meet n Greet Booth. Artists TBA in the coming days.

Limited VIP three day passes are still available here, as well as single day tickets here. After party tickets are moving fast, so get those while you still can! Check out the full listing here.

When you're heading to North Coast this weekend, be sure to check out our Top Ten Tips for surviving the weekend here.

Video recap from NCMF: 2012, 2011

North Coast Music Festival 2013
August 30th - September 1st, 2013
Union Park
Chicago, IL 60607
All Ages
Friday: 3 PM - 10 PM
Saturday/Sunday: Noon - 10 PM

NCMF Ticket Winners Announced - Dirty Dozen Brass Band/ Van Ghost- Did YOU Win?



Congrats to ChiIL Live Shows' ticket winners out of 105 entries.   All 3 of you won a pair of tickets to Dirty Dozen Brass Band/ Van Ghost at Bottom Lounge this Sunday--doors at 10pm. Your names will be on the guest list at the door for this official North Coast Music Fest after show.   Click here for full show details.   


  • Tim W.
  • Blythe B.
  • Sherry C.
Check your in box.   We will private e-mail winners today.   Please E-mail us at zbluesun@gmail.com to confirm you got the word about your win.

Didn't win this time?   Tickets are still available for purchase.   Show is 17+.

Enjoy!



The Heard is The Word at North Coast Kicking Off The North Stage TODAY at 4pm #NCMF #originalphotos

Get on over to Union Park early today.   The Heard will rock your world and get your weekend off to a great start.   They're ON at 4PM on The NORTH Stage.   Be there.




These Chicago boys know how to funk things up.   They're weekly regulars around town... first at Abby Pub and now at Alive One.   We caught them live at Congress Theater opening for Slightly Stoopid and Tribal Seeds.

























Click here for more of ChiIL Live Shows' photo filled past coverage of The Heard

Then get to North Coast and catch them LIVE.   What are you waiting for?  Go already!

Thursday, August 29, 2013

FLASH GIVEAWAY-- 3 FREE Pairs of Tickets To Dirty Dozen Brass Band & Van Ghost at Bottom Lounge THIS Sunday #NCMF13


ChiIL out with ChiIL Live Shows and enter here through midnight TONIGHT 8/29 to win a pair of tickets to this official North Coast Music Fest after show!  (3 pairs available/ $24 value each). 17+
Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter.   

**a Rafflecopter giveaway**

Disclosure:  Thanks to NCMF and Bottom Lounge for kicking us review & giveaway tickets for our readers. 


Bottom Lounge
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
featuring Van Ghost
Sunday, Sep 01, 2013 10:00 PM CDT 
Bottom Lounge
, Chicago, IL
17 years and over






Call me old school, but I still dig bands that play INSTRUMENTS, and Dirty Dozen Brass Band can PLAY.   Don't get me wrong, I do my best work on a silver Macbook Pro.   And I've got nothing against DJs.   Still, there's nothing like some down n dirty R&B and New Orleans brass to get your groove on to!

Whether you scored tickets to the sold out North Coast Music Festival or not, anyone can go to the after shows.   And even better, ChiIL Live Shows can get you there for FREE!   We're your music source in Chi, IL and beyond.   

Check back with ChiIL Live Shows like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often for great giveaways, free downloads, original content video band interviews, pit photos, tour coverage, music reviews and more.

*Click here for some of our past original photo filled coverage on local Chicago favs, Van Ghost.

*Click here to check out Dirty Dozen Brass Band via their YouTube Channel.


To describe how the Dirty Dozen Brass Band has arrived at its 35th Anniversary, trumpet player Gregory Davis employs a tried-and true New Orleans-centric analogy: “It ends up being like a pot of gumbo – you drop in a little okra, drop in a little shrimp, you drop in some crabs. Before you know it, you’ve mixed in all these different ingredients and you’ve got a beautiful soup. That was our approach to music early on and it still is today.”

Baritone sax player Roger Lewis — who, like Davis, has been with the combo since its inception in 1977 — echoes that sentiment: “It’s a big old musical gumbo, and that probably made the difference, separating us from other brass bands out of New Orleans. It put a different twist on the music. We were not trying to change anything, we were just playing the music we wanted to play and not stay in one particular bag.”

An appetite for musicological adventure, a commitment to honor tradition while not being constrained by it, and a healthy sense of humor have brought the world-traveling Dirty Dozen Brass Band to this remarkable juncture in an already storied career. To celebrate its 35th, the band is releasing Twenty Dozen, the septet’s first studio release in six years. The new album, cut at the Music Shed in New Orleans, reunites the band with producer Scott Billington, who helmed DDBB’s first major-label release, Voodoo, in 1989. 

It’s a resolutely upbeat effort that seamlessly blends R&B, jazz, funk, Afro-Latino grooves, some Caribbean flavor, and even a Rihanna cover. Twenty Dozen mirrors in flow and feel a vibrant DDBB live set. The disc reaches an exuberant peak with a medley of New Orleans staples, including a particularly high-spirited rendering of “When the Saints Go Marching In.” The final track – or, as Lewis puts it, “the after-party” – is an audience encore favorite, the ribald “Dirty Old Man,” with Lewis doing an outstanding job in the title role. 

Twenty Dozen, says Lewis, is “classic Dirty Dozen. It’s got something for your mind, body, and soul. We’re gonna get you one way or another.”

Disclosure:  Thanks again to NCMF and Bottom Lounge for kicking us review & giveaway tickets for our readers. 

Also check out these Fri/Sat night NCMF after shows at Bottom Lounge:




REVIEW: Profiles Season Opener In God's Hat Beautifully Brutal #review #theatre



Profiles is off to a roaring start for their 25th Anniversary Season.   We highly recommend In God's Hat.   Somehow playwright Rhett Rossi has managed to blur the lines between victim and victimizer to create a hilarious, thought provoking, and cringe inducing dark comedy.   I don't know whether the emphasis should fall more on dark or comedy because he manages to merge the most reprehensible members of society... little boy child molesters and God fearing, Aryan Nation white supremacists into one wickedly funny production.

Though there are a fare share of cringe inducing flashback monologues and sick ideological rants, this show is truly funny throughout.  We enjoyed the multifaceted characters who had sympathetic elements despite their gaping character flaws.   In God's Hat is a compelling look at extreme ideologies, and what humans do to survive unbearable situations.   There are myriad contradictions in every one of these complex human beings, and In God's Hat has enough drama and plot twists to keep you guessing. 

The tension, stage combat, and delivery do justice to this outstanding script   and Roy, Mitch and Arthur were disturbingly possible.   I'd love to see Early step up the psychotic a bit as the run progresses.   He needs to ride that creepy menace with just a veneer of polite.   Early was just a bit too affable, but Arthur pulled off the crazy with panache.  

 

Larry Neumann, Jr. as Mitch, Darrell W. Cox as Roy, and Bruce Cronander.



John Victor Allen, Darrell W. Cox  Larry Neumann, Jr.


PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Brosilow
Files are named left to right with actor names.

The cast of In God's Hat features Co-Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox as Roy, Larry Neumann, Jr. as Mitch, John Victor Allen and Bruce Cronander.

The live musicians in their prison like mesh are a stand out, too.   This talented crew rocks the guitar, harmonica, fiddle, keyboards, percussion and more, to lend a bluesy ambience that goes well beyond just a backdrop to the action.

This is absolutely a mature audiences only show.   Leave the kids at home for this one.  



Darrell W. Cox as Roy, Larry Neumann, Jr. as Mitch

Profiles Theatre opens 25h Anniversary Season
with the Midwest premiere of
In God’s Hat by Rhett Rossi

Profiles Theatre opens its 25th Anniversary Season with the Midwest premiere of In God’s Hat by Rhett Rossi, directed by Artistic Director Joe Jahraus. The production runs August 23 – October 13, 2013 at The Main Stage, 4139 N. Broadway

In God's Hat examines the extremes of humanity and the love of family as well the contempt for it. For nearly a decade, estranged brothers Roy and Mitch found themselves kept apart by prison bars and a nefarious history. On the day of Mitch's release, he is shocked to see Roy waiting for him, unsure of his intentions. Together they travel down a desolate road stopping at the only lodging around--a fleabag motel where confrontation and tension manifest themselves through darkly comical situations. In the end, the brothers must confront both the past and present, as some secrets are revealed and new ones must be kept.

Produced off-Broadway by the Apothecary Theatre Company, Rhett Rossi’s criticall- acclaimed play In God’s Hat received its world premiere in July 2010. His other plays include the one-man show Burnt, first performed by the Present Company Theatorium and From Red to Black, which received a reading at South Coast Rep and was runner up for the Laurents/Hatcher Prize. Rossi recently developed a pilot for HBO about minor league hockey.
Directed by Profiles Co-Artistic Director Joe Jahraus, the cast of In God's Hat features Co-Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox as Roy and Larry Neumann, Jr. as Mitch. Also featured are guest artists John Victor Allen and Bruce Cronander.

In God’s Hat explores familial bonds, crisis of faith and our interwoven destinies through it’s tough, hard-edged dialogue and dark humor,” says Jahraus. "Rossi’s play is the perfect way to kick off our 25th year of bringing exciting, visceral new works to Chicago.”

The designers for In God's Hat are Shaun Renfro (set), Mike Durst (lights), Jeffrey Levin (sound and original live music), and Raquel Adorno (costumes). Profiles ensemble member Eric Burgher is the assistant director.

Profiles Theatre plans six productions for the 25th Anniversary Season alternating between its two venues, The Main Stage at 4139 N. Broadway and The Alley Stage at 4147 N. Broadway. Following In God’s Hat, the Midwest premiere of Wrecks by Neil LaBute debuts at The Alley Stage on October 3, 2013 featuring John Judd as Edward Carr. Also scheduled are Midwest premieres of the award-winning plays Cock by Mike Bartlett, Gidion’s Knot by Johnna Adams and Hunter Gatherers by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb along with Profiles’ acclaimed production of Hellcab by Will Kern, returning for the holiday season.

Tickets for In God’s Hat are $35 for Thursdays, $40 for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are available by phone, (773) 549-1815, or online, www.profilestheatre.org. Performances are Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 5:00 and 8:00 pm, Sundays at 7:00 p.m.


Darrell W. Cox as Roy, Larry Neumann, Jr. as Mitch

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

RHETT ROSSI (Playwright) premiered his critically-acclaimed play In God’s Hat off-Broadway with the Apothecary Theatre Company. His other plays include the one-man show Burnt with Present Company Theatorium and From Red to Black which received a reading at South Coast Rep and was runner up for the Laurents/Hatcher Prize. Rhett recently developed a pilot with HBO about minor league hockey. He lives in Brooklyn.

JOE JAHRAUS (Director) is the founder and Co-Artistic Director of Profiles Theatre. He most recently directed Profiles' Midwest Premieres of The Dream of the Burning Boy by David West Read and Sweet and Sad by Richard Nelson, the American Premiere of In a Forest, Dark and Deep by Neil LaBute as well as Profiles' World Premiere of Assisted Living by Deirdre O'Connor. His other directing credits with Profiles include the Midwest Premieres of Fifty Words by Michael Weller, Jailbait by Deirdre O'Connor, The Mercy Seat by Neil LaBute, Great Falls by Lee Blessing, The Thugs by Adam Bock and the World Premiere of Kid Sister by Will Kern. Joe directed the American Premiere of Apple by Vern Thiessen and the long-running hit Fat Pig by Neil LaBute for which he received a Jeff Award Nomination for Outstanding Director. Other directing credits for Profiles include the American Premiere of Apple by Vern Thiessen, the award-winning Midwest Premiere of Blackbird by Adam Rapp, Babylon Gardens by Timothy Mason, The Water Engine and Sexual Perversity in Chicago by David Mamet, and the award-winning Midwest Premiere of Carnal Knowledge by Jules Fieffer, among others.

JOHN VICTOR ALLEN (Arthur) makes his Profiles Theatre debut with In God's Hat. He was most recently seen in Measure for Measure at the Goodman Theatre and Elephant’s Graveyard with Red Tape Theatre. Other productions include Five Flights with Immediate Theatre, Coup and Rotten Couch Potatoes with Gearworks Theatre and Indecent Proposals with Metropolis PAC. John was also seen in the independent feature film The Soul Gatherer as well as numerous appearances around Chicago's vibrant improv and sketch comedy scene with his award-winning sketch group The Dancing Pig from The Second City. 

DARRELL W. COX (Roy) is Co-Artistic Director of Profiles Theatre where he most recently appeared in Profiles' Midwest Premiere of The Dream of the Burning Boy by David West Read. Prior to that he was seen in Profiles' Midwest Premiere of Sweet and Sad by Richard Nelson and Profiles' American Premiere of In a Forest Dark and Deep by Neil LaBute. Darrell received his fourth Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role for his performance as Joe Cooper in Profiles' production of Killer Joe by Tracy Letts. Darrell has appeared at Steppenwolf in the World Premiere of Men of Tortuga (where he originated the role of Taggart), the Midwest Premiere of Orange Flower Water (which traveled to the Galway Arts Festival), and the World Premiere of Wendall Greene. He has also been seen at the Goodman in The Shawl and Home as part of the David Mamet Festival, American Theatre Company's Speed the Plow and Oleanna as part of the Mamet Repertory, as well as Jim Jones in the Midwest Premiere of The People's Temple, and the World Premiere of Martin Furey's Shot at TimeLine, among others. He has won four Joseph Jefferson Awards for Principal Actor for his work in Profiles' productions of Killer Joe, Blackbird, Some Voices, and Eye of God. In addition, he has received two After Dark Awards for Outstanding Performance for Profiles' productions of Popcorn, and Carnal Knowledge. Darrell can currently be seen in a recurring role as Uncle Ray on "Chicago Fire" on NBC and appeared in the film "AB-" directed by Dan Klein and produced by The Gravity Collaborative, which premiered at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival. 

BRUCE CRONANDER (Early) is working for the first time at Profiles Theatre. A recent transplant from Los Angeles, and originally from San Francisco, he has enjoyed becoming part of the thriving theatre community in Chicago. Since his arrival he has performed in Anna Christi with the Rendition Theatre and Outward Bound at the JPAC theatre in Cicero. Favorite roles in Los Angeles include the Reverend Chasuble in The Importance of Being Ernest and Lt. Calley in In the Heart of America. Roles in the San Francisco area include Camping with Henry and Tom at Theatreworks, A Few Good Men and Six Degrees of Separation. Film roles include XXX:State of the Union with William Defoe, Prom-troversy with Jane Lynch and Living the Dream with Sean Young. Television roles include Arrested Development and A&E Biography Series: Eisenhower.

LARRY NEUMANN, JR. (Mitch) makes his Profiles Theatre debut with In God's Hat. Mr. Neumann has been seen in over 70 productions in his career, primarily in his hometown of Chicago where audiences have seen Larry recently at the Goodman Theatre in Robert Falls The Iceman Cometh with Nathan Lane and Brian Dennehy and earlier at Lookingglass Theatre in Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting as baseball icon Branch Rickey. Larry has also worked with Lookingglass previously in The Richard Nickel Story (title role), & Austin in The Shaggs. Mr. Neumann has received Jeff awards for performances in Moon for the Misbegotten at First Folio as Phil Hogan, Dr. Larch in Famous Door’s epic two-part production of Cider House Rules, and for his portrayal of the Dali Lama in Hitting For The Cycle, also with Famous Door.  Other Chicago favorites include Madness of Edgar Allen Poe (First Folio); Puppetmaster of Ludz (Writer’s Theatre); and Underneath The Lintel (Noble Fool). He has appeared regionally at Milwaukee Rep., Madison Rep. and Kansas City Rep.  Film credits: Merry Gentleman, Stranger Than Fiction, Stir of Echoes. A native Chicagoan, he lives with wife Sandy and their cats in Ravenswood Manor. Larry is a member of Actors’ Equity.


FACTS

Title:                 In God’s Hat
            Playwright:        by Rhett Rossi
Directed by:      Rick Snyder
           
            Dates:              
                                   Regular Run:                August 29 – October 13, 2013

Schedule:         Thurs., Fri.:                  8:00 p.m. 
                        Saturday:                     5:00 p.m. and 8:00p.m. (no 5pm show August 31)
Sunday:                       7:00 p.m.

Location:          Profiles Theatre, The Main Stage, 4139 N. Broadway
                        Parking is available for $14 - $20 at 4100 N. Clarendon
(One block east of the theatre at the corner of Clarendon and Belle Plaine)

Ticket prices:   
Regular Run:    Thursdays are $35, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are $40; Students and Senior Citizens receive a $5 discount on all performances; Group rates are available.
Box Office:       Buy online at www.profilestheatre.org
or call (773) 549-1815

 

Darrell W. Cox as Roy, Larry Neumann, Jr. as Mitch and Bruce Cronander.


ABOUT PROFILES THEATRE


Profiles Theatre, founded in 1988 by Artistic Director Joe Jahraus, joined shortly thereafter by Artistic Director Darrell W. Cox, was formed as an actor-driven theatre ensemble dedicated to creating provocative and emotionally truthful productions. Passionate about shaping an original vision for new works, they focused on performing World, American and Midwest premieres as well as rarely performed plays. Critically-acclaimed hits, such as BLACKBIRD, FAT PIG, GRACELAND and the multiple Jeff Award-winning KILLER JOE, established Profiles as a destination for challenging and edgy theatre. Their unique collaboration with playwright Neil LaBute led the ensemble to perform an entire season of his plays in 2007-2008. Now a Resident Artist at Profiles, LaBute remains an unequivocal artistic influence on the ensemble.

After performing at 4147 North Broadway for more than two decades, Profiles acquired an adjacent theatre at 4139 North Broadway in 2012. Profiles’ new theatre, The Main Stage, with its larger seating capacity, increased performance space and higher ceilings, accommodates more ambitious and technically demanding productions. Their long-time venue, renamed The Alley Stage, continues as the home for plays strengthened by a more intimate staging. Driven by an undiminished appetite for creating honest and resonant theatre, Profiles still seeks to present work that illuminates the determination and resiliency of the human spirit.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

INCOMING: Dirty Beaches at Empty Bottle 9/12 & Beacon at Bottom Lounge 9/18

Two incredible acts, Beacon and Dirty Beaches, are coming through Chicago this fall and they're rumored to be some serious standouts for the season.   So check 'em out live while you can.

With a Best New Music on Pitchfork for his outstanding new double record Drifters/Love Is The Devil, Dirty Beaches has again proven to be one of the most innovative and compelling artists today, and will be playing on Thursday, September 12th at Empty Bottle with a full band. Heard recently in an interview on NPR's All Things Considered, they call Alex Zhang Hungtai's compositions "washy, dreamy rock music that often feels nostalgic" while Pitchfork see it as "both sprawling and detailed, a sonic travelogue that takes the textural aspects of his work to impressionistic heights." In a recent interview with Stereogum, they write that the record is "equal parts beautiful, heartbreaking, and (occasionally) terrifying," an apt description for his fascinating new video for "Casino Lisboa."

Beacon and Shigeto will be co-headlining a fantastic tour this summer, playing Bottom Lounge on Wednesday, September 18th with support from Nightmoves. A Brooklyn-based male duo, Beacon released their debut album, The Ways We Separate, on Ghostly earlier this spring to much acclaim, with Pitchfork writing, "Mullarney's voice is light, but it's grounded with an earnestness that is strengthened with each new instrumental flourish." An intoxicating blend of R&B and electronic grooves, The Ways We Separate captures smooth, sensual rhythms and lays them atop silky vocals and deep basslines, coming together into what Exclaim call "one of the most compelling and authentic-sounding albums of the year." Having toured with How To Dress Well, Gold Panda and Matthew Dear, Beacon put on a stellar live show and are sure to impress alongside Shigeto's vivid, beat-heavy electronic sound.



DIRTY BEACHES
Photo Credit: Anna Zelikova

North American Tour Dates 2013 /
09.04.13 - Societe des Arts Technologiques - Montreal, QC #
09.05.13 - Church of Boston - Boston, MA # 
09.06.13 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY #
09.08.13 - Rock & Roll Hotel - Washington, DC #
09.09.13 - Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, PA #
09.11.13 - The Garrison - Toronto, ON # 
09.12.13 - Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL #
09.13.13 - Firebird - St. Louis, MO # 
09.14.13 - Exit In - Nashville, TN # 
09.15.13 - Bottletree - Birmingham, AL # 
09.17.13 - The Mohawk - Austin, TX # 
09.19.13 - Rhythm Room - Phoenix, AZ # 
09.20.13 - Echo - Los Angeles, CA # % 
09.21.13 - The Void - San Diego, CA # % 
09.22.13 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA # %
09.24.13 - Mississippi Studios - Portland, OR # %
09.25.13 - Barboza - Seattle, WA # % 
09.26.13 - Biltmore Cabaret - Vancouver, BC # % 
* with Heathered Pearls, Xray Eyeballs 
^ with Heathered Pearls & Eola (collaboration), Porcelain Raft, Andy Boay 
# with Sisu
% with Chasms

Alex Zhang Hungtai, AKA Dirty Beaches, started off as a one man band in 2005 in Montreal. A trans-pacific nomad and genre hopping sound smith, his past releases include drone instrumentals, film scores and a fascination with dissecting popular american music like blues, rockabilly, soul, RNB, and hip hop, often rendering them to the point where its no longer recognizable.

His latest release, Drifters/Love Is The Devil, is a double LP that chronicles the musician's life on the road over the past 2 years, as we follow him down the rabbit hole through the labyrinths of Berlin, Belgrade, Paris, and many other cities through heartbreak, rebirth and masochistic existential self reflection.

Recorded between Montreal and Berlin in the winter of 2012, the double LP is separated only by aesthetics, as they are tightly woven together thematically as one conceptual piece. If 2011's Badlands was an exercise in exorcising past ghosts in a semi-fictional world, then Drifters/Love Is The Devil is a reflection on the fragility of reality. One, of the surface world in which he explores the night life of bright neon temptations dwelling in hedonistic irresponsible values, and the other of the inner world, one of remorse and lovelorn tragedies.
As stated by the artist himself, "the most honest piece of music I've ever written." Drifters/Love Is The Devil is out now on ZOO MUSIC.


"Drifters/Love is the Devil is a pair of poignant records. Hungtai’s ideas swing rapidly from beautiful to chaotic to completely atonal...Fortunately, Hungtai has let us into his world, no matter what darkness we might find there." Consequence of Sound

"The gloomy and beautiful tracks on Love is the Devil may be pointing a way forward for Dirty Beaches, they may have been conceived as a spiritual complement to Drifters, or they may just be a temporary detour; whatever their intent though, their presence is a welcome addition to the Dirty Beaches catalog." Paste

Links /



Drifters Tracklisting /
01. Night Walk
02. I Dream In Neon
03. Belgrade
04. Casino Lisboa
05. ELLI
06. Aurevoir Mon Visage
07. Mirage Hall
08. Landscapes In The Mist 
Love Is The Devil Tracklisting /
01. Greyhound At Night
02. This Is Not My City
03. Woman
04. Love Is The Devil
05. Alone At The Danube River
06. I Don't Know How To Find My Way Back To You
07. Like The Ocean We Part
08. Berlin 

Quotes /
"Both sprawling and detailed, a sonic travelogue that takes the textural aspects of his work to impressionistic heights." Pitchfork

"Washy, dreamy rock music that often feels nostalgic." NPR

"Ambitious new double album, Drifters/Love Is The Devil, stylishly reflects the dislocation of the road more traveled, hovering on the edge of dread...the oblique confessionals and elegiac atmosphere belie a certain cinematic grandeur." Interview Magazine

"A double album steeped in grainy nostalgia that ventures further into the heart of film noir...an Oscar-worthy soundtrack waiting to happen." NYLON

"Drifters sees Hungtai dabble in spartan post-punk, rickety industrial and devil-at-the-crossroads blues. Love Is The Devil, meanwhile, is an instrumental song-suite, alternately redolent of Angelo Badalamenti and Forest Swords." FACT

"This double album is really good, and Alex Zhang Hungtai rules." VICE

"It's a demanding, damn good and rewarding listen, one that squeezes your heart and head through shaking fingers." Filter

"Laying down a rattling, distortion-heavy foundation while the man spits semi-intelligible venom from a mouth that seems caught in a permanent rockabilly sneer. There are echoes of both Tonetta and Brian Eno, with hints of the utter nothing that awaits us at the end of this crushing existence." SPIN



BEACON
Photo Credit: Will Calcutt

Press /
"Mullarney’s voice is light, but it's grounded with an earnestness that is strengthened with each new instrumental flourish." Pitchfork

"Massagingly minimal R&B." FADER

"Mullarney’s slight tenor neatly fits Gossett’s knack for electronic groove." Consequence of Sound

"Beacon manage to craft one of the most compelling and authentic-sounding albums of the year." Exclaim!

"They fuse the deceptively sweet melodies of R&B with an intoxicating undercurrent of darkness." KEXP


Co-Headlining Fall 2013 Tour with Shigeto /
08.29.13 - Brighton Music Hall - Boston, MA * 08.30.13 - Johnny Brenda’s - Philadelphia, PA * 08.31.13 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY * 09.03.13 - Brillobox - Pittsburgh, PA * 
09.04.13 - U Street Music Hall - Washington, DC * 09.05.13 - Asheville Music Hall - Asheville, NC * 09.06.13 - NV - Knoxville, TN * 
09.07.13 - Cosmic Charlie’s - Lexington, KY * 09.08.13 - Zanzabar - Louisville, KY * 
09.10.31 - Mahall’s - Lakewood, OH * 
09.11.13 - Bug Jar - Rochester, NY * 
09.12.13 - Le Belmont - Montreal, QC * 
09.13.13 - The Garrison - Toronto, ON * 
09.14.13 - Laneway Festival - Rochester Hills, MI ! 
09.18.13 - Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL # 
09.19.13 - Miramar Theatre - Milwaukee, WI # 
09.20.13 - The Frequency - Madison, WI # 
09.21.13 - 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis, MN # 
09.22.13 - Bourbon Theatre - Lincoln, NE # 
09.23.13 - Larimer Lounge - Denver, CO # 
09.25.13 - Kilby Court - Salt Lake City, UT # 
09.27.13 - Decibel Festival (The Crocodile) - Seattle, WA @ 
09.28.13 - Electric Owl - Vancouver, BC # % 
09.29.13 - Holocene - Portland, OR # % 
10.02.13 - The Jambalaya - Arcata, CA # 
10.03.13 - The Independent - San Francisco, CA # 
10.04.13 - Echoplex - Los Angeles, CA # 
10.05.13 - Casbah - San Diego, CA # %

* with Heathered Pearls 
! with Matthew Dear, ADULT., Heathered Pearls 
# with Nitemoves 
@ with Lusine,  Dauwd,  Nitemoves 
% with Phaeleh


The Ways We Separate
Tracklisting /
01. Bring You Back
02. Feeling's Gone
03. Between The Waves
04. Drive
05. Overseer
06. Late November
07. Studio Audience 
08. Headlights
09. Anthem
10. Split In Two

Thomas Mullarney and Jacob Gossett, aka Brooklyn duo Beacon, introduced themselves to the world with the No Body and For Now EPs, both released last year on Ghostly International. The EPs were united by minimalist, R&B-influenced instrumentation, and also by a lyrical theme, with both serving as meditations on the darkness that underpins the most intense of human emotions: love.

The duo's debut album The Ways We Separate both consolidates and develops these ideas. The album focuses, as the title suggests, on the idea of separation — both within the context of relationships and in a more intimate, psychological sense. As Mullarney explains, "The narrative contained inside The Ways We Separate deals with two kinds of separation: one where two entities grow apart, and the other where we grow apart from ourselves. Over the course of a relationship, the two sometimes happen together, one being the result of the other."

Desires, passions and regrets are central to the songs on The Ways We Separate, which take a variety of perspectives to construct a nuanced reflection on the album's central theme. 'Between the Waves' draws a clever analogy between relationships and soundwaves falling out of phase: "I know all the ways we separate/ Where we start to fade at different frequencies." 'Overseer' catalogues a parting of the ways with discomfiting clarity: "Isn't it fine?/ Taking it slow?/ Watching you watch me walk out your door." And album closer 'Split in Two' explores how the extremes of love and loss can take you far away from being the person you thought you were, making explicit the connection between the two ideas of separation: "What I'd do for you?", sings Thomas Mullarney, "Split myself in half/ Divided into two."

Musically, The Ways We Separate finds Beacon working with a richer sonic palette than ever before —as Gossett says, "The production on this album is much more expansive than anything thing we’ve done thus far. We spent a lot of time exploring new gear and experimenting with how to pull a wide range of sound out of various instruments. Some of the key sonics that shaped this LP are analogue synthesis, lots of heavily processed guitar work, and vocal layering/processing." While the abiding mood remains that of late-night introspection, the production draws from elements of hip hop and a wide gamut of electronic music, marrying intricate beats and subtle textures to honeyed pop melodies that belie the album's conceptual depth. Rarely has bleakness sounded so pretty — this is a record that's deceptively, compellingly beautiful, an exploration of a place both discomfiting and darkly seductive.


Links /


ACT OUT: Redmoon FREE Summer Finale in Humboldt Park & Original Video Interview With Frank Maugeri 9/7 #redmoon



Redmoon has been a favorite of ours for decades!   They're an integral part of the Chicago Theatre scene and never cease to amaze.   They're back at it again with a big, FREE finale to their summer series on 9/7.   Be there.   Highly recommended!



Check out our original video interview with Frank Maugeri and others who collaborated on Chicago Children's Theatre's spring production, The Elephant and The Whale right here.   We interviewed Frank as part of our ongoing series on "HOW CREATIVES PARENT AND HOW PARENTS CREATE".

We're so excited to bring you our original video interview with the Co-Directors of The Elephant and The Whale Frank Maugeri (Redmoon) & Leslie Buxbaum Danzig (500 Clown) and with actor, David Catlin (Lookingglass).   All 3 are parents and theatre professionals and they graciously took time out of their busy lives for an interview with us about the show.  They also shared their on insights on "How Creatives Parent and How Parents Create" for ChiIL Mama's long running series on the theme.  (Chicago Children's Theatre's World Premier Collaboration 5/2013)

Redmoon culminates its Summer Park Series - a Night Out in the Parks event 
in the historic Humboldt Park with a special reception open to the public to honor Allstate Insurance Company and it collaborators and supporters on September 7th, 2013. 

"Allstate is proud to be a part of these amazing Summer Park events, which showcase so many talented young Chicago performance artists who are bringing joy and fabulous entertainment to communities across the city," said Vicky Dinges, vice president of corporate social responsibility at Allstate. "Our company is strongly committed to supporting Chicago's vibrant and diverse cultural arts because they deliver positive, life enriching experiences for our youth and Chicagoans of all ages."

The Humboldt Park event begins with an hour-long free drum and poetry workshop, taught in collaboration with the Bucket Boys and poets from Young Chicago Authors (YCA).  Participants are then invited to parade through the park alongside Redmoon's newest machine - the Sonic Boom - a massive, 16 ft. tall transforming mobile boom box conceived by Redmoon's Producing Artistic Director Frank Maugeri.  The parade leads into a community celebration that is a mash up of music by DJ LMS, spoken word poetry, drumming, dancing, and a free meal of pizza and fried chicken.   

The event will also include a special performance by artists from YCA's Division St. Project, a year-long project grounded in non-fiction creative writing and verse journalism.   YCA teaching artist Malcom London and Division St. Project Storyteller Nita Tennyson will share poems inspired by the project, followed by a song by Angie Citali. 

As the conclusion of Redmoon's Summer Park Series, the event will include a special reception to honor the series' key supporters and collaborators, including Allstate Insurance Company, the Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation and the Chicago Park District.

"Mayor Rahm Emanuel's Night Out in the Parks initiative looks for ways to engage people in their communities," said Michael P. Kelly, Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO.  "Redmoon was a great example of this. We witnessed how participatory art transforms parks into spaces for creative and positive activities."

Over 8,500 community members participated in Redmoon's Night Out in the Park events.  Under the design and directorial leadership of Maugeri and Artistic Associate Will Bishop, Redmoon and its team of collaborators brought community celebrations to a lineup of 10 public parks on the South and West Sides of the city.  This included Sherwood Park in West Englewood, Columbus Park in Austin and Midway Plaisance Park in Hyde Park. "The Sonic Boom [and the Summer Park Series] is re-establishing the parks in Chicago as a center for culture and community," said Kevin Coval, Artistic Director for the Young Chicago Authors. 

By sharing a poem over the Sonic Boom's 10,000-watt speaker system, dancing to the music of DJ SuchNSuch - or simply joining their neighbors for a meal -community members from throughout the city joined in this spectacle celebration.   "The parade was a great idea... [the kids] who got the opportunity to perform feel like superstars," said Solomon Smith, Meyering Park Supervisor.  "They're still talking about it."

The Park Series has been a part of Redmoon's larger summer effort to create unexpected spectacular events and community celebrations throughout Chicago - all outdoors and all for free.   Since May, Redmoon has brought its contraptions and performers to 24 free outdoor events - from Evanston's Fourth of July Parade, to Pilsen's Low Rider Festival, Boystown's Market Days, and Homan Square and North Lawndale's Peace March and many more.  In total, Redmoon's summer work reached over 55,000 people.

Redmoon invites all to the culminating Humboldt Park event to celebrate this extraordinary summer of free spectacle and community building. 

EVENT DETAILS:
Date:  Saturday, September 7, 2013
Location:  Humbolt Park, 1440 N Humbolt Dr.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: 
4:30pm - Free drumming and poetry workshops for community members
6:00pm - Free community meal and reception
7:15pm - Humboldt Park community parade begins
7:30pm - Redmoon's show begins
8:30pm - Event conclusion 

To RSVP:  
Contact rsvp@redmoon.org 

ABOUT THE SUMMER PARK SERIES
Redmoon's Summer Park Series was part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's Night Out in the Parks initiative supported by NATO Legacy funds, and was presented thanks to the generous support and civic vision of Allstate Insurance Company, Chicago Park District, The Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation, The 1111 Foundation, The Ebert Foundation, Bacci Pizza, KFC, Dance All Night, and many others.

ABOUT DIVISION ST. PROJECT
A Year-long project grounded in non-fiction creative writing and verse journalism. 15 story finders meet weekly to engage in research and writing inspired by Studs Terkel's Division Street: America. The students are scouting the length of Division Street from the far East to the far West of the city, collecting and re-telling the stories of today's Chicago via anthology, video, recording and/or live performance. Join the movement and walk the miles traveled. 

ABOUT REDMOON
Redmoon's mission is to transform the experience of our urban landscape through spectacular events that disrupt everyday life and promote community, creativity, and democracy. Founded in 1990, Redmoon transforms streets, stages and architectural landmarks, bridging international, economic, cultural and generational boundaries with unique brand of Spectacle: public art form that is equal parts pageantry, gadgetry, puppetry, robust physical performance and visual art.

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