[RH Photos] Capital Cities DJ Set at The Mid (8/7/2014)
Photos by Alex Lapenia and Jesse Pizano. Recap written by Alex Lapenia.
Just because it was a Thursday night didn’t mean it was a dull night. The Mid has become one of the best venues for DJs to spin at as they’ve played host to some of the of the biggest names in the EDM scene, including Kaskade, Skrillex, and Afrojack, and Thursday night was no exception. The Mid welcomed vocalist Sebu Simonian of Capital Cities, and opening for him were local Chicagoans DJ Torio, DJ Gordo, and current resident DJ Gus Karas.
DJ Torio started the night off playing lots of trance music, mesmerizing the crowd and pumping them up with anticipation until his final note hit. The rush of energy didn’t die down, though, as DJ Gordo set the tone and pace for the rest of the night with his EDM packed set sending the crowd into a frenzy jumping around and throwing their hands in the air with every bone rattling drop of the bass. After the last track Gordo dropped, DJ Gus Karas didn’t miss a beat with a throwback of DMX’s “Party Up In Here;” the hip hop set didn’t stop there as he continued to play club bangers by Lil’ Jon, which included “Turn Down for What” and “Outta Your Mind.” Once DJ Karas stepped off the stage, the audience grew antsy with anticipation of what was next, and when Sebu came on, it was standing room only throughout the venue. Sebu immediately picked up a microphone and began singing his Capital Cities hit, "Safe and Sound." He was infectious and had the entire club singing and dancing along with him and his indie set.
There’s nowhere else we would have wanted to be except at The Mid Thursday night. There was a bit of everything for everyone, from EDM to hip hop to Indie jams, and it was enough to not only satisfy the type of music you listen, to but also help you discover something new. We hope you enjoy our photos from the night!
[RH Photos] Taylor Bennett, Vic Mensa, and NaS at House of Blues Chicago (8/3/2014)
Photos and write-up by Bryan Lamb.
I've been to the House of Blues a hand full of times, but this being the end-all-be-all of Lollapalooza 2014, the energy was different. Performing at the House of Blues once again makes for another landmark moment for the up and coming Taylor Bennet, who was followed by the "Down on My Luck" artist Vic Mensa, who kept the show moving, with NaS performing as the closing act. Both Vic and NaS performed at Lollapalooza just a day or so before the House of Blues show. It was interesting to see their sets in a more intimate setting, and they still had enough energy at the end of Lolla weekend to keep the crowd moving. Take a look at the photos I shot from the show below.
[RH Photos] Lollapalooza 2014 Recap
Photos by Bobby Reys
While I’m not the world’s biggest fan of music festivals, I try to maintain the mindset that it’s all about perspective. This year at Lollapalooza, while the set list may not have been caked with the crème de la crème of notorious artists, the artists that came through held the festival down and provided quality performances to make this yet another enjoyable year for Lollapaloozers. Icons such as OutKast and Eminem hit the stage, as did Chicago’s own Vic Mensa and Chance the Rapper. Check out my recap on the artists I saw this Lollapalooza down below.
Portugal. The Man
Being the first band I saw at Lollapalooza this year, Portugal. The Man opened with “Purple Yellow Red and Blue” and established a positive tone for my entire Lolla experience. At first glance, the combination of an all-white clothing selection (minus a red and black Blackhawks hat) and a striking falsetto had resulted in John Gourley, the band’s lead singer, to appear as if he had just graced Grant Park with his presence after kicking it in the heavens. Along with that characteristic falsetto, which sounds extraordinarily more refined live, he kept the energy high with songs predominantly from Evil Friends, such as “Atomic Man”, “Modern Jesus”, and “Creep in a T-Shirt”as well as hits from In the Mountain In the Crowd, like “So American” and “All Your Light (Times Like These)”. I was hoping for the high-energy tunes to be balanced out by some of their slower reflective music, such as “Sleep Forever” or “Sea of Air”, but the invaluable enthusiasm rippling throughout their set made blaring out their dark lyrics to buoyant and uplifting beats completely okay, too.
Lykke Li
I showed up to see Lykke Li’s performance almost strictly due to nostalgia I associate with “I Follow Rivers”. Aside from hearing that song, trying to figure out how to properly pronounce her name, and using her set as an outlet to leisurely bop around, I didn’t come in with any other particular anticipation. While setting low expectations often provides the ideal framework for being surprised, saying I was “surprised” is too underwhelming for a description of how her performance made me feel. Following each subsequent song she performed from I Never Learn, Wounded Rhymes, and Youth Novels, I would freeze up, completely washed over by the sensual spirituality her presence evoked on stage. Her eyes would gaze beyond the crowd, extending a stare that acknowledged pain but simultaneously transcended it through her music, and hinted that perhaps Lykke Li knew something about life that none of us in the audience knew. It was an aching stare that can only be elicited by true legends, or one that I specifically imagine the late Amy Winehouse to have been the master of while she was still with us.
Lykke Li’s soothing and gentle vocals were magical, the set’s sound quality itself, unparalleled, and her comfortable yoga pants/all-black apparel gave her an “I can wear whatever the fuck I want, you don’t know what I’ve been through” badass boss-girl look that pelted her high up on my girl-crush list, and even higher up on my artists-that-I-can’t-stop-listening-to-post-Lolla list. Although I am still unsure as to how to pronounce her name, whenever she makes a move back to Chicago and to a venue where the acoustics will contribute all the melodious justice she deserves, there’s no doubt that I’ll be there.
Eminem
“What the fuck, Slim?” is the question that kept repeating itself over and over in my mind throughout his entire set. His performance was saturated with his new music, all until he made the out-of-left-field move to perform “White America”; a tilted black and white flag with the song’s title written on it waved on all three screens in front of the crowd, while the audience, not knowing the majority of song lyrics, would chime in at every blared “White Americaaaaa”. I was irritated, specifically at the crowd for bouncing around without understanding the message of the song nor the rest of its lyrics, but also at Eminem for choosing this specific track to kick his throwbacks off with, setting off a discomforting tone amongst the crowd of bros who were working their red, white, and blue bandanas to the fullest.
In regards to more of his old music, there was a point in his performance mirroring his set in 2012 where he preluded his infamous hits with the question: “Chicago, do you want me to relapse with ya’ll tonight?” This time, he asked, “Chicago, do you want me to take you back to the days when I used to get fucked up?” to which the audience went wild, only to receive a weak medley of a few of the classics in return, including “Like Toy Soldiers”, “Sing for the Moment”, “Without Me”, and “Lose Yourself”. While Slim wants to move away from the days that brought him so much pain and struggle, the hits he created in those days established his entire artistic identity. Ultimately, the highlight of his set was when he brought out Rihanna for three songs, and particularly when she sang Dido’s verse in “Stan”. Girl should’ve taken over the entire thing from that song on, because she truly stole his show.
Lorde
I stopped by Lorde’s performance for two or three songs to fill a gap of my time in which I wasn’t hustling to see any other particular artist. We can all agree that Lorde has an impressive voice and an even more impressive career for a 17-year old girl. Regardless, in retrospect, I would’ve most likely been better off spending that gap of time I had double-fisting deep dish pizza and fried chicken instead of sifting through the crowd to hear any of her tunes. Her audience extended a long ways back, and ultimately, maneuvering through a sea of young girls bonding over statements like “I have curly hair, too! Yeaaaah!!!” made me quit my mission before launching full throttle in pursuit of getting closer to the front. Walking away from her performance area, I kept imagining I was hearing “Royals”, but it would repeatedly turn out to be another song with similar beats. I leave praising Lorde to the committed fans that stuck through it all.
Fitz and The Tantrums
Similarly to Portugal. The Man, Fitz and The Tantrums kill it so much more effectively live than they do via studio produced albums. Live, the voices of both lead vocalist Michael Fitzpatrick and vocalist Noelle Scaggs are amplified in quality, as is the saxophone played by James King. And in person, Scaggs rocks the majority of the stage with her presence, whereas through albums alone, I’m hardly ever cognizant of her role within the band.
Fitz and The Tantrums’ set, in general, was dominated with energy, and appropriately so, considering their performance slot was at 4:15pm and assisted by the blaring heat of the Chicago sun, which finally chose to make an appearance after escaping us for most of Friday and Saturday. Whether hot or not, songs from More Than Just a Dream, including “Out of My League”, “6am”, “Break the Walls”, and “The Walker” kept the audience jiving all the way through. We were appreciating the band’s consistently cheerful vibes and their vocalized recognition that the city of Chicago played one of the most critical roles in putting them on the map as artists.
Vic Mensa
Watching Vic Mensa make moves from Whitney Young High School student to Kids These Days vocalist to solo artist will always secure him a warm spot within my heart. It’s been touching watching him grow as a Chicago-based artist, and I love seeing his name on set lists for large performances, especially Chicago festivals like Lollapalooza. This is my second time seeing Vic at Lolla, and specifically at the BMI Stage where Twista made a guest appearance in 2013. Whereas last year I recognized many of the spectators around me, this time I couldn’t identify a single one. I’m considering this as a good thing, considering his fan base is spreading like wildfire, reaching not only the east and the west coast, but growing quickly in Europe and in the UK. During his set, Vic graced us with newer tracks including “Down on My Luck” and “Feel That”, and even made sure to bring it back to the Kids These Days days with “Don’t Harsh My Mellow”. It’s always a pleasure to support him whenever he’s in the Chi.
OutKast
You have officially snoozed if you were at Lollapalooza this year and missed OutKast’s performance. They accumulated an audience reminiscent of The Red Hot Chili Pepper’s’ audience count back in 2012, and kept things flawlessly grovin’ for the full hour and forty-five minutes. At around 9:30, they played “Hey Ya!” and had me worried about how they were planning on filling up the remaining 30 minutes of their slot, but keeping it cool and collected, they brought it back to “So Fresh, So Clean” and “Int’l Players Anthem” and kept us coasting without missing a beat.
Chromeo
Seeing Chromeo at Lollapalooza was my third time seeing Chromeo perform in the city of Chicago. They had me committed as a band from the day I designated a now ex-boyfriend of mine as my “Tenderoni” in 2009, and will continue to keep me hanging on purely due to Fancy Footwork. Their new music doesn’t sustain my interest much, but it’s been wonderful watching them transition from Congress Theater to Lollapalooza and seeing them grow as artists.
Flosstradamus
My Flosstradamus experience was moist, muddy, and everything you’d expect for a Flosstradmus experience at Perry’s to be. I spent most of my time blindly pushing wylin’ mosh-pitters out of my face and trying to avoid licking up as much foreign sweat as I possibly could. However, I came in knowing I’d have to get through this with the mindset of a 16-year-old me who was way more about this type of life, and who had a great deal more of both energy and tolerance for the young and reckless.
While Floss is known to live up to their reputation of creating a good time, which they did, there were times when I wondered why they’d spin played out tunes like “Roll Up the Grass” into their set, or why they didn’t stick to a more Girl Talk-esque mélange of songs instead of repeatedly dragging out traditional EDM beats. Either way, I loved when they incorporated trap songs like “Move That Doh”, and found myself grooving along to whatever their hearts put out for us.
Chance the Rapper
It gives me just as much joy to see Chance the Rapper perform as it does to see his brother Vic Mensa. This time, however, Chance set the bar at a different height, with this being his first-ever time to headline Lollapalooza. It was a very special experience seeing him share the stage with artists Peter CottonTale, Eryn Allen Kane, and Donnie Trumpet (aka Nico Segal) to list a few, and to hear the audience spit lyric after lyric back at him from both #10Day and Acid Rap. The positive energy amongst the crowd was incredible to vibe off of, as it was just watching him represent CPS, an entire generation, and city.
In addition to tracks off of #10Day and Acid Rap, Chance played “Wonderful Everyday”, brought out Vic and * pause * R. Kelly, and he owned all of that shit. You could see it in his eyes that he was very grateful to be where he’s at, and we hope he’s back to headline many more Lolla shows to come.
[RH Photos] Art Alliance Presents The Provocateurs
While seemingly all of Chicago was excited for Lollapalooza this past weekend, my mind was more focused on "The Provocateurs," an Art Alliance show curated by street artist Shepard Fairey. Featuring a wide range of street, pop, and contemporary artists across a vast array of media from paintings to photographs and sculptures, "The Provocateurs" was like a primer on spotlighting a list of who's who in modern art today, including Tim Armstrong, Mark Mothersbaugh, Space Invader, WK Interact, Estevan Oriol, HAZE, Dzine, and Fairey himself. Below is just a small sampling of what "The Provocateurs" had to offer art newbies and art enthusiasts. "The Provocateurs" show will be on display until today, August 8th, at 6pm! If you have a chance to make it to the Loop, I highly encourage all of you to check it out.
[RH Photos] Pitchfork Music Festival 2014 Recap
Photos by Bryan Lamb.
Pitchfork Music Festival steadily maintains its reputation as one of Chicago’s most multifaceted music festivals of the summer. It attracts an audience from both near and far, fostering the fraternization of attendees that include bros, hipsters, middle-aged fathers, and children under the age of 7. I was able to go and rep Ruby Hornet with Bryan Lamb on Days 1 and 3 while Brynn Bixby covered Day 2. Together, we visited the set of Isaiah Rashad, SZA, DJ Spinn, Treated Crew, Beck, ScHoolboy Q, Kendrick Lamar, and many more. You can find the full set of photos on the last page!
[RH Photos] The Great Bull Run (7/12/2014)
Photos by Bryan Lamb
I ran with the bulls and survived. Well, to be more accurate, I jogged alongside the bulls, but that's neither here nor there. The Great Bull Run came to the Chicagoland area last weekend, and Ruby Hornet was there to experience what'll hopefully be the first of many bull run events here in Chicago. As detailed in-depth with COO Rob Dickens last week, The Great Bull Run is similar to The Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, where a handful of bulls are let loose in the town's streets as many brave and daring participants run from them as part of the larger San Fermin Festival.
The Great Bull Run, however, offers a safer experience than the one in Pamplona, both for runners and bulls alike. Unlike The Running of the Bulls, The Great Bull Run takes place in a controlled, cordoned-off race track with bull handlers and event staff on the track to ensure nobody gets hurt. Rather than run directly in front of the bulls, participants are advised to stick to the sides until the bulls pass them, at which point they can "run" beside them. The Great Bull Run released three waves of bulls during one race, allowing runners multiple opportunities to run with the animals. However, the biggest danger runners face aren't the bulls themselves, but fellow runners who may not have the spatial awareness of their surroundings and can knock others over, leading to trampling. Luckily, I didn't see this happen much, although I did catch a few people hit the deck.
Following the bull races was the Tomato Royale in which participants simply had a large tomato fight. Despite staff members urging participants to smash the tomatoes before tossing them, many full tomatoes were thrown, causing a few bumps and bruises. One person had to check in with the medical staff for what looked like a broken nose. I expected fun mayhem out of the Tomato Royale, but it just ended up being a muddy, messy affair. Outside of the tomato royale and bull runs, other fun activities were present on the Hawthorne Race Course grounds including mechanical bull rides and inflatable gladiator fights, providing entertainment outside of the event's main draws.
With plans to return to Chicago next year, The Great Bull Run could become a mid-summer staple for years to come. Check out some of the photos taken by Bryan Lamb below, and keep an eye out for some first-person videos from the event later this week!
[RH Photos] Brisk Bodega Presents: Dj Mustard, Do Or Die and More at Double Door (7/12/2014)
Photos by AngieStar Photo
This summer, Brisk is partnering with Noisey, VICE’s music channel, to bring the Brisk Bodega, a live music party experience to 6 cities across the US. Just this past weekend, Brisk Bodega Chicago featured Dj Mustard, Do Or Die, Tree, and Dj Moondawg at Double Door, and the night was a hit. The venue was comfortably crowded, full with good vibes, and non-stop dancing or head bopping from start to finish. The complimentary Brisk cocktails made it even better.
In case you haven't heard of all the artists featured, you will definitely hear their names more in the near future. Headlining all Brisk Bodega shows is DJ Mustard, an LA native, who is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after producers in the music business. Some of the most recent songs he has produced include chart-topping hits like 2 Chainz ("I'm Different"), Young Jeezy ("R.I.P.") and Tyga ("Rack City"). Complex has also taken note, naming him one of their "25 New Producers To Watch Out For", sequentially, he signed with Roc Nation late last year. Mustard ended the night at Double Door, playing all his smash hits to date, and leaving everyone wanting more.
Amongst Chicago's exclusive featured artists for Brisk Bodega were Do Or Die, the west side rap trio, consisting of group members Belo Zero, N.A.R.D. and AK-47. The trio has sold more than 3 million albums worldwide, topping charts in the 1990's and the 2000's, and are set to release a new album by the end of the year. Performing tracks like "Po Pimp", "Playa Like Me and You", and "Do You", kept the crowd reminiscent and proud of their distinct home town sound.
One of the newer faces to perform that evening was Tree, a producer, rapper stemming from the city's notorious Cabrini Green projects. He brought to the stage Chris Crack and the New Deal Crew, partners in the Soul Trap movement, and kept the vibe live and energetic for the whole set. All members involved are rising to be major trendsetters for the Chicago Hip-Hop scene.
Lastly, we can't forget to mention Dj Moondawg, one of the country’s premier DJs, responsible for discovering, breaking, and supporting Chicago artists Chief Keef (Interscope), Lil Durk & Lil Reese (Def Jam), King Louie (Epic), and YP (Universal) on his radio show with WGCI. He kicked off the night's pulsing energy with non-stop bangers, and proved to be a key player to night's success.
I was able to get exclusive full media/ stage access, and got to experience each performer's great energy from beginning to end. Check out some of our favorite shots below and be sure to check out more here. Brisk Bodega is headed to hit New York City on July 18th. If you're in the area, do yourself a favor and RSVP for NYC here.
[RH Photos] No Color at Insit Studios (6/21/2014)
Photos by Jessi Grant
This is the first in a series of two pieces by Contributing Writer Jessi Grant exploring No Color, a new campaign dedicated to creating a foundation of diversity and positivity within the Chicago arts and creative scene.
After a tiring night of waiting tables, I made my way to Bronzeville to cover No Color's pioneering event. Upon entering Insit Studios sometime after 11pm, I was greeted by the beats of DJ Al Cheeks and the poetic words of one of the event's attendees. The crowd stood close and attentive, some waiting eagerly to step up to the mic. I became quickly enchanted by the contagious energy of the room, leaving behind my post-work fatigue.
Established by long-time friends Vee Miyagi and Steven Reaves, No Color is a campaign with the ultimate goal to unite artists from diverse backgrounds to do positive work for the community while reducing racial tensions within the arts. In order to meet their ambitions, the campaign plans to maneuver throughout various communities of Chicago using all forms of art and creativity as its driving force. Miyagi decided to house their first event at Insit Studios after gaining the support of owner Koto and learning about the charitable work his establishment has done for the Bronzeville neighborhood.
Koto hosted the June 21 event alongside Frankie Robinson of Power 92.3. The event opened by engaging attendants in the filming of a TV pilot In The Loop, a production of Chicago's 2 Guys on the Reel. Shortly after, musical performers took to the mic including Ace League, Freaky Dray, and event organizers Vee Miyagi, Reggie Ruler, Illiad, and Steven Reaves (going by his stage name King Reaves). Featured Jamla Records artist Add-2 performed the longest set of the evening with drummer Donte Webb aka Tay Sticks. The performance portion of the evening also allowed time for an impromptu cypher led by artists in attendance.
After the performances, the space remained open for attendees to connect with one another and view the artwork adorning the walls. Osei Agyeman-Badu, a featured artist in the gallery space, conducted a live example of Pyrography, a practice in which the artist uses a small torch and other various instruments to burn wood in order to create portraits. Throughout the duration of the evening, Badu worked on a piece depicting Malcom X. Additional depictions of other leaders and well-known artists in the Black community, including Erykah Badu and Nelson Mandela, sparked admiration and discussion among No Color's guests.
Originally intending to exist in the event as a spectator, I ended up having several engaging conversations with both the event organizers and attendees. I felt part of both the space and community of artists and inspired minds within. From my own experiences and those I observed in my surroundings, it was clear that No Color succeeded in building a community based on honest, meaningful, and supportive connections. A portion of the event's proceeds will go to The Center for New Horizons, a non-profit organization assisting children, youth, and families in Bronzeville and Riverdale.
