Lollapalooza Introduces Lolla Cash, a Digital Way to Make Payments
Crowds are the absolute worst at music festivals. What's more annoying than being stuck in a crowd of screaming, drunk people? Being stuck in a crowd of screaming, drunk people while waiting in line to purchase something. Usually, lines are so long because people have to fuss with wallets or purses to find their credit cards or cash, then you have to swipe and sign or get change for your bills, and it's just a time-consuming, tedious process that most festival goers must go through if they want some food or drinks. However, C3 Presents, Lollapalooza's promoters, want to revolutionize the festival experience with a new initiative.
Referred to as Lolla Cash, the initiative involves implementing a chip within the Lollapalooza wristbands that can be used to purchase food and drinks from vendors. Lolla attendees simply have to register a credit card with their wristbands to take part in the Lolla Cash program. If all goes accordingly, it should help expedite the process at vendor stands while also ensuring attendees won't lose their wallets along the way. The wristbands use radio frequency identification (RFID) similar to how Ventra cards work, and considering how rough the CTA's new system launch was, there are bound to be bumps in the road for Lollapalooza this year. The wristbands will also store purchase information in case a clear signal can't be made at the moment of purchase to ensure transactions go through properly.
Lolla Cash represents the festival's full embrace of new technology that could find use amongst other major music festivals like South by Southwest, Electronic Daisy Carnival, Bonnaroo, and more. Disney launched a similar initiative last year, My Magic+, that allowed visitors to use their bracelets to make purchases, access their hotel rooms, fast entry into amusement and water parks, and more. It's only a matter of time before we go completely cashless in all areas of our lives.
For now, tell us what you think about Lolla Cash, and if you're going, will you actively use it?
[via Adweek]
Rahm Emanuel's Proposed Gun Law Approved 48-0
It is official: today, June 25th, 2014, marks the official allowance of gun sales in the city of Chicago. The vote was tallied 48-0 by the Chicago City Council in response to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s proposal, which limits where firearms are to be sold and enforces a videotaping of every sale made, spearheaded after a federal judge removed Chicago’s prohibition on firearm stores.
As of now, gun retailers will be required to possess special-use permits, will face zoning restrictions and cannot be located up to 500 feet of schools or parks. Due to tight zoning requirements, the Emanuel administration asserts that gun stores can only set up shop in about half of a percent of Chicago’s geographic area. In addition to territorial mandates, dealers will need to video record sales and set a 72-hour waiting period for the purchase of handguns, and a 24-hour wait for rifles and shotguns. Only one handgun can be sold per month per buyer, and shop records would be susceptible to quarterly audits in order to hinder gun trafficking.
Emanuel argues that the regulations on firearms will be as strict as Chicago can get legally speaking in order to restrain the city’s gun violence. Whether or not enforcing this ordinance in order to “take back [our] streets” will be beneficial, however, remains up in the air, and is bound to manifest in our city hereafter.
[via RedEye]
Chicago Wins Bid for the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
While the city of Chicago is politically known for taking few steps forward and plenty more back, it has triumphantly taken a leap ahead in the world of arts and entertainment. Back in April, we mentioned the possibility of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art electing Chicago to serve as the museum’s home base. Now, two months later, Rahm Emanuel has successfully beaten out Los Angeles and San Francisco for the city to accommodate a first-ever interactive George “Star Wars” Lucas museum, which will house a quintessential collection of artwork and memorabilia from Lucas’s films.
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, opening in 2018, will be located on Chicago’s lakefront museum campus, situating the $1 billion museum on a 17-acre site located on parking lots between Soldier Field and McCormick Place. The mayor maintains that, “Like Marshall Field, John G. Shedd and Max Adler before him, George’s philanthropy will inspire and educate for generations.” In addition to offering new channels of education and jobs for Chicagoans, the museum will attract international tourists, serving as a monumental contribution to the city’s revenue.
One of the factors contributing to Lucas’s decision to choose Chicago over LA and San Francisco was the ability to house the museum near a body of water, keeping it surrounded by nature while simultaneously retaining a central location. Lucas is planning on placing a majority of the museum parking underground in order to amplify the green space that surrounds it.
This museum will be entirely self-funded, characterized as a “history of storytelling” undertaking that is “dedicated to the power of the visual image” and is predicted to be the world’s largest interactive museum. Check out Rahm’s comments on the Chicago x Lucas victory below.
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[via Chicago Sun-Times]
[Contest] Win a Pair of Tickets for Phife Dawg and Rhymefest on 6/27
A Tribe Called Quest's Phife Dawg is hitting up The Mid this Friday with Chicago's very own Rhymefest as part of The Official Chicago Tribe 20th Anniversary Celebration. With DJ Kid Spriite, DJ Intel, DJ Sek Uno, and Zebo rounding out the rest of the bill, The Mid will be the place to be at this Friday night. The night's festivities will also include a Crew vs. Crew breakdance battle with a $500 first place prize, so hip hop heads and B-Boys will have something fun to do. Tickets for the event can be purchased here.
However, if you left your wallet in El Segundo, we have a special contest for you right now. We're teaming up with our affiliates over at Chicago Music to give away two pairs of tickets to the event. To enter, follow both Ruby Hornet and Chicago Music on Twitter, then tweet us with #RHxCM. One winner will be selected from each account, so make sure you follow and tweet both accounts to double your chances to win!
[RH Photos] The Orwells at Schubas (6/20/2014)
Photos by AngieStar Photo
Rock and Roll: a term used time and time again amongst people of all ages. For my parents and their friends, its definition was once one of rebellion and even an edge for danger. The pelvic thrusts of Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger’s wild movement around the stage, the grunge tones of Nirvana: these were the performances that made the crowds move in a way that lead people to think of scandal. But as the years advanced, technology did as well, and electronic synthesizers began to take over such a genre filled with the beautiful lust of sin. My generation has grown up in a world where bass beats composed on a computer are looked upon higher than the strumming of a bass guitar. As a result, people don’t even know what to do at concerts anymore. The music may be excellent, but the performance doesn’t captivate. The problem with a lot of music today is the emphasis on the roll and much, much less on the rock.
The Orwells, however, seem to be brought together in some way in order to change that. This past Thursday, on June 19, the group of young performers from Elmhurst held a special release party for their sophomore album Disgraceland at Schuba’s Tavern in Chicago, IL. Winners of a contest held by WKQX Chicago populated the audience that eventually filled the entirety of the intimate venue, and many fans eagerly waited for these guys to come on.
The clock strikes 8 and an impatient audience finally gets what they’re waiting for. After a brief introduction from the radio station, The Orwells took the stage, with lead singer Mario Cuomo quickly congratulating the crowd on their radio contest victories then switching into his signature, almost hypnotic, performance. The group rocked a few songs as the crowd jumped around a bit, but it wasn’t enough for Cuomo. “Man, they were right when they said that people who listen to the radio don’t know how to move, just driving in their cars all of the time,” said the lead singer as he feigned the action of driving a car. With every imaginary turn to the right or left, the crowd became more and more entranced into the mosh-movement that The Orwells are known for (even shutting them down at Bonnaroo this previous weekend). The collaboration of the band's steady rise into the rhythm of the next song and Mario's insanity was enough for the guys to take control.
The crowd from here on out grew with rowdiness with each and every note that the band would send out. Alternating from songs on their first album Remember When and those from their latest, the group had no reason to question that the crowd was loving every second of it. The placement of a thong from a fan on a face and the rolling around on the stage floor may seem like oddball antics for a singer, but they actually just are the usual for Cuomo. However, a pretty blonde in the front row managed to make this blonde maned wild child calm down for a few beats, and a lot of time was spent flirting with her from the stage. Despite a few heart breaks from other eager females who stood beside this lucky lady, this interaction, I think, added some great entertainment for everyone in the crowd. No performer disappointed, but I must say that Matt O’Keefe’s performance caught my attention more than maybe it was intended to. His guitar skills were mature in every essence, and it was as if every beat was becoming a part of his blood flow. Most people would think having a wild performer like Mario would cause some problems, but the band doesn’t seem to mind the diverted attention.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. The final notes were played out, and the band members put down their instruments to exit off the stage and back out onto the street. Before they even left the stage completely, the demand for an encore was chanted out by the crowd. As O’Keefe, Corso, and the Brinners took over the stage, a switch was done. What at first appeared to be Mario in a t-shirt change and straighter hair was revealed to be his own brother. A moment of confusion ensued for the crowd as this seemingly identical man walked around with the other band members when Mario himself entered with another twist. Being carried with him upon the stage was a young woman dressed in black lingerie and her legs wrapped around his waist. If I’m not mistaken, this is the same young lady who was featured in their “Dirty Sheets” music video. Regardless, the audience went NUTS as she began to move and grind up on him for a minute. The girl departed as the band began to play "Cheap Beer" by Fidlar, a band they opened for last fall. A few middle fingers later, the song was concluded, and the guys officially exited for the evening.
It’s truly hard to explain the atmosphere that The Orwells bring with each and every performance. There is an electricity that spreads from the stage to the back of the room; a shock that I hardly ever feel when I see performers live. Seeing their set back at Lollapalooza in 2013, I knew that these guys were going to lead to something absolutely incredible, and their rise since then has only been on a sharp incline. If you don’t come out from one of their shows looking like a battered man or woman, then you obviously Orwelled wrong. Rock and roll should always feel like this wild, vicious animal that your parents would never want to approve of, and it’s refreshing that they can understand that.
Firearm Sales Looming in Chicago's Near Future
In response to a federal judge’s ruling in January that Chicago’s ban on guns is unconstitutional due to its violation of the Second Amendment, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is suggesting an ordinance that would limit where firearms are sold and implement a videotaping of every sale made. Chicago has until July 14th to approve of store restrictions, and is currently moving in the direction of the village of Grayslake, Illinois, who's long since been preparing for its own shift toward approving the sale of firearms.
Under Emanuel’s ordinance, gun stores would be kept out of 99.5% of the city, and would be limited to specific zones on the North, West, and South Sides and at least 500 feet away from schools and parks. Aside from special-use zoning, quarterly audits of gun sales would have to be administered by storeowners, and police would have permission to investigate their records. Stores would be required to prepare a safety plan that details exterior lighting, surveillance cameras and alarm systems, and keeps track of both storage and ammunition. Background checks on employees would be enforced, as well as fingerprinting and training that prepares for identification of potential gun traffickers.
Emanuel is also requiring stores to keep a log of gun sales that tie back to firearms recovered in a crime scene, which would aid employers in identifying likely gun traffickers, and putting forward the idea that Chicago gun stores can only sell one handgun a month to a buyer. Once a store’s business license is revoked due to violations of the ordinance, it could not reopen at the same location for a minimum of three years.
In Grayslake, if an amendment to the village’s zoning ordinance passes at its next board meeting, retail gun and ammunition shops will be allowed in business zones and light industrial areas. While Grayslake has its own regulations that are distinguishable from those of Chicago, when it comes to the zoning ordinance, sales function in a similar vain and are not permitted to occur within 500 feet of public or private schools, parks, libraries, houses of worship, of liquor license holders, nor in home businesses.
With Grayslake being an hour drive away from Chicago, and taking the measures that foreshadow Chicago’s next move with regards to the sale of firearms, it becomes apparent that Chicago has taken more than a few steps toward the opening of an official gun shop since Concealed Carry was passed last July. It appears that the proposed ordinance has locked down on regulations that manage both site and sale; however, taking steps to expand the gun market of a city with a murder rate surpassing the combined rate of New York and Los Angeles’s remains a valid cause for unease among Chicagoans. July 2014, exactly a year after the passing of Concealed Carry, will be very telling of the future of Chicago and the subsequent role guns will play in the time ahead.
Epic: "Do Dat At"
It's been a long while since I've personally heard from music from Epic, which by my count is about two years now since the City of Win mixtape dropped back in 2012. Since then, the landscape of Chicago hip hop has changed as the scales have tipped over as a new generation of young rappers have arguably carried the torch for the local scene. However, that's not to say that some of the older guys in the mix aren't doing their part to ensure Chicago hip hop isn't just for the young new cats. Enter Epic.
The former BBU member is making his solo entry into the music world with the debut of his new single “Do Dat At” from his upcoming album #OPRAH. The party banger, produced by Stefan Clark of City of Win, proves that Epic hasn't missed one beat as he reps the Windy City throughout the song. #OPRAH has been in the works for awhile now, dating back to when BBU was on tour with Das Racist and Danny Brown in 2012. #OPRAH's primary producer is the aforementioned Clark with Mark Yoshizumi helping out on the album, as well. As Epic sees it, #OPRAH is a fully collaborative passion project, stating, "It's one thing for you to believe in your art, but when you have people in your corner that believe in it, great things happen. Without Stefan Clark and Mark Yoshizumi this project would still be in my head."
With a late summer release scheduled for #OPRAH, including more singles and video drops, the next couple of months just may prove to be Epic.
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Treated Crew x Stüssy x Saint Alfred: "Treated Tribe"
Treated Crew, a collective based in Chicago, has joined forces with both Stüssy and Saint Alfred to collaborate on a project involving a new selection of apparel and a mixtape. The collection and the mixtape are both referred to as Treated Tribe. The apparel is modeled by Pusha T (with photos by Jesse Lirola), and is heavy in print, text, and graphics.
The “Treated Tribe” clothing collection mainly consists of black and white colors with a paisley print that is reminiscent of the crew’s logo, Treated Crew’s artwork for their album TreaTed, and Stüssy’s own signature branding. The simple arrangement of black and white statement pieces appropriately captures a vital essence of each party involved in the collaboration, a fundamental vibe that can be described as straightforward and versatile.
The artwork done for the album Treated Tribe reflects some of the predominant patterns used in the collection of apparel. Contributors to the mixtape include Mic Terror, Mano, Hollywood Holt, Gzus Piece, Jon James, Saint Millie, He Say/Say She, Sulaiman, Max Wonders, A.K., Nick Junior, HighLife, Lee Majorz & PST Saint.
The clothing collection dropped at Saint Alfred’s on Saturday, May 31st. Although the local boutique has already sold out, the Treated Tribe collection hit Stüssy’s online shop on June 2nd and is still available there for purchase. Check out some of the Treated Tribe apparel below and download Treated Tribe on iTunes now.
