Her mission is real. Her love is real. Her talent is real. Gianna Hardt will be making an impact on electronic music. From being raised on Chicago House and Hip-Hop, to classical training, to her underground dance scene involvement, Gianna’s eclectic array of influences have one sole purpose while she is performing—to make you move. After graduating college in 2004, Gianna Hardt founded Forté Productions, a Chicago-based music event production company that still dedicates itself to cultivate, create and innovate unforgettable eclectic cutting edge underground events.

You can catch Gianna at Lava Lounge, Smartbar, Rodan, Coobah, Sonotheque, the PUMA Store, and many underground events in Chicago. Gianna has played alongside of Akufen, Samuel L Session, Joel Mull, Motor, Eliot Lipp, Gene LeFosse, K.atou, Angel Alanis, Danny the Wildchild, Kate Simko, Frankie Vega, Kill Memory Crash, Popkan, Rex Sepulveda, Sassmouth, Matt Nee, Gabe Palomo to name a few. She has been given acclaim and recognition by numerous publications. In 2008, with over 6 years of performing, you can expect Gianna to be coming to a city near you.

Music became her religion long before Gianna’s teenage years. Her musical taste began as an eclectic pull from the radio: Chicago House, Hip-Hop, Classic Rock, Italian and Latin Music. Gianna feels extremely blessed to come from Chicago. Not only does she feel blessed to come from musically rich Chicago, but even more blessed to have come from Chicago’s culturally rich Southside. (Not to be outdone by the fact that this was the prime time and place for Chicago House and underground).

Dancing and innovation were always of high importance to Gianna, and that’s what still continues to make her an electronic music purveyor. She is also fond of music that is intense and emotive, driving directly to the core. Either way, Gianna knows and feels music. With Gianna’s house, techno and constant evolution and unique integration, you better believe she’s a force to be reckoned with. Gianna pulls elements from her electronic influences of house, techno, minimal, jack and acid, creating and always expanding an eclectic style of her own. Her influences are vast; her delivery is on point and thumping. Make no mistake, Gianna is well respected and it is for a reason.

To close out Ramp Chicago’s LAUNCH PAD series in August, Gianna Hardt of Forte graces the decks with her unique blend of house and techno. Resident DJ Liz Revision supports.

Thursday 8/28 (7pm - 11:30pm)
@ Sura Thai Bistro, 3124 N Broadway Chicago, IL 60657

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After a very exciting first half of 2008, Blank Artists, the Detroit based independent dance music label, is embarking on its first tour this August in a six-city excursion featuring label co-directors, Drew Pompa and Josh Dahlberg; as well as Jared Wilson. Each of the three had memorable performances at this year’s Movement: Detroit’s Electronic Music Festival and are quickly becoming standouts in dance music’s global community.

Drew is revered for weaving through sub-genres of techno, house, and electro in his DJ sets with a precision that demands esteem from even the most captious of listeners. Jared is regarded as one of the city’s best for his style of techno that harkens back to the days when Acid reigned supreme as king of the electronic music jungle. His instant classic, Drug Related Stories (released on his label, 7777) recently found its way onto the new Hardfloor disc, Tales of The Unexpected 3. Dahlberg has released on D Records, Gravid Digital, and of course Blank Artists. He is known for his style of music that draws influence from Detroit and Germany both old and new.

With each person bringing his own style and taste in dance music to the table, it only reaffirms why the label assumed the name Blank Artists. Be on the look out late this summer as these three label mates are depart the Motor City and converge on an east-coast city near you; destroying your dance floors and depleting your beer supplies (provided you live on the eastern coast of the US, of course).

Detroit’s BlankArtist collective of DJs Josh Dahlberg, Drew Pompa, and Jared Wilson drop in as part of their inaugural BlankArtists 2008 Tour for Ramp Chicago’s monthly FLIGHT DECK showcase.

Thu 8/21 (7PM-11PM) @ Sura Thai Bistro
3124 N Broadway Chicago, IL

MP3: CODINE: “Link to Selected”
MP3: JARED WILSON: “Office Analogue”
MP3: JOSH DAHLBERG: “OMGPHEEK”

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Ramp Chicago’s LAUNCH PAD series at Sura continues with Enots aka Phillip Stone–an up-and-coming local DJ who has found much success opening for international talent such as Ryan Crosson, Adam Beyer and others. Liz Revision supports. Expect techno, house, tech house, and IDM.

Thursday 7/14 (7pm - 11:30pm)
@ Sura Thai Bistro, 3124 N Broadway Chicago, IL 60657

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Terrorize your pool-party guests with a scary robotic shark

Matthew Mercer lives in Chicago where he creates music and works as a graphic designer. Having previously released 12″ singles on Forte and Neutonmusic as well as affiliations with Ware and the now-defunct 409 art group, in 2006 he started the Microfilm project with vocalist Matt Keppel, which put them on the map as experimental artists working innovatively within the electro scene. In 2007, the two started a label for their endeavours, Fiche Music; he released 2 short albums compiling both new and old solo material in the fall. He is also considering a digital re-issue of his first 12″ for Forte, Secrets, long out of print.

Ramp Chicago’s LAUNCH PAD series kicks off in August at Sura with performances from Chicago’s Matt Mercer, co-director of Fiche Music and half of vocal party-electro duo Microfilm. Soon to be a Seattle resident this is the last chance to see Matt DJ before he leaves Chicago. Resident Liz Revision supports. Expect a mix of techno, electro, IDM, and ambient.

Thu 8/7 (7PM - 11:30PM)
@ Sura Thai Bistro, 3124 N Broadway Chicago, IL 60657

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For Immediate Release

July 29th, 2008

Ramp Chicago Announces New Programming Schedule for August Featuring BlankArtists and Lee Curtiss

Chicago, IL – Local club promoters Ramp Chicago have released their latest programming schedule for the month of August. The list includes both the schedule for their recently christened Launch Pad/Flight Deck Thursday nights at Sura Thai Bistro on the North Side in addition to their final Friday parties at Wicker Park’s Debonair Social Club, and as usual features both local and internationally renowned performers.

August kicks off at Sura with performances from Chicago’s Matt Mercer, co-director of Fiche Music and half of vocal party-electro duo Microfilm and Enots aka Phillip Stone–an up-and-coming local DJ who has found much success opening for international talent such as Ryan Crosson, Adam Beyer and others.

On the Flight Deck Thursday, July 21st, Detroit’s BlankArtist collective of DJs Josh Dahlberg, Drew Pompa, and Jared Wilson drop in as part of their inaugural BlankArtists 2008 Tour and the following week local party queen Gianna Hardt of Forte graces the decks with her unique blend of house and techno.

At Debonair this month Ramp presents a DJ performance by Michigan’s bad boy of international techno, Lee Curtiss. Curtiss, who, by his own description, has been “melting faces and breaking hearts” since his debut 12’’ on Kalimari Records’ 2006 Mein Tesh, has won legions of fans all over the world for his legendary live sets and his punk attitude towards dance music, showcased in recent years by performances at both Mutek and Movement: Detroit’s Electronic Music Festival.

Ramp Chicago August Schedule

@ Sura Thai Bistro 3124 N. Broadway, DJs begin at 7pm, FREE Admission
all events feature Ramp Chicago resident Liz Revision

Aug. 7th. Matt Mercer (Fiche Records) — Chicago
Aug. 14th Enots aka Phillip Stone — Chicago
Aug. 21st BlankArtists DJ Tour ft: Josh Dahlberg, Drew Pompa & Jared Wilson — Detroit
Aug. 28th Gianna Hardt (Forte Music) – Chicago

@ Debonair Social Club 1575 N. Milwaukee. Doors 9pm FREE before 11pm, $5 afterwards

Aug. 29th  Lee Curtiss (Dumb Unit, Rhumba Musik, Kalimari) — Detroit

For more information contact Liz McLean Knight at rampchicago@gmail.com or 773.251.9984

###

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From Corey Rusk’s indie-rock powerhouse Touch & Go to the eclectic catalog of Thrill Jockey to hip-hop oasis that is Galapagos 4 and fun-loving rap duo The Cool Kids, music of any and every genre can be found in all corners of the Windy City.

For the next installment of the XLR8R Podcast, we took a look at the music scene in Chicago and pulled together a few of our current and classic favorites for this hour-long mix. We check in with IDM/experimental maverick Liz McLean Knight (a.k.a. Quantazelle), get down with hip-hop duo Qwel & Kip, tune into Kid Sister producer/remixer Gant Man, enjoy some cheeky raps from the aforementioned Cool Kids, and more.
“Chicago Rocks” podcast at XLR8R

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Andy Vaz at Debonair 6-26

Sevron at Sura 7-17

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Digg Meetup NYC - June 4, 2008 from Digg Meetups on Vimeo

If you’re as addicted to Digg as I am and you’re in Chicago they’re throwing a meetup at Smartbar tomorrow. Hopefully it won’t be anything like the Fark party which was a dorky sausagefest with dorky sauced Farkers. Well, I guess the nametags and stickers were pretty funny…

Smart Bar Digg Meetup Chicago
6pm - 10pm
3730 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60613

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