If you haven’t been to the Sofitel in downtown Chicago it’s really something else. The lobby has light up translucent blocks embedded in its floor, ever-changing floral displays, a really amazing restaurant, and a chic, modernly-traditional bar that evokes hanging out at a rich aunt and uncle’s library, except they were hip enough to include a bar, DJ booth, and some flat screen TVs along with all the seating for their many friends who are entertained by all of the above.
As part of a weekly series featuring digital DJs Jason Patrick, Liz Revision (subVariant, Ramp Chicago, Create Digital Music) and Fred (France – Resident) throw down their own takes on forward-thinking techno in Le Bar while you can experience Pearl infusion vodka tastings [and the Kiwi one is mad tasty, and therefore easy to quaff in multiple], lounge around in a hip space, and observe through the floor-to-ceiling windows drunken-yet-sophisticated passers-by stumble to or from bars onto the Rush Street triangle. Not a bad way to spend a Thursday!
7 PM to 2 AM
@ Sofitel 20 E Chestnut st Chicago
DJs Fred, Jason Patrick, Liz Revision
FREE
Here’s a fun collection of geek vanity license plates. Some of my favorites are “A programmer’s definition of white,” shown here; “Geek Away From Keyboard,” or GEEK AFK; and a Virginia license plate with wifi love, “802.11N” called “But others prefer wireless.”
23 awesome license plates for computer geeks
Growing up between the two poles of Chicago and Detroit organized Lee’s approach to production squarely between the grooving, deep house sounds of artists like Derrick Carter, and the mindfreaking work of techno producers such as Ricardo Villalobos, Zip (aka Dimbiman), Matthew Dear and Richie Hawtin. His music’s dark, sexy, and uncompromising singularity have earned him coveted performance slots at the 2007 DEMF and Mutek festivals, and he was recently named by Matthew Dear as one of they key figures of emerging talent in URB magazine’s next 100.
Download a live set, Lee Curtiss Live at Wolf + Lamb 4/07
Here’s a guide with some geek fashion tips from Fractalspin: Back to School Dos and Don’ts
Back to School DON’Ts
1. Capacitor Barrette on Etsy
Eek! Ok, it’s definitely cool to wear capacitors as a decorative element, but only if they actually are decorative–not hideous like this poor excuse for embellishment.
2. Totoro Plush Hat
Unless you are under the age of 18 months you have no business pretending to a giant furry anime critter. Sorry “Furrys,” Sorry.
3. Fuze Necklace
The only things you’re going to attract wearing tacky light-up jewelry are clueless teenage candy ravers stuck in the mid-nineties and that’s going to be awkward, or the unwanted attentions of a lightning bug which could be awkward too.
4. GEEK Silicone Bracelet
Wearing a bracelet that literally says GEEK tells the world you’re trying too hard. And no one has ever looked good in silicone.
5. T-Qualizer Light Up Equalizer T-Shirt
This t-shirt has an electroluminescent panel on the front that reacts to music. Yet, the only thing that should be reacting to the music is yourself when you’re dancing, and besides, your obnoxious flashing chest isn’t going to make you friends any time soon.
6. Utilikilt
The idea behind this pathetic invention is that by freeing a man from his jeans and letting his anatomy sway around when he moves, and then giving him tons of pockets for his gadgets and gear he will achieve some sort of anti-establishment masculine nirvana. Instead, they only man’s jeans that will be removed are the DNA variety, as in from the genetic pool. Definitely a lady killer in the wrong sense.
7. Yoda Backpack
Alright, you’re a Star Wars fan, and these days that’s perfectly acceptable. Having delusions that you’re a character from a movie and running around in public with a plushie strapped to your back is not.
8. Crocs
Supposed comfort is never a viable reason for allowing your feet to be seen in public encased in perforated boat-shaped rubber monstrosities as these.
Back to School DOs
1. Teal Triple Capacitor Necklace
Here’s a better way to wear capacitors–three teal ones are strung delicately from a chain and look more like jewels than capacitors.
2. Caffiene Earrings
Let your nerdy nature shine from your head by dangling silver caffeine molecules from your ears in earring form. They’re scientific and terrific, not to mention classy.
3. Fan Guard Chain Necklace
This necklace doesn’t need to blink in an attempt to announce your geekiness to the world. Anyone who’s plugged in cables or PCI cards to the back of a desktop PC will recognize the modified fan guard around your neck and give you the silent nod of approval.
4. Cat5 Bracelet
You don’t need a bracelet that literally says GEEK, you need one that says geek to anyone who knows what ethernet cable is.
5. MIDI Cuff 1.5″
This cool black cuff made of MIDI cable is a subtle way to profess your love of electronic music.
6. High Voltage Laptop Bag
Instead of cramming everything into pockets, grab this laptop bag with a high voltage strap as a stylish solution.
7. Circuit Board Memo Pad
Keep your notes safe with a notepad with covers made from real circuitboard.
Here’s a mix from Drew Pompa of Blank Artists. He’ll be performing with the rest of the BA crew on Thursday, August 21 in Chicago at Sura. Here’s the Going link and some more details.
Drew Pompa – Blank Artists August 2008 Podcast: Tour Edition
{READ MORE}
The basement of Debonair Social Club on August 29th will get downright dirty with some hot, sweaty action from Detroit’s bad boy of techno, Lee Curtiss. The producer who once famously described his approach to making music as “fuck trends, fuck dance music and fuck me, ” promises yet another night of “face-melting mayhem” as he pushes his way through a DJ set filled with new tracks from a recent tour of Europe, and tantalizes with the prospect of hearing some of his yet-to-be released tracks from his forthcoming albums on Canada’s Dumb Unit label. Then of course there is his nice haircut, ways with the ladies and his “sexy, primal,” little-bit-backwoods kind of beats, all which add up to a party not to be missed.
His previous releases for Dumb Unit and other notable labels such as Rhumba Musik, Tigersushi and Kalimari have garnered him international acclaim and coveted performance slots at London’s Fabric Nightclub, Berlin’s Watergate, Montreal’s Mutek festival and of course Detroit’s Electronic Music Festival.
Friday, August 29th. 9pm – 2am
Lee Curtiss and Liz Revision Presented by Ramp Chicago
Debonair Social Club 1575 N. Milwaukee Ave. (Downstairs)
Free before 11, $10 after, $7 after 11pm with RSVP to Going.com [http://going.com/leecurtiss]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5th, 2008
Get down and dirty on August 29 with Detroit’s bad boy of techno, Lee Curtiss
Chicago, IL – The basement of Debonair Social Club on August 29th will get downright dirty with some hot, sweaty action from Detroit’s bad boy of techno, Lee Curtiss. The producer who once famously described his approach to making music as “fuck trends, fuck dance music and fuck me, ” promises yet another night of “face-melting mayhem” as he pushes his way through a DJ set filled with new tracks from a recent tour of Europe, and tantalizes with the prospect of hearing some of his yet-to-be released tracks from his forthcoming albums on Canada’s Dumb Unit label. Then of course there is his nice haircut, ways with the ladies and his “sexy, primal,” little-bit-backwoods kind of beats, all which add up to a party not to be missed.
His previous releases for Dumb Unit and other notable labels such as Rhumba Musik, Tigersushi and Kalimari have garnered him international acclaim and coveted performance slots at London’s Fabric Nightclub, Berlin’s Watergate, Montreal’s Mutek festival and of course Detroit’s Electronic Music Festival. Ramp Chicago’s second installment of their newly inaugurated final Friday night techno series, has hosted artists such as Toronto’s up-and-coming minimal tech-house wunderkid, Noah Pred, Cologne’s Yore Record’s head honcho Andy Vaz, and Detroit’s gritty-beatmakers Kero and Rex Sepulveda.
Curtiss shares the decks with Ramp resident Liz Revision. The show is free before 11pm.
The Details
Who: Lee Curtiss and Liz Revision Presented by Ramp Chicago
Where: Debonair Social Club 1575 N. Milwaukee Ave. (Downstairs)
When: Friday, August 29th
Doors: 9pm -2am
Cover: Free Before 11, ten dollars after
For more information contact: liz AT rampchicago [dot] com or andrew AT rampchicago [dot] com
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