Chicagoist

World's Largest Wearable LED Display At The MSI

Tony Peregrin — 2009-11-24T11:20:00-06:00

A woman who slips into the new Galaxy Dress will literally ‘light up the room’ thanks to a new prototype gown created by Francesca Rosella and Ryan Genz of the London-based company CuteCircuit. The dress is embroidered with 24,000 full-color LEDs, and according to the Museum of Science and Industry, is the largest wearable LED display in the world. The design duo used flat, paper-like LEDs which were hand-embroidered onto four layers of silk chiffon to diffuse the light and give the dress a fluid, iridescent glow.

Incredibly, the LED bulbs consume a tiny amount of electricity and can be powered by a number of small iPod batteries that are placed inside the crinoline skirt. The Galaxy Dress glows for about 30-minutes to an hour before it needs recharging, but even when the dress goes dark it continues to sparkle, thanks to the more than 4,000 Swarovski crystals (ranging from clear to bright pink) sewn into the gown. According to the designers, the dress consumes the same electricity as two household bulbs. She blinded us with science. Science!

CuteCircuit’s vision is to make technology “more usable, emotionally fulfilling, and fun.” In 2006, their ‘Hug Shirt,’ which transmits hugs over distances using sensors embedded in the garment, was named on of the Best Inventions of the Year by Time magazine.

The Galaxy Dress is currently on permanent display at the Museum of Science and Industry as part of its Fast Forward…Inventing the Future exhibit.

Devendra Banhart Lets His Freak Flag Fly

Veronica Murtagh — 2009-11-23T16:00:00-06:00

Photo via Devendra Banhart's MySpace.

Few performers are as animated as the Venezuelan-bred freak folk singer-songwriter, Devendra Banhart. In an intimate seated show last Monday night at the Vic Theatre, Banhart brought his nonsensical, neo-hippie compositions to life, writhing in time to his own vocal tics and painting himself every bit the true original that his albums suggest.

Banhart's most recent effort, What Will We Be, finds the songwriter significantly more sedated and impressively mature. For the first time, his lyrics form coherent sentences. In a single effort, Banhart has become palatable for the masses, but confusing to die-hard fans who know and love him not for his polish, but for his unpredictability.

Banhart has always played the role of free spirit and the unexpected formality of What Will We Be proved to be simply the next surprise for ticket-holding fans as he took the stage and the seated show immediately became standing room only. Backed by his name-shifting band, The Grogs, Banhart transformed an album of mature takes into a next level affair. Banhart's hands fluttered and his legs shook as he lost himself, enveloped into his own music like a cult member ascending the confines of earthly existence on Doomsday. When Banhart performed the Spanish serenade Brindo, a dynamic of fixated awe connected his ethereal voice and the audience's gaze.

There was not a dull moment in the evening's show. Banhart's set of primarily new material was sparsely accented with offerings from his back catalog and in what were some of the evening's best moments, each of his band members were granted center stage to perform selections from their respective projects. Priestbird drummer Greg Rogove (also part of Banhart's bizarre experimental side project, Megapuss) caught the audience off guard, launching into a percussive spectacle backed by frenzied, howling vocals. Following the aural assault of Rogove's solo, Banhart ended his set with Rats and the stage was stormed by an army of young female fans playing hostesses to an impromptu dance party with an energy that rivaled the most boisterous of Girl Talk sets.

After a seemingly endless silence, Banhart reappeared for a shirtless encore and formally closed a night that was anything but expected. Devendra Banhart's amplified persona and robust tunes stayed in our head long after we'd exited the venue. We slept peacefully that night, secure in knowing we had witnessed something magical.

PHOTOS: Peaches And Amanda Blank At Metro

Tankboy — 2009-11-23T13:00:00-06:00

]]>

While we prefer both Peaches and Amanda Blank's recorded output in bite-sized chunks we consider both women to be formidable life performers to be wholly appreciated. We've seen Blank perform with Spank Rock a number of times and her spirited presence often stole the stage from her band mates. Friday night's show at The Metro had Blank performing with only a DJ and a live drummer, but her diminutive figure grew to envelop the entire room as she spat out gleeful sing-song raps and danced around the stage with abandon. Songs we found weak on her debut came to life on the stage, their worth inflated by her delivery. While Blank's performance was a pop pleasure, Peaches' set was a tour de force, a theatrical overdose that came across that even though it was centered on DIY stage sets put extravaganzas by Cher or any given stadium rock flavor of the month to shame. Multiple costume changes, energetic song delivery that only increased in intensity as the set moved forward, and a brutal command of mesmerizing sexuality came together to create one of the most compelling live shows we've seen all year. Also, there's nothing more rewarding than realizing her reach is growing with time as we noticed we were surrounded by yuppies happily singing along to her most popular track, "Fuck The Pain Away." Awesome.

[View the full Flickr set]

Make Tuesday Magical With David Daniell

Tankboy — 2009-11-23T11:20:00-06:00

Photo by Craig S. McKibben Jr. from Daniell's MySpace page

Special To Chicagoist From Sarah Cobarrubias

If you’re like us and always on the prowl for up and coming local music, then don’t miss Magical Musical Showcase. Every fourth Tuesday at 6 p.m., notable Chicago organizations present their favorite local musicians at MCA’s Puck’s Café. We think this program is aces. It not only offer patrons a no-dough performance in a comfortable and classy setting, but it gives emerging local musicians an intimate, non-commercial outlet for their original work and post-performance time to wander the crowd and join in on discussions.

This month, the Empty Bottle presents David Daniell, and we can see why: he’s got raw talent, real passion and a sweet humility you don’t see much of these days. Like most experimental musicians, Daniell is familiar with a plethora of instruments from drums to violin. But chances are he’ll arrive with only an acoustic-electro guitar, a keyboard and a suitcase full of signal-processing pedals, because instead of crowding the stage with foreign gadgets to create complex noise, he takes simple sound and electronically bends it into bizarre but harmonious compositions. His music is mostly improvised and seems to flow with the rhythm of fluid thought: a slow-moving, understated, teetering progression that pushes but does not break boundaries - that builds into near-explosive roars but then falls to complete silence. You might consider it a flaw that his music lacks huge, breakthrough moments, or you might realize that what he excludes from a piece is precisely what defines it. He probably won’t blow you away with a big-bang performance, but he’ll leave you nodding in a sort of appreciative understanding.

Museum admission is completely free on Tuesdays so come early and visit the galleries before Daniell’s performance. You might want to sacrifice a few dollars for a glass of wine from the cash bar or a cup of Joe and a tasty snack from Puck's Café before you sit back, relax and support one of Chicago’s emerging local artists. If you miss Daniell at MCA this Tuesday, you can see him perform at the Empty Bottle on December 16, or check out his new album, Sycamore, a collaboration with Tortoise’s Douglas McCombs. And don’t forget, Magical Musical Showcase continues the fourth Tuesday of each month (except December) through April 2010. Upcoming performers are still unannounced, but with beloved music moguls like Lampo, Schubas, Harold Arts and UnTwelve selecting the lineup, you won’t be disappointed. For a complete schedule and more info on free events, check out Tuesday Evenings in the Café.

Bonus: Catch Haptic and Lisa Slodki immediately after in the 12x12 gallery giving the third and final performance of their collaborative sound and video installation.

David Daniell plays MCA’s Magical Musical Showcase on November 24 at Puck’s Café, 220 E Chicago, 6 p.m., FREE

]]>

Billy Elliot Tickets On Sale

Suzy Evans — 2009-11-21T16:00:00-06:00

In case you plan your theater-going 4 months in advance, tickets for the much-anticipated Chicago-run of West End, then Broadway, blockbuster Billy Elliot went on sale yesterday. The show is scheduled to open in March and could be the next Jersey Boys or Wicked. According to the Tribune, the show will play for as long as it makes money. We enjoyed the show in London but we have no idea what the Chicago production will be like. We'd say it's worth the gamble, though.

It's Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Day

Marcus Gilmer — 2009-11-21T12:30:00-06:00

Heading downtown for the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival? You won't be alone: the Trib reports 800,000 are expected at the fest which has already kicked off and runs all day, climaxing with a parade this evening from 5:30 p.m. til 6:55 p.m. Of course, there are some reroutes and traffic issues to deal with if you're heading downtown for any reason. If you're taking the CTA, be sure to check in here for their bus reroutes and if you're driving, here's a list of road closures, courtesy of the Tribune.

Walton Street, from State Street to Dearborn Street, starting at 4 p.m. Friday until 6 p.m. today
Upper Illinois Street, east of Michigan Avenue, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today
Oak Street, from State to Dearborn, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. today
Oak Street from State to Michigan; North Michigan from Oak to Wacker; and Upper Wacker Drive from Michigan east, all from 4:45 p.m. to about 7 p.m. today

If you prefer to enjoy the parade from the comfort of your own home, ABC 7 is airing it tonight starting at 6 p.m. And if you do head down for the fest, be sure to snap some photos and share them in our Flickr pool.

CPL's Bookamania Brings The Reading Fun For Kids

Staff — 2009-11-20T14:00:00-06:00

Special to Chicagoist from Elizabeth Mikel

If we had kids, we'd certainly be bringing them to Chicago Public Library's Bookamania event on Saturday. Between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., the Harold Washington Library Center will be opening its doors to youngsters aged three to ten for a slew of free book-related events. Thanks to a grant from the Chicago Public Library Foundation and the Target Corporation, there will be enough crafts, music, theater, dance, puppetry and magic for all. Life-sized storybook characters from across the world are being summoned for the event. As they scurry between the 24 activities, kids can get their photos taken with the Very Hungry Caterpillar, Max and a Wild Thing, Madeline and others. Several activities will correspond with the work of featured children's authors, illustrators and photographers who will be present on Saturday. Check out a full schedule of events here.

To stave off our anticipation to meet these famous authors in person, we spoke with one of them. Jim Aylesworth has written more than 30 children's books. His most recent work is The Mitten, a new version of the story in which several animals squeeze into a lost mitten. Barbara McClintock is the illustrator.

Chicago Public Library's Bookamania, Saturday, November 21, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Harold Washington Library Center, 400 South State Street

Chicagoist: What inspired you to write a new variation of The Mitten?

Jim Aylesworth: I really love folklore, and I know that children love folklore. For many years, I was a first grade teacher. I spent a lot of time with kids and reading out loud to kids. I've gained a sense of what they like, and I want to write something they like. That's the whole point.

C: So what do kids like?

JA: Out-loud sounds, songs, and rhymes and animals. And pretending. Children love to pretend: Animals talking, or a cookie coming to life like the gingerbread man. "The Mitten" has all those things, including talking animals.

C: You've written a lot of children's books. Do you have some sort of process when you sit down to do a new one?

JA: I wish I knew how to answer that. If I were sure of that, I would do it everyday. The best I can tell you is that I spend a lot of time with kids. Because of my experience, I know what kids like more than the average person. The stories I favor are the ones that read out loud well to a group of children. Not just one or two, that's easier. But if you can read and entertain 20 or 30 kids… and that's the amazing thing about children's books. If kids like it, everyone else likes it too.

C: Do you have read kids drafts of your books to see if they like them or not?

JA: A lot of people ask that. When you're a first grade teacher, kids really love you and want to please you. You can't really trust them. And there are no pictures. I always note that a book of this kind is partly text and partly art, and they both have to be really good to make the book successful. I'm not the illustrator, and I have to give credit to the artist.

C: Who is your favorite children's author?

JA: My favorite children's author is probably one of your favorites, too: Dr. Seuss. Of course he was both the artist and illustrator. His work is out-loud, with sounds and rhymes and happiness. And lots of animals and crazy pretending.

]]>

Rockin' Our Turntable: DJ / rupture & Matt Shadetek

Veronica Murtagh — 2009-11-20T13:40:00-06:00

Call it fate or label it luck, some musical pairings were just meant to happen. Solo, Jace Clayton (DJ / rupture) and Brooklyn producer Matt Shadetek have always excelled in their respective electronic pursuits. For the Barcelona-bred, now Brooklyn-based Clayton that means broad ranging, world-influenced heavy bass and for Shadetek, the lesser known (but no less talented) name of the duo, it means a career built on genre-shifting instrumentals. The duo have combined talents in the past, but never with the depth and stunning results of their newest effort, the full length mix album, Solar Life Raft.

Solar Life Raft was released earlier this month, but it could just as easily have come from 1995 or 2020. Combining disparate styles and sounds with effortless elegance, Clayton and Shadetek create an aural journey across borders and through time. Solar Life Raft stays fresh and innovative by culling an extensive roster of guests including fellow Brooklynites Telepathe and Gang Gang Dance, poets Elizabeth Alexander (who spoke at Obama's inauguration) and Caroline Bergvall, London grime producer Mizz Beats and French avant-garde musician Luc Ferrari. The duo reveal their keen production and curatorial talents by combining the unrelated genres of their collaborators into an ingenious and never jarring statement on what electronic music can be when you look past stylistic and geographic borders.

The 25 short cuts that compose Solar Life Raft dip through atmospheric dubstep, Finnish folk, Arabic dance, blip beep IDM noise, reinterpreted classical compositions, bass-heavy grime and Afro-Caribbean dub, all layered with a veil of subtle, minimal details that make the album an intensely immersive work. The words lent by poets Alexander and Bergvall make for two of the album's more startling selections, brief nonsensical musings that interrupt instrumentals but are, at the same time, a vocal extension of the atmospheric compositions they surround.

DJ / Rupture and Matt Shadetek's Solar Life Raft traverses space, time and continents. Engaging from the first beat to the last, it's an album that is best listened to, not read about. So, what're you waiting for?

Devlin & Darko with DJ / Rupture & Matt Shadetek and DJ Trew tonight, at the Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western, 10 p.m., rsvp@emptybottle.com by 5 p.m. for FREE entry or $10 at door, 21+.

Holiday Shopping At Do Division

Veronica Murtagh — 2009-11-19T16:00:00-06:00

If you prefer to shop local during the holiday season, then save the date for Saturday, December 5 and the return of the annual Do Division blowout. Merchants, restaurants and bars located on Division St. between Milwaukee and Leavitt will offer deep discounts, original gift ideas, freebies and plenty of opportunities to gather and relax in like company.

A few of our favorite local holiday shopping spots including Penelope's, Doggy Style and Renegade are all taking part and you're sure to find some of your favorites on the full list of participating outposts. As an added bonus, this year Do Division will feature free horse-drawn carriage rides along the strip and gift certificates good at local merchants for shoppers spending over $40.

Philanthropy For Pachyderms

Tankboy — 2009-11-19T15:20:00-06:00

Isiolo & Kimana say hi to each other at the Elephant Orphanage

When a friend of ours visited Kenya a few years ago she stopped by an elephant orphanage operated by The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and fell in love with the cause. In particular she connected with an adorable little blind baby elephant named Ndolo --who was later profiled on 60 Minutes -- and she was deeply moved by the dedication of the people working with the animals and for the Trust. The Trust operates primarily in Tsavo National Park rescuing and raising both elephant and rhino orphans upholding the ivory ban, de-snaring operations, a mobile veterinary project, animal welfare, and general conservation initiatives.

There's a fundraiser in Chicago tonight for the Trust at EQUILIBRIUM Energy + Education in the South Loop. The event begins at 5 p.m., and there's An educational lecture on The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust at 6:30 p.m. There's no admission fee but they will be taking donations aand running a silent auction to benefit the fund.

Thursday Afternoon Diversion: Going GaGa

Tankboy — 2009-11-19T15:00:00-06:00

It's weird to think I've only really been aware of Lady GaGa since inauguration week when I heard "Just Dance" in a D.C. bar and marveled at how the room exploded. While I'm slightly bummed the Fame Monster EP shows the freaky vocal mannerisms and awesome lyrics of "Bad Romance" to be an interesting musical hiccup instead of the harbinger of a bold new direction -- sonically the EP hews incredibly closely to the more straightforward pop of her debut than the interesting tics and treats I was hoping for -- I still think she's just fucking fascinating in that art damaged NYC underground disco freakpunkrighton kind of way.

Anyway, enjoy.

Audion To Squeeze Into Smart Bar

Jake Guidry — 2009-11-19T12:40:00-06:00

The past month has seen a flurry of electronic musicians roll through Chicago, captivating the aural sensibilities of concert-goers around the city. We've seen Boys Noize ravage Congress's spacious dance floor, Basement Jaxx spin their deep cuts along with MSTRKRFT and Modeselektor, Bassnectar with Nosaj Thing at the House of Blues, Simian Mobile Disco for a third time this year, and Canadian DJ duo Jokers of the Scene incite pillow fights at SoundBar. This weekend does not let up. While the big shows are undoubtedly Deadmau5 at Congress and Peaches at Metro, those into the techno side of things should think long and hard about checking out Audion at Smart Bar this Friday.

A side project of Matthew Dear's, Audion has been touring over the past year with new, mesmerizing material. Dear puts about as much work into the live experience as he does his music, delivering an audio/visual combo that seems most likely the best way to describe an acid trip. Audion has been receiving a lot of acclaim in the UK for his live show which features a cascade of lights and stunning, geometric visuals. His shows have engaged audiences over the past year, showing that electronic music can compete with the best of them on a live scale.

The one pitfall is Smart Bar is considerably small and will likely not be able to house the extensive setup Audion has been using. We hope that the venue makes an earnest attempt, though, as the visual element to the show is almost equally as important as the music.

PHOTOS: Art Brut And Surfer Blood At Lincoln Hall

Tankboy — 2009-11-19T12:00:00-06:00

]]>

Once again ace photographer Laura Gray ventured out and into the fray on our behalf to capture these stunning shots off the raucous Art Brut and Surfer Blood show at Lincoln Hall last week.

Early Warning: Hot Chip

Tankboy — 2009-11-19T11:40:00-06:00

Special to Chicagoist from Sarah Cobarrubias

Fellow Hot Chip junkies rejoice: the British synth-pop quintet come to Chicago in 2010 in support of their upcoming album, One Life Stand. Word has it that this album, available February 9 via Astralwerks, will be their strongest yet, and we couldn’t be more excited. Their last LP, Made in the Dark, was a somewhat disappointing collection crowded with lackluster ballads and low-energy beats. But Hot Chip has had a breakthrough record bottling up inside them, and we think One Life Stand will be an explosive success - with even more synth-crazy, R&B inspired, off kilter beats than their second LP, The Warning. If you’re too excited to wait for the February release, pre-order a signed copy of the album and receive a free download of the new track "Take It In."

Hot Chip begins this short, five-stop U.S. tour in April, accompanied by fellow London electro-pop band the xx. Their Chicago performance is still five months away, but tickets go on sale this Saturday, November 21 at 10 a.m. Ticket prices are still unannounced, but with only one Chicago performance, chances are they’ll be expensive and hard to come by. So this Saturday morning, shake off that hangover, order your tickets early and don’t miss out on one show that’s guaranteed to be hot.

Hot Chip plays at The Riv, 4746 N Racine, April 19, 8 p.m., Tickets on sale November 21, 18+

Cook County Jail Goes Primtime

Marcus Gilmer — 2009-11-18T16:00:00-06:00

We don't know what it is about Chicago that the Discovery Channel loves so much, but we're not complaining. Both Liar's Club and the Metro have been featured recently on the show Ghost Labs and Dirty Jobs was recently in town as well. Now, part of Chicago is getting the limelight all to itself. The channel will debut a new three-part series tomorrow night called Cook County Jail, which focuses on...well, do we have to spell it out for you? Parts one ("Brains & Brawn") and two ("Gang Ties") air tomorrow night, starting at 8:00 p.m.