WeapLovesYou

While shopping in Wicker Park about a week ago I came across a flyer that piqued my interest. The flyer was advertising an event at V-live in Chicago featuring Steve Aoki. I’m not a huge fan of the pop-electro sound (please feel free to correct my choice of genre association) championed by scenesters such as Aoki so his playing a show in Chicago was not what caught my attention. The fact that the flyer advertised that the event would feature more than 30 other DJs in 4 rooms is really what caught my eye. More than that, the blurb on the flyer that offered a spot on the roster for any DJ with a follow of greater than 20 people or a “buy-in” opportunity for any “crew” intrigued me.

Wanting to learn more I reached out to my Twitter brethren for more info on what the promoters of this show meant by “buy-in opportunity”. The short answer I received is this: groups or DJs who purchase 16 tickets at the regular price of $20 receive 6 tickets for “free” with the option to play the party. I’m sure that there are most likely other packages available for a “crew” that wants to put more skin in the game but for the purpose of this post I’m going to stick with discussing the deal I just mentioned.

I’m not a math wizard by any estimation but as far as I can figure, in essence, the DJ in this equation is putting in $320 of his/her own money and buying a spot on the roster. If said DJ is able to move all 22 (16 they paid $20 for and 6 they got for “free”) tickets allotted for that investment at the face value of $20, he/she will net $120 and the chance to play a gigantic club in front of what he/she hopes to be a large group of potential fans. If 30 DJs are willing to buy into this model the promoter comes out way ahead because he/she’s just sold 480 tickets for a gross dollar amount of $9,600, has potentially put tickets in the hands of 660 people (in the form of purchased as well as “free” tickets), and has also enlisted a street team of at least 30 ambitious selectors that are going to be pushing the night like mad since they have a vested interest in it’s success. Everyone wins, right? I’m not so sure.

There are 3 reasons I don’t like this format for throwing parties. First, I think it shortchanges the partygoer by presenting him/her with a glut of unproven talent. Second, it’s providing a model which, if successful, would allow promoters to avoid paying DJs who have spent years building up their skills and their reputations and who’s time is better spent honing their craft than trying to personally sell event tickets. And, third, it is sending a message to aspiring DJs that their money and hustle is more far more valuable than their skills behind the decks (or laptops, or midi controllers, etc.).

The lines between performer and promoter have been increasingly blurred over the past 10 years or so with DJs stepping up and running their own nights and promoters learning to DJ so they can play their own residencies and keep more of the proceeds. For the most part, I understand this dynamic and have done my best to play along. Most of the people I know that are making any kind of dent on the nightlife scene tend to fall into two categories: good DJs that have taught themselves to be average or better marketers and good marketers who have taught themselves to be average or better DJs. Unfortunately, it seems to me that those that are more adept at the marketing side of things are starting to choke out those whose main talent is on the performance end of things. I fear that a wide-spread acceptance of the pay to play model could result in another big step in that direction. Namely, shows with mammoth size hype and mouse size substance. It’s the nightlife patrons that end up paying the price. If promoters are able to successfully run nights in which local talent is willing to pay to play and essentially promote for free what incentive do they have to take a chance on groundbreaking international talent that is trying to book shows in Chicago? Also, what incentive do aspiring DJs have to hone their performances when their time is better spent acting as a one-man ticket office?

Admittedly, I haven’t been in a big market for that long having moved to Chicago from West Palm Beach, Florida just a little over 3 years ago but it didn’t take me long to fall in love with the city and with it’s nightlife culture. One of my first and fondest memories of the city was on one of the first Sundays after I moved in walking my dog around the West Loop and happening to walk by Stanley’s on Van Buren when Major Taylor was spinning on the patio. The fact that a DJ as talented as that was playing just blocks away from my house on a Sunday afternoon was something that really struck me. Over the following months I had similar experiences, catching DJs like Jesse De La Pena, Zebo, Intel, Maker, Trew, OneFiftyOne, and SR-71 – really talented DJs playing anywhere from a small lounge to a big club like Smart Bar. Sure, all these DJs could pull a crowd but they were booked more on their ability to move that crowd than on their ability to bring people through the door and were paid accordingly. How would any of these Chicago mainstays fare going up against a wave of neophytes willing to pay to take those same gigs?

Finally, what is the message that this model sends to up and coming DJs? As far as I can tell the flyer did not stipulate that there was any standard to play other than the ability to pull a small crowd. The reward then becomes much greater for these guys to promote themselves than to work on creating, discovering, and presenting quality, interesting music.

I’m sure that many will disagree with the notions put forth here. They will point out that in this format the cream will rise to the top and the best acts that pay for their chance to reach the crowd at V-Live that Sunday will be able to begin to build their brands and work their way up the ladder of Chicago nightlife. Those people would be right, but the cream would rise to the top anyway. Why do we need to subject partygoers who are paying their hard-earned dollars to see what they hope to be a quality show to so much of the swill at the same time?

I have the utmost confidence in the overall integrity of the nightlife scene in Chicago and I’m sure that this one show is not going to signal anything as drastic as the end of quality nightlife in the city, but I thought I’d be remiss not to make some kind of comment and hopefully fuel some dialogue on the subject. If you agree or disagree with my views please don’t hesitate to drop in a comment. Different strokes and all that….

It’s been a hectic and interesting few months in my world but I’ve come out the other end with some fresh perspective on myself, on the local Chicago music scene, and the people involved in that scene. I also feel that I have a better understanding of how I fit into everything. It’s been humbling at times, but in the end I feel much more comfortable in my own skin at this point and I think it’s going to help me to be a better DJ and maybe even a better person in general.

As is often the case, these periods of self discovery I tend to go through lead to periods of silence on this blog. I hope to be posting with more frequency going forward since I believe that I’ve broken through some of the obstacles that have held me back from posting in the past (insecurities, ethical dilemmas, etc.).

One issue that I want to make clear to all my readers is that, while I have a strong affinity for physical media (vinyl records in particular), I am by no means a “vinyl purist”. I don’t go to clubs with DJs playing and think any less of those that are using some sort of vinyl emulation software (Serato, Traktor, Etc.) or any other combination of digital tools to play live. If someone rocks the party, they rock the party, regardless of what they use to do that. That being said, vinyl culture is a significant part of the DJ heritage and I think it’s just as relevant today as it was when pioneering DJs like Francis Grasso and David Mancuso were changing the face of nightlife. To me the act of searching through stacks of records trying to find those few plates that stand out to you gives one a greater appreciation of the music they attain and play. To quote DJ Shadow – “Digging isn’t going to make a bad DJ good, but it will make a good DJ better”.

So, enough about that. The bottom line is I like records and hope they will continue to be pressed but I’m also all about pushing things forward, and the internet and digital media has done a lot to help creative people whose voices would not otherwise been heard get their productions out to the masses. In the end it’s all about balance.

Finally, I’m not a technophile in any right, but I’ve taken some time this morning to figure out how to embed songs/mixes etc from Soundcloud in my posts. I love this feature because Soundcloud is a terrific forum that artists can make their songs available for people to listen to while maintaining some control over how the material is distributed. I’ll be using this method to draw attention to acts I’m into a lot going forward. To get started here are a few tracks I like. Follow the links to Soundcloud to learn more about the artists and hear more great stuff.

Greymatter – Raw Root (Klic Remix)

The Smiths – Barbarism Begins At Home (Tim Zawada Edit)

Plant Music’s The Glass will be bringing their forward thinking disco house sound to Chicago next week playing a live set at Stardust at Berlin. The Chicago Workgroup’s own Kid Color will be supporting along with Broken Disco 1980 of the Custom Vibes Crew. You can RSVP for this event, which goes down March 18th, on Facebook here.

Here are a couple of until now unblogged tracks from The Glass for those of you that are unfamiliar with the band.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The Glass – Superhero (Luke Solomon Dub) MP3

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The Glass – Superhero (Ursula 1000 Remix) MP3

One of the most exciting things about living in a major metropolitan area such as Chicago is to see how the culture of that area evolves, shifts, cycles, and recycles over time. History has shown us that no cultural movement ever truly dies. Instead, these movements or styles go underground, kept alive by those that truly loved that moment in time and were not simply following it as they would any other trend or fad. They hibernate, waiting for the next generation of taste-makers to find it appropriate to bring back elements of the past, while adding their own modern twist.

June 12th of 2009 marked the 30th anniversary of the famous (or infamous, depending on which side of the line you stood on) Disco Demolition, an uprising against Disco music and culture staged in our own Camiskey Park by local Disc Jockey Steve Dahl. Many believe that night struck a death blow to Disco, a movement which at the time was the prevailing influence on all aspects of pop culture from clothing styles to music to movies and television. Of course, Disco did not die, it merely went underground, it’s influence spawning a myriad of new sub-genres such as House, Techno, and Electro that went on to take on a whole new life of their own and drew in a whole new generation of music fans.

Now, over 30 years after Dahl’s war on Disco, we are seeing a new generation of local promoters, DJ’s and Producers embracing Disco, along with the classic house music that was directly influenced by it, and working to bring it back to the forefront of Chicago’s indie dance scene.

While the word “disco” has been showing up on promotional flyers quite a bit over the last few years, it is most often used more as a euphemism for a bawdy party rather than a descriptor of the music. Not so with this latest crop of party makers. Rather, they are taking the term at it’s most literal – and they are doing their homework, drawing on classic disco imagery in their promotional material and scouring the local used record stores for forgotten pieces of music from that era and resurrecting it on local dance floors either in it’s original state, or edited to add that modern twist.

As I was writing this post I got the idea to take a look at what the cultural climate was like in the 70s – the last time Disco truly was king – and what I read may give us an idea of why it makes sense that so many are finding this music appealing of late. During that time America was in the middle of a foreign war that many disagreed with and was polarizing the entire nation, there were 2 oil crises that made gas not only expensive, but difficult to come by, and the economy slipped into an extended recession. Sound familiar?

Whatever the reason, Disco is poised to make it’s presence felt in a big way in the coming months. If you think this trend is a good thing and want in, here are a few parties you will want to check out:

All Systems Go! @Smart Bar

SoSoDisco @Between Lounge

Trick Disco @Subterranean

Get Get Down @Berlin

WHATCKG? @Level

While I’m understandably biased toward All Systems Go! since it’s a CWG event I’m really looking forward to the next Trick Disco party with Mike Simonetti, the founder of the excellent Italians Do It Better label. Mike gave me permission to pass on a couple of edits off of his recent “I Love It When a Plan Comes Together” 12″. I have seen the B-52s track blogged before, but as far as I know this is the first time the Delta 5 edit has been available digitally. Hope you enjoy these tracks and hope to see you at the show!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The B-52s – “There’s A Lot Of Ruins (Mike Simonetti’s Version for Fred) MP3

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Delta 5 – Do You See What I See? (Mike Simonetti 1982 Edit) MP3.

The Chicago Workgroup is lining up the NYE festivities at Hard Rock Hotel’s Base Bar this year with Samone Roberts and Weaponry at the controls. This absolutely free party will run from 8PM to 2AM and includes a free champagne toast at Midnight. Other specials include 7oz Miller Lite Shorties along with a shot of Jaeger for $6, $5 Miller Lite/Corona/Modelo Especial/Blue Moon, $7 Ketel Cocktails, and $5 Nuvo Cocktails. Base Bar is located at the West End of The Hard Rock Hotel Lobby – 230 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago.

This is the first in a series of mixes I’m going to be posting on here to feature some of the music that’s been catching my ear. This mix is on the deep side and contains a number of Greg Wilson Edits – he’s been putting out a lot of great stuff recently. Enjoy.

Weap Loves Mix Vol. 1

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download Mix Here

Earlier this year I came across a 12″ called “Wanna Be Dancin” from an outfit called The Glass. The 12″ caught my eye due to the quality of the artists that contributed remixes (In Flagranti, Eli Escobar. and Nadastrom) and it certainly delivered the goods. Since then I’ve picked up a number of Plant Music’s 12″s and have yet to be disappointed by their output. The label recently sent me a copy of a track called Feelin’ by their new signing, Will Eastman. The full release, including remixes by Tittsworth, Nadastrom, Nakassis, & Dmerit is available at itunes. I’m also including a remix of Casxio’s “Seventeen” by The Glass. You can get the full release of this track at Beatport.

Keep an eye on Plant Music in 2010.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Will Eastman – Feelin’ MP3

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Casxio – Seventeen (The Glass Remix) MP3.

It’s been a while since I have posted to this blog, and I apologize about that to all the regular readers. It’s been an exciting couple of months in Chicago and I have great expectations for 2010. I’ve recently joined a collective of DJs and producers called The Chicago Workgroup that is working to bring Chicago some parties that are rooted in the fundamental sounds of classic house, disco, and techno. We’re taking inspiration from the robust dance scenes bubbling up around Europe and from forward thinking labels like DFA and Plant Music. Check out www.chicagoworkgroup.com for info on upcoming shows.

I have to admit that when I started this blog I really had no idea of the scope and influence that blog culture holds. As a DJ that was, and still is, buying most of my music on vinyl I hadn’t really taken the time to surf around the myriad blogs from around the world or to form any concrete opinions on the scene. I’ve now been up for almost 9 months and I’ve had a chance to wrap my mind around the blog phenomenon. After spending a lot of time on Hype Machine and a number of the blogs that are tracked there I’ve been pointed at some great music and read some terrific commentary that I believe has made me a better, more informed DJ. I have also heard and read some utter dross, but that is to be expected. I still feel that it is pretty limiting to use the internet as the only means to acquire music. That being said, I have some new (to me) music to drop on you.

I just came across this double 12″ of Duran Duran remixes from 1987. It’s amazing to me how fresh they sound, which is a bit of a statement about the current direction of dance music. I also am putting in a couple tracks from a double 12″ called Cosmic Excursions. Enjoy.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Duran Duran – Skin Trade (Parisian Mix) MP3

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Duran Duran – Vertigo (Do The Demolition) (Mantronix Mix) MP3

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Jo Jo – Mind Games (Original 12″ Vocal Mix) MP3

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Barrabas – Woman (Original 12″ version) MP3

Relax Tuesdays is really hitting it’s stride in the next 3 weeks with a slew of phenomenal guest DJs hitting the decks. This week we welcome 2 of Chicago’s most acclaimed up and coming acts in Kid Color (Yellow Fever) and OCD Automatic.

Specials for the night include the best $4 burgers you will ever find, $3 312 and High Life, and $5 JD, Jameson, and Jim Beam.

Award Winning Mixologist Zach Friedlander is joined by Top Chef alum Dale Levitski behind the bar. It just makes sense doesn’t it? See you there!

I’m going to be spinning Berlin tomorrow night with The Atari Ferrari and Ssion. There will be 8-Bit Pandemonium and Video Game Themeyness!! Plus Berlin Celeb Mixologist Andrew was born like 19 years ago, SWEET!