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The narrow and dimly lit Angels & Kings yet again played host to another DICK event. Despite the high priced tallboys and ironic Moon Man posted three shelves above the bar, VEOBA filled the place up. The crowd ran gamut, from hipsters to hip-hopsters, and shit was tight. Chicago’s own Animate Objects started things off. Their cool brand of jazz-infused, live band hip-hop set things straight; keeping ears alert and upright. The Chi-town band supplied enough soul to make one dude gush as he patted me on the back, “I could car less about DJs and all their music, but as an old white guy, this…this is stuff I can really get into.” Well said. Between live sets, DJ Reverend Kane spun until those in attendance were given a little tasty treat from Neon Strider Bitrate, the new project from Vyle and Eliot Lipp. Shutting things down with wall shattering synth-hop, the duo blazed through brand new material. Total and complete attitude, Vyle handled the mic with utter swagger while Lipp laid the twisted electro-knob backdrop. Can’t wait for their debut to drop, as they simply killed it. Expect it to hit hard soon. Jump down for a few pics from last week’s show coming by way of the Furrball. Or check out his entire album right here. Read More…

Great use of rudimentary technology. Photographer Justin Quinnell drank a bunch of soda and fashioned a number of pinhole cameras out of the remaining cans, resulting in a series of unusually beautiful photographs. The camera/can used for the one above was affixed to a telephone pole where it just chilled. Empty can with a 0.25mm aperture and a single sheet of photographic paper, just soaking up rays and moonlight for six months. Half a year of exposure time. Nuts. The arced layers created by the sun are amazing and orderly. A nice reminder that in this day of hi-tech gadgetry, something as uncomplicated as a pinhole camera is still able to garner attention. Jump down for a few more or find additional pinhole shots here. Read More…

The Furball was in rare form at Angels & Kings last Thursday night. Snappin’ pics left and right, he documented lively sets by a self-gratifying Ssssnake and an energetic The Streets on Fire; jouncing frontman and all. Picking up slack and filling in gaps, DJ Abducted and Big Once threw down some great spots in and around the live performances. Well played boys. As promised, here are the snapshots. Included is the last known photograph of DICK’s hamturkey. Damn you Crocodile Heftee.

Thanks to all who came out!

Here are a few loaded images pulled from photographer Ross McDonnell‘s series entitled, “Joyrider.” It’s a project that documents the lives of youths born and raised just outside of Dublin in the shadows of Ballymun’s tower blocks. Another brilliant example of social planning gone awry. Read More…

Last week’s PRETTY.TIGHT. was well, pretty tight. Good music, cheap beer, and a dollar at the door. What more could you ask for (well yeah, besides more money)?  Thanks to resident DJs Just Dessrts and NECROCOMICON, plus guests DJ DIZ, and Michael Serafini for providing the musical stylings. No thanks to the prima donnas who didn’t show up.

A few days shy of a week, you can check out pics from the evening over at EVERYONEISFAMOUS.com. Thanks again!

Based in Chicago and often mistaken for a physically fit Santa who has yet to grey, Patrick Fahrner is a startlingly furry young man. A photographer in his early twenties whose vodka fueled renditions of Hall & Oates can silence a crowd in seconds. His faithful take on “Rich Girl” will make women swoon and gentlemen applaud.

Back in mid-April I sat down with Fahrner and caught up over Micheladas at Big Star in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. We had just just gotten back from SXSW a few weeks earlier and while I originally intended to do a character piece on the young photog, the transcription proved rather colorful. Touching upon music and photography and the ever unfortunate/fortunate hand-boner, our conversation drifted further and further from intended focus the more booze we consumed. Interview starts on our second drink. Check out his work here, then jump down for my interview. Read More…

We were in sixth grade. We each had our own scuba mask and summer was consumed at the city pool. Long afternoons spent beneath the surface, wide-eyed with smiles spread ear to ear. Just a bunch of perverted 12 year olds in July of ’95, creepin all day every day.

“Under Water” is a photography collection by Jill Greenberg. Equal parts eerie and beautiful, you can find more of the synchronized swimmer series on her website.

Finally recovered from Tuesday night’s launch party, everyone at VEOBA is now able to look back fondly without feeling queasy at the mere mention of alcohol. Liquor specials can be a helluva thing. Check out the rest of the photowall/booth pics from the party over at everyoneisfamous. But do so whilst listening to the song below.

The Hood Internet – ‘The Xx Gon’ Give It To Ya”  (DMX vs. The xx)

Back in January, Chicago’s own The Hood Internet somehow heard the cohesive mashup potential between The xx‘s pensive “Intro” and DMX‘s “X Gon’ Give It To Ya”. Resulting in the UK group of wunderkind’s eerie spaghetti western guitars providing a haunting base for a Ruff Ryder’s unhinged rhymes. DMX is just so angry and The xx are just so sad. Cheer up guys, it’s the weekend.

Michael Williams over at A CONTINUOUS LEAN has started to amass quite the collection of Kodachrome images. Scouring flea markets and such, he’s started buying boxes of old slides from the 50s and 60s, then sending the film off to be developed and subsequently scanned. Resulting in highly detailed images with warm tones that hark back to simpler times. The modern digital camera can do a lot of tricks (hello deceiving myspace slut shots), though none capable of reproducing this grade of Americana. Read More…

Everyone’s favorite furry photog did it up at Beauty Bar. Stopping by the VEOBA offices he dropped off some choice pics from last night’s launch party. As promised, here’s a bunch of ‘em.  Big thanks to all those who came out and an especially big thanks to Jokers of the Scene, Acid Girls, Necrocomicon, and Just Desserts! Crazy times equal great memories. Jump down to see the full load. You’re welcome for the stickers.

And be sure to check out all the photobooth pics, retro salon chairs and all, coming courtesy of IshootRockstars.com here. Thanks again for a great time and we’ll see you soon! Read More…