Can a music genre have a birthday? The people of Detroit sure think so, as this year they will mark the 25th anniversary of the world-renowned techno sound, with celebrations planned around the globe from 2010 through 2011. Chicago DJ Lady D, inspired by the connection of Detroit Techno and Chicago, House, has put together an art and music series, D3, to celebrate techno in 2010. D3, championed by the D’Lectable Music label, promoter Volatl and artist collective Prak-sis, will reflect the history, esteem and future of the Detroit techno sound. Smart Bar will exclusively host this quarterly series with events in March, June, October and December of 2010.
Kicking off the series on March 12, D3 will feature music from DJs Stacey Pullen, DJ Lady D, Max Jacobson, Max Loomis (aka Joint Effort) and DJ Jay Cho. Art curated by the Prak-sis artists collective will adorn Smart Bar, reflecting the multimedia intersection of music and art. Tickets will go on sale Saturday February 13 and are $15. This event is 21 & over and starts at
8pm.
An innovator from the Second Wave of Detroit techno, Stacey Pullen grew up under the mentorship of Detroit's legendary three: Derrick May, Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson. Still continuing to produce his characteristic atmosphere laden electronic sound, Stacey Pullen compounds his reputation as a producer with that of being one of the world's most in demand DJs, playing weekly across the globe year in, year out. With a font of passion for music
and performance that never dries up, Stacey Pullen still plays every gig from the heart seeking to surprise and engage, to provide an unforgettable experience, to offer up his unique catalogue without predictability -defying expectation. Above all, from his earliest attempts to the current day Stacey Pullen has stayed true to his one goal: to become and to always be an Innovator. From the age of 9, playing flute in his school band, Stacey has always been playing musical instruments. Around 1985, while Stacey was
still drumming & traveling with his high school band, the Detroit Techno movement was born, and provided a revolutionary sound to the youth of Detroit. The Electrifying Mojo filled the airwaves with this radicalism through new electronic rhythms, and showed a generation or more of musicians and DJs what true musical eclecticism means. The youth of Detroit, including Stacey, were listening and learning. Moving from instruments to turntables in college, Stacey soon began DJing and producing tracks, then moved on to remixing. A year in Amsterdam honed his skills as both a student of live DJing and a teacher of the electronic sounds of Detroit techno, and since the early 90s he has commuted from Detroit to Europe, Asia, Australia or elsewhere in the U.S. to play live. He also started his own label, Black Flag, which released many records in the last decade. Stacey's reputation as a DJ became as much of a draw card as his reputation as a producer, and he became renowned for long, experimental, adventurous and soulful journeys through music that lasted at least 5 hours. The last several years have seen Stacey continuing to be on the road, bringing Detroit techno sounds around the globe nearly every weekend.
Known widely as Chicago's Queen of House Music, Darlene Jackson aka Lady D has been rocking dance floors nationally and internationally since 1995. Influenced by legends and encouraged by House veterans, the Chicago House scene would be incomplete without Lady D. She made her name in the mid 90’s for being one of the first women DJ’s on the underground house scene in
Chicago and grew to become one of the most respected industry players who continues to emerge from the Chicago House 3rd wave following in the step of Derrick Carter, Diz, Sneak and Gene Farris among others. DJ Lady D is not limited by any preconceived notion of House—her sets drift seamlessly into territories other’s fear to tread. She moves playfully from tracks to vocals, from Boompty to Electro to jackin’ Tech House and back with finesse.
Lady D has a unique way of not only making the mix sound good but also making these seemingly distinct genres feel like they actually belong together. She has played such places as Russia, Germany, Mexico, Canada, Thailand and extensively across the USA. Lady D marries the classic house tracks of Chicago's past with the choicest four-to-the-floor stomps of today, and always throws down a soulful and sinful set. Recognized for her top-notch A&R, production and remixing talents as owner of D'lectable Music, Lady D is a tastemaker known for releasing some of the hottest records in House music over the past few years. Her abilities include production and remixing and she has collaborated with Ron Carroll, Demarkus Lewis, Common Factor and Mark Grant.
Max Jacobson was born and raised in the Metro Detroit area and around the ripe age of 17 he attended his first Detroit Electronic Music Festival. It was at this festival where he attended an afterhours party and got exposed to techno thanks to the early morning sounds of Dan Bell and Richie Hawtin. He was overwhelmed with these raw organic sounds he heard and he started to DJ a year later. After four months of djing he started a local night at bar in his college town. Being a creative person, Max sold his decks and began to focus on production a year after he started DJing. He relocated to Chicago in 2007 and started diving deeper and deeper into the realms of music production and creation. His sound can be characterized as a mixture
of deep tech house and techno. Recently he has started to play live/dj sets that encompass tracks by other artists and as well as his own loops over these tracks creating a unique and diverse sound that can range from deep Chicago house to raw modern techno. The 22 year old currently attends art school in Chicago where he studies music. Be on the look out for his releases coming out on Klectik and other labels as well as live performances.
Max Loomis is one half of Joint Effort, a production partnership with DJ Lady D. Their production of "Durty Thang" with Bear Who? on vocals was signed to Open Bar Music (NYC) and is now available. The tech heavy production is rich on bass with a good helping of acid and ready for peak hour dance floors. Bear Who? provides his signature vocals that get the party hyped, just as he did for his best seller, "Fix My Sink".
In addition to DJs, the [prak-sis] artists’ collective has curated multimedia art. DJ Jay Cho, a South Korean sound artist will kick off the night of music. Video artists Doug Fogelson, Terry Dixon, Galina Shevchenko, Spencer Hutchinson, Dain Oh and Raychel Winterton will present various works of film and video media. Photographer Tse Xiao Guang. Kelsey L. Connett will provide a fashion performance, and Shelly Johnson, aka Ruin, will perform a live painting experience inspired by the music as it is played. [prak-sis] blogs about art, music and D3 at:
http://D3N3D.wordpress.com<http://d3n3d.wordpress.com/>.
[prak-sis] caa has organized their art shows in empty commercial stores, bars and clubs with the belief that art is an important part of one’s life experience. [prak-sis] aims to alleviate the emotional effects of economic crises’ while adding to not only the diversity but also the depth of the city culture.
Kiwon Choi creates live art experiences in various places and thinks the club is a very obvious performance set, without most of the attendants’ awareness. When people go clubbing they plan their night along considerations of time, space or setting and the DJ. They choose their outfit to express their character and move their body to the music. They try to find ways to express their interests other than verbal language in the set, like other art performances.
Hosting an art show for D3 at Smart Bar will have a significant impact on both artists and viewers.
Artists will challenge their role as entertainer. The experience will give artists an opportunity not only to expose their works in a non-gallery space but also to break any prejudice to it and create new works from the infinite inspiration between music, art and audience.
The guests will experience how art can elevate excitement and encourage an open mind to exchange their ideas. The biggest wish is that the guests enjoy the inspiration which evokes a change in the scene of their “art work” by being spontaneous and active.
Kiwon Choi
Artist list
DJ Jay Cho
born in Seoul, South Korea, currently studying at SAIC focuses on Sound.
www.soundcloud.com/jaycho
Video
Special guest: Doug Fogelson
Born in 1970, Chicago. Fogelson studied at Columbia College and SAIC, receiving his MFA in 1994. He has been recognized by numerous publication including Art News, Focus, and Photo District News, and his work is included in prominent museum, corporate, and private collections.
www.Dougfogelson.com
Terry Dixon
Terry Dixon is an interdisciplinary artist born in Washington DC. Terry composes new art perspectives by integrating art and technology through various visual techniques including painting, photography, computer art, video, and electronic music. In the mid 90’s he completed his MFA in art and technology at SAIC.
www.artistterry.com
Galina Shevchenko
Born in Moscow, Chicago based multi media artist, videographer, and animator Shevchenko loves to combine visual elements with archetypal and cultural icons creating exquisite combinations of high and pop, classical and post modern artwork. Her video work took second prize at the Media Art Lab segment of Moscow International Film Festival and has been shown in Berlin at Director’s Lounge Video Festival, in New York at Red Shift Festival and in Chicago at the Motion Graphic Festival.
www.psymbolic.com/unlock.html?key=/artist/galina_shevchenko
Spencer Hutchison
Born in Knoxville in 1984, Hutchison has been producing digital/new media works, primarily sound and video, under the moniker ersatz modem since 2003 while attending Indiana University. The most constant conceptual themes of his work have been exploring ‘alternative tangents to modern art movements and their canons’ through the use of digital technology as well as the pursuit of ‘ideal abstraction vis a vis sound’. Spencer received his BFA from SAIC in 2009; emphasis in Sound, New media and painting.
www.spencerhutchison.com
www.youtube.com/user/nihon0019
cargocollective.com/unitedindustries
soundcloud.com/ersatz-modem
Dain Oh
Oh was born in 1988, and has lived between Seoul, Moscow, Dubai and Chicago. Currently studying at SAIC with an emphasis on film, video and new media, she uses the Internet and magic to make art and is the co-founder of curatorial duo “It Takes Two to Stereo”.
www.dainoh.com
Raychel Winterton
Born in California in 1988, Winterton is currently studying at SAIC with an emphasis on Film, Video and New Media. She is called a “total video kid” on an important mission through space. She also goes by name of Waychill and/or Raychill.
www.youtube.com/user/RaychillnVideos
Photography
Tse Xiao Guang
Born in Guangzhou, China in 1982; immigrated to US with family at the age 11 fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, Guang attended the University of Missouri from 2001-2006, emphasizing drawing and photography.
Fashion Performance
Special guest
Carron Little
Kelsey L. Connett
Connett grew up in a small town in Southern Illinois near St. Louis. She attended Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and received her degree in Textile design. That particular program has given her a rich background in several mediums such as surface design, weaving, paper making, book binding, metal smithing, ceramic and sculpture, all of which are incorporated into her Deconstructed Clothing style.
www.insignificantdifferences.com
Live Art
Shelly Johnson aka Ruin
Johnson is a live visual artist who creates paintings in a live environment for audiences. Having performed his live works at venues all over Chicago, Johnson creates to the beats using movement and sound as inspiration to direct energy into his canvases.
For media access, interviews, hi-res photos or other info, please contact
Jenny Lizak at 773-549-4140 ext 212 or
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Friday, March 12:
In Smart Bar... D'Lectable Music, Volatl and [prak-sis] present…
D3- DECONSTRUCT DISCOVER DETROIT- Art and Music Series Kick Off!
DJs STACEY PULLEN (Black Flag Rec.) * DJ LADY D * MAX JACOBSON * MAX LOOMIS
aka JOINT EFFORT * DJ JAY CHO * featuring art by the [prak-sis] artists
collective
$15 (bottle service reservations $250 for a table of 4-6; includes
admission, subsequent bottles priced $175) / 21 & Over / Doors: 8PM / Show:
8PM / Style: Techno, House
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT:
Metro/Smart Bar Box Office in the Official Metro Store (no service fee)
Smart Bar website www.smartbarchicago.com
<http://www.smartbarchicago.com>