Friday evening was a tour of Detroit's DIY art and design scene, including world class couture at Pure Detroit Design Lab, and a live audio/video performance by three members of what seems to be a building army of twenty-ish year old creative geniuses at Detroit by Design. It had all the feel of being at the birth of something remarkable, much like New York must have felt in the early 1980s. See my partner in crime's excellent new blog for a more detailed recap.

Feeling inspired and challenged by the 'next wave', we're off this afternoon to do some research for future art crimes at a miniature golf course (which ought to be quite a sight in itself...)

Announcing: Generator.x.

It's a new blog I've finally managed to get online. It serves as a knowledge base for a conference and exhibition on generative art and design that I'm organizing in Oslo, Norway this fall. The Generator.x blog will hopefully be of interest even to people who won't take this chance to visit beautiful Norway...

Favorite new web page: ryanelliott.net

Mr. Elliott plays records at OSLO tonight with Safety Scissors.
I guess I know where we're ending up...

We are pleasantly humbled and shown the true meaning of theatrical debauchery by the queens of all parties. Motherfucker NYC has just posted three pages of pics from their five year anniversay. (Click on 'images'.)

Wow. Talk about bad ideas executed superbly.

One more must-do in Detroit tonight:

A very special noisey video electropunk night at Detroit By Design.

featuring
STEVIE (UNDERGROUND ESKIMO RECORDINGS)
with special guests
RENTAL (GOLDEN KITSCH)
KELLY PINK-0 (GOD CLUB)

DbyD @ the Bankle Building, 2944 Woodward
doors at 10pm | free!

(Thanks for the reminder, David! The absent minded professor strikes again...)

NIN - The Hand That Feeds (DFA Remix)

One of my favorite professional resources: Skulls Unlimited

Hot on the heels of frontman Fred Thomas guest DJ-ing last night's excellent dance party, Saturday Looks Good to Me will be making their only local appearance all summer at the Magic Stick this Sunday night. Word has it that Betty Marie is suffering from tonsilits, but everyone at the Burnlab is praying for a speedy recovery. That, or we're going to give her a lot of hell if she doesn't get over it by Sunday. ;)
$10 | all ages | show starts promptly at 8pm (man, is that early...)

More fun in Detroit this weekend:



Our good friends at Pure Detroit Design Lab are hosting a little opening tonight, featuring new menswear by WOUND. Come check out the urban sandbox. Enjoy drinks, snacks, and wild party music, well-behaved models and the fashion lifestyle in the heart of Detroit's financial district. I will definitely be bringing cash...
reception 8pm-11pm | 156 W. Congress at Shelby, Detroit

I'm not usually the type to go see stand-up comedy, but may have to make an exception for the absurd and AMAZING Eugine Miriman tonight at the Magic Stick. I've watched Mr. Robot about one hundred times, and still fall on the floor crying laughing. God, I miss New York sometimes...
$10 | 18+ | 9pm

Saturday night, Detroit's best (only?) postpunk band inlieuof will be performing at Small's in Hamtramck. Apparently the new bass player has been practicing, and promises not to fuck up this time. Yeah, we'll see... ;)

Panico, Burgundy and Betty Marie present Love Bizarre this and every third Thursday at OSLO.

Tonight's very special guest DJs:
Fred Thomas (Saturday Looks Good to Me)
Marcie Bolen (Von Bondies)

1456 Woodward, Detroit
21+ | 10pm- | free!

Oh my. 142 more photos from Saturday's Dorkwave festivities.

Thanks, Sneak!

These Vintage Synth Trump cards are so great, I can hardly take it. This deck will aid in many a conversation held over old synth gear. I no longer have to ask, "How many Oscillators does an OB 8 have?" What a social god send. Or now, if your friends are gear whores but you are not, you no longer have to tune out of those long conversations about the finer points of analog synths.Thanks to Brian for the link.

About as good a simple night in suburbs can get: Driving up to 7-11 with the sun roof open and Yo La Tengo's Autumn Sweater on the radio to meet Burnlabbers/Dorkwavers Theakston and Servito for Slurpees, Cracker Jacks and cigarettes. Hangin' out in the parking lot on a summer night, shooting the breeze. Yeah. Sometimes pretending to be 16 is just as good.

Only, it's somehow even better to go home afterwards, mix up a cocktail with fresh squeezed juice and crank away on some serious design work. On that matter, below is a little-teenie in-progress sneak peek at the upcoming Chemlab remix album, which will feature, among esteemed others, our good friends Kill Memory Crash and Infinite Volume.

youve gotta love what people think of as signs of kids doing drugs these days:

Has your son ever been suspended, expelled, or truant from school?
* Has he had problems with the law?
* Are you worried that your son may not finish high school?
* Is his appearance or personal hygiene slipping?
* Does your son display violent behaviors?
* Is he manipulative or deceitful?
* Do you suspect that your son lies or is dishonest?
* Have you had money or valuables missing?
* Have you witnessed your son being high on drugs?

that last one seems to cut to the chase doesnt it. if you had "witnessed your son being high on drugs" would the others questions be all that necessary? (above points courtesy of msn)

by the way, love the photos the last l.i.t. party. i cherish the fact that they make me go between wishing i was there and being glad i wasnt (both meant in the best possible way, and who ever the girl in photo 127 is has an open invitation see me in barcelona anytime (except of course if she is in a loving relationship, in which case she is still welcome but shouldnt tell anybody about it) (note to editor: if i have made an idiot out of myself on that post please remove it with all due urgency)

193 ridiculous photos from the freakshow we like to call the Les Infants Terribles Summer Kick-Off Extravaganza.

Sadly (for Detroit,) The Wolf has moved his camera and his bad self to the city of lost angels. I am quite pleased however, that my partner in crime has picked up the official photographer duties.



Also see some of Ms. Shorb's extraordinary documentation of exploring Detroit's grand urban ruins.

the first time i heard ali g supposedly missuse the word "racialist" i thought it was hilarious but i am just rereading an amazing book CLOUDSPLITTER by a favorite author of mine which uses that word in an amazing account of the historical person john brown who was a controversial abolitionist (anti-slavery advocate)in the mid nineteenth century. 2 other amazing books by banks have been made into movies, atom egoyans " the sweet hereafter" and paul schraders "afliction". for my money banks is, story-wise, americas equivalent of mike leigh or ken loach.

i know this is not a gossip page but what the fuck is going on when on the same day we hear that michael jackson has been aquitted and katie holmes, almost 20 years junior to tom cruise, has converted to SCIENTOLOGY? excuse me, as i am living outside of the states, but is the u s of a not becoming more and more a parody of itself? thank (insert suitable figure, god or otherwise) for burnlab and dorkwave, two of few institutions which make nonsense of the "sense" being shoved down our throats

Wanted-

A Barcelona based photographer to shoot Jamie Lidell this weekend.

Spanish peeps, any recommendations?

hit muh: jglazer@urb.com

I watched Julie Taymor's Titus for the first time in years the other night... forgot what a truly remarkable film that is. This lead to two things:

1) Seriously considering basing my dress from here-on-out on Alan Cumming's wardorbe in that movie. Scorching Michigan summer be damned.

2) Mr. Cumming has the most fantabulicious personal website I've ever seen. Everything from photos of food the actor has eaten, to his various writings, to art collaborations with the likes of Robert Wilson, to musings on being a gawky, improbable sex symbol. So awesome.

this thursday
Sonar 2005 Opening Party
Sonar and adidas invite you to the festival launch party.
A special event reserved exclusively for those with festival accreditations – artists, professionals, press, sponsors, institutions and guests.


ROOM 1
23.00 Dj DIPLO (BIG DADA / US)
00.30 Dj CUT CHEMIST (WARNER / US)
02.00 live TTC (BIG DADA / FR)

visuals
NO-DOMAIN (VE)
MICROCHUNK (UK)


POP BAR
23.00 Dj NACHO MARCO (LOUDEAST/ ES)
01.00 Dj DJ T. (GET PHYSICAL / DE)


Thursday June 16
From 11pm to 3am
Razzmatazz 1: c/ Almogávares, 122
Entry with Sonar 2005 accreditation or invitation only.

in reference to mike´s last post, does anyone else remember kid rock showing up at detroit parties circa 1994 and people ridiculing him for thinking he was ever going to make it?? it is questionable whether he has actually "made it" but i love the idea of remembering people saying "that guy is kid rock, he thinks he is going to be famous one day."

i tell people here in barcelona that if i would only have had white trash parents when i grew up in detroit i could have been eminem.

Know whats better then working for two guys you've idolized since you were 15?

Nothing

Focus Media Presents: Aux 88's New Web Site

Many thanks to everyone who attended Saturday's edition of Les Infants Terribles, extra special thanks to Mr. Valenti for his [always] excellent work on the turntables, and to the rest of Team Dorkwave. It's a real treat to work with such an amazing group of people. Also, apologies for me bailing a little early. Heat exhaustion hit like a wall, and I had to make an quick exit before I passed out. Good times! Lastly, did anyone ever find out who showed up to our little party in a freakin' limo? I really hope it wasn't Kid Rock or Kwame Kilpatrick or something... that would be the death of cool...

For both the present and not-so-present, there are hundreds of bad photos from Saturday we'll be sorting through this week.

Next up: Team Dorkwave and Solvent, Thursday, June 30th at the Detroit TasteFest!

damn it all if this should not be amazing but i have a hard time with what i hear:
ROISIN MURPHY (singer of moloko) produced by matthew herbert...am i the only one a bit disappointed?

it is a bit of a slow read but the book DOWN and DIRTY PICTURES by peter biskind about the rise of miramax, sundance, and indie cinema is fascinating. the truth behind tarantino, soderbergh, solondz, labute, and smith, among others, is an eye-opening view into the reality of "independant" cinema.

i´m not ready but SONAR is upon us again. god help my liver.

Fette's Flog provides near-daily documentation of the LA art scene and more. Fantastic.

Thanks Fette!

A few pics from the Shades Optical opening reception last night in suburban Detroit:



The Blink interface (below) allows customers to easily capture their own image to compare different frames from different angles, and solves the problem of squinting at oneself in a mirror with uncorrected vision.





The flower graphics, designed by Eric Carlson, are composed of repeated silhouettes of sunglasses, and the sign, er... "giant red iPod" features a version of Blink to engage pedestrians.


[all photos by Doug Kohnen/o2 Creative Solutions]

All tomorrows autos

The CCS ID dept. shall hath revenge on us all.

re: big-wigs banning/censoring music

banned music : a project of downhill battle

Sweet site update:

"wabi is a design collective composed of seven creative individuals with foundations in the training and practice of architecture, film/video, photography, sculpture, engineering, graphic design and music production.
we bring our training and talents to fruition through the creation of media and events for our clients and for ourselves.
wabi is justin, alex, alan, jin, sean, tom and arv."

Shades Optical in Brimingham MI is having a little reception this evening. In addition to Mosley Tribes' new sunwear collection, there is a brand new in-store display by o2, featuring Blink, a proprietary Processing based image capture application. (I'll post some pics tomorrow.)

Shades Optical [new location]: 193 West Maple, Birmingham
reception: 6pm-10pm, 6/9/05

Wednesday (June 15) rojo celebrates four years of propping great artists.
Location: Sala Apolo (Nou de la Rambla 113) - 20.00 - 00.30.

Ljudbilden & Piloten +
live-visuals by Via Grafik +
Tsukimono
live-visuals by Actop +
Conduo Orchestra +
live-visuals by Boris Hoppek +

PRESENTING:


New Issue: ipon
Artists:
Cristina Bezanilla, Lisa Saalfeld, Catalina Estrada, Pancho Tolchinsky, Ivan Marti Vidal, Carolina Diaz, Dalek, Brienne Arrington, Nir Peled, Jean Pascal Zahn, Dieter Wiechmann, Andrea Cucchi, Bruno Savona, Nuno Valerio, Yuko Oda, Santiago Lombardi, Javier Tles, Vasava, Martin Albornoz, Alessio Nunzi, Martin Bochicchio, Fabrizio Contarino, Sara Hunsucker, Igor Bastidas, Elsa Bono, LKSIR, Yomar Augusto, Lolo, Aya Kato.


DVD presentation: dagens bilaga
Featuring new audiovisual works by:
D-fuse, Carolina Melis, Transforma, Zeitguised, Crankbunny, Wagoer, Ekumen, Lycette bros, Jewboy Corporation, Gregori Saavedra, Sascha Pohflepp, Boris Hoppek, Qian Qian, Bowling Club?, Via Grafik, Actop, Glaznost, 310k.


CD compilation: tachen - CD comp. by NOSORDO
Audio tracks by:
Kristine Barrett, Tuk, Det Svenska Folket, Osso Bucco, Ljudbilden & Piloten, Conduo Orchestra, DJ Rupture, Son of Clay, Tsukimono, Kama Aina, Luis Maurette, Cineplexx, Henrik Rylander, The Idealist, Gros.
Cover artwork by: Boris Hoppek.

Brooklyn-based Mobius Band bring their distinct and dreamy electro-shoegazer sound to The Shelter in Detroit this evening, along with [Steve Albini produced] quartet Electrelane.
431 E. Congress | $10 | doors 7pm | all ages

Check Mobius Band's nicely done website for more tour dates, info and MP3 clips.

Spent the last 24 hours in Chicago attending the funeral of a good friend.

She may be gone, but she left us a place that I think everyone here would enjoy.

RIP Alicia

I thought we had the sexiest flyer this month, but Enabler + Crucial Get Down puts up some serious competition. I'm seeing Servito and Cowboy Mark in some kind of twisted 'model-off' or something...

Roll up piano.
Way cool.

[thanks Stuart!]

New Wonka trailer.

Casey Spooner muses about Odyssey, uptight indie rockers, DFA, The Soft Pink truth and other miscellany in this latest Pitchfork media interview.

Behind the scenes at the latest Dorkrave photoshoot: This is how we do pool parties in Detroit - note pending thunderstorm of death.

(Bethany was on the other side of the camera... for once.)

MUSIC NON STOP

97 photos from Friday's Kraftwerk show courtesy of Sneak. Seeing both Kraftwerk and Underground Resistance perform live in the same week was religious to say the least, and the boys hanging out at OSLO after the show was utterly priceless. Thank you.

Espai Pupu presents:

Customize Me

June 27 at 20h
at FAD and DAF (Plza. dels Angels 5 - 6)
Barcelona

Artists:

More Dorkraving...

2005 Detroit TasteFest music line-up announced. Thursday night at the Pure Detroit Stage is the place to be:

Thursday, June 30th

6:00pm
Lee Marvin Computer Arm
Six guys who listen to too much 70's rock create a cacophony of musical chaos every time they play. Witness the RAWK for yourself as they assault the Pure Detroit Stage.

6:30pm
Team Dorkwave
These five dork DJs are known to sample the more fun styles of music from the past and present. Join them and their eclectic crowd, dabble in some debauchery, and experience the collaboration of Mike Doyle, Rob Theakston, Jon Ozias, Mike Servito, and Allen Goodman.

8:30pm
Solvent (Ghostly/Suction)
A synth-pop composer from Toronto, the one-man-and-machine artist brings electropop music to the masses. He successfully blends vintage techno-pop into modern techno.

Rejuvinated, planets re-alligned, record collections purged of dusty old standards and re-stocked with fresh produce, Team Dorkwave is back to deliver your monthly dose of fun and madness.

Les Infants Terribles Summer Kick-Off Extravaganza

record selections and antics by Team Dorkwave
and very special guest Sam Valenti IV (Ghostly International)

Saturday, June 11 2005

Corktown Tavern
1716 Michigan Ave., Detroit MI
18 | 10pm - ? | FREE!

Same place, same time, same great price, same dorks, same no-pretense down-and-dirty dance party for the people.

Click here for a high resolution mini-poster of the flyer (suitable for framing.)

Just left the excellent Territoires Electronique festival in Aix-en-Provence, France. Some top-notch visuals people were there, worth checking out: Niko Stumpo, Pfadfinderei (whose DVD LabLand must be seen), Steffi & Steffi, Kinga and Francois Chalet. Visuals curated by the Dalbin label, are there labels like this in the US now?

I did a live visuals set for Francois K and showed a 4-screen projection piece: ElectroPlastique 1.

This post comes to you from the Holiday Inn in Hattiesburg, MS.

Dorkwave returneth this Saturday at Corktown.
Flyer later today.

What Sound Does a Color Make?

Eyebeam is pleased to present the premiere of What Sound Does a Color Make?, featuring contemporary and historical works by an internationally diverse group of artists who manipulate sound with image and image with sound. Curated by Kathleen Forde and organized by ICI, What Sound Does a Color Make? includes artists who likewise use technology to inspire a renewed consciousness of highly un-technological experiences — physicality, human cognition, and perception.

via: Neural.it

Posting cause, you know youve tried, at least once, in vein, and you so wish you could do it.

At least I do....

Hit That Jit

Following tonight's Kraftwerk show in Detroit, inlieuof will be performing live at the State Bar (adjacent to the State Theater.) One of my absolute favorite Detroit area bands, inlieuof have managed to keep at arm's length form the Motor City's often incestuous rock'n'roll and electronic scenes, carving out a unique voice through finely crafted pop music that combines stripped-down drums and 'hooky' bass lines (pun intended) akin to Manchester circa 1981, elegantly tweaked-out electronic treatments, dreamy layers of guitars, and lyrics that would surely get the goth seal of approval from both Nick Cave and Peter Murphy, delivered with a sense of highly controlled intensity and sincerity by front-man Sean Lynch (who, we are told, is a funeral director by day.)

inlieuof will also be performing Saturday night at 555 Gallery in Detroit, and Sunday night at Double Olive in Gross Pointe MI. See above link for details.

edit: After Kraftwerk, and after inlieuof, our very own Mike Servito will be playing records that go bleep at OSLO, just down the street. A fine night ahead...

June 3rd is national make your fat ass even fatter day.

Diller Scofidio + Renfro's largest built work to date, the new ICA Boston is shaping up.

The best one man live band since Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins.