Z-Trip: DJ Hero

What can I say except DJ Z-Trip tore the roof down at Congress theater and I had the honor of being there to witness it. Anyone who knows me well knows that I do not like Congress theater as a venue. Why? Long story that boils down to me getting robbed and beaten for stepping out of line at a Congress show. I mean, I'm over it now, but many months passed where I felt true hate towards the guy (who also was a member of the security team) who ravaged me. And I'm not a hater and never have been, so you know this affected in the worst possible way.

Anyway, the highlight of the night was my 2nd favorite DJ in the world, DJ Z-Trip throwing down on the decks. I had the greatest time! Even bought a Z-Trip T-shirt which I've been looking for everywhere.

It's Coming Through: EDM Raves Hook Up

For a few years now die hard electric dance music (EDM) fans have been subjected to some very good parties but also to some very poor parties. Have we forgotten that Chicago is the home of house music?

I'm not going to sit here and whine about the Chicago rave, edm scene. I'm going to give my readers a sneak preview of what's to come with Chicago (area) parties.

The Chicago party scene is broken and before we can fix it we need to identify how it broke in the first place. I like to call it returning to the basics. We have to remember that our economy has been horrible for the last few years. And yes, bad economies even affect Chicago's underground parties. However, just as if they were a Fortune 500 company, the promoters need to find ways to cut costs while still growing the amount of paying customers.

 Chicago-based Just Jay Media™ along with Research Solutions (now owned by JJM) funded a preliminary market research study, which identified three main goals for improvement of the Chicago Party scene:

 1. Customer base.  Promoters and production companies must expand their customer base using a more wide array of advertising techniques. (Fliers and Facebook is just the tip of the iceberg. Expansion is needed.)

2. Safety. If specific safety measures are followed and adhered to at every event, new customers will feel more at ease about attending these parties.

3. Neighborhood diplomacy. If a party venue is way out in Missouri in an unpopulated area, noise and people wandering would not be an issue. However, if the party is at a busy, north side warehouse, across the street from a school (for example), the production companies must take the intuitive to  notify the neighbors of the event and it's details (e.g., party will be loud between 12am and 2am; parking will be difficult during and before the party; security will be on the premises to make sure no laws are broken; etc).

                                       

Lollapalooza: Is it really worth it?

Every once and awhile I like to take one issue of a local newspaper, thoroughly read the article, and then offer my opinions/feedback/criticisms about that article. For this blog, I have chosen Saturday's Chicago Sun-times--my favorite newspaper.

The article that grabbed my attention was LOLLAPALOOZA sold out, but you can watch the show from home. For those of you who aren't familiar with LOLLAPALOOZA, it is a 3-day music festival in Grant Park. Each year they book different performers: last year the headliner was Lady Gaga; this year Eminem. 

Aside from the live stage, which would be where Eminem would perform, there's also an EDM (electronic dance music) stage. By now, after reading my blog for a month, you'd already be 99% sure of the stage I'll be at: EDM stage, of course. So I guess it comes down to Eminem versus Deadmou5e; and even though I lost a lot of respect from Eminem and Deadmouse is very unoriginal, I'm still going to be at that EDM stage all day--just to show my solidarity for electronic music.

As I said, the festival is sold out and this leads to every year people hopping the fences to sneak in without paying for tickets. I'm guilty myself, as one year me and my friends bought old wrist bands--which is your proof of payment--and had the tweek who should them to us tape them on our wrists with scotch tape.

"No way MAN! I am not sneaking in like this! We'll go to jail!" I said to my group.

But it was my only choice. If I wanted to watch the best music festival Chicago has to offer, I'd have to suck it up, grow up and pass through security with old, makeshift wristbands (with the scotch tape), and hope that the dude with the scannner that validates the authenticty of each wrsit is in on the scam. If not, we're off to jail. 

So I did it. Eventhough I was a nervous wreck, I closed my eyes and took the "blind faith" angle. As I approached the security office with the scanner, I was sure he was going to have me locked up. But it didn't happen that way. Security scanned the wristband, a little light on the scanner turned green, and I got in!

My freinds who took the other approach of scaling the perimeter, chain-link fances, weren't so lucky. They climbed to the top and began to climb down. As soon as their feet hit the ground...boom! Chicago police waiting with handcuffs in ready-mode.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that breaking the law to enter that festival is NOT worth it. Also, paying the hundreds of dollars for legit passes is only worth it if there are perfromers you really, really, really want to see.

This year, I'm going to pass on LOLLAPALOOZA.

More Complaints about CPS Teachers

It's days like today that I thank God I am not a Chicago Public School (CPS) teacher. The Chicago Sun-times ran a story yesterday about a personality test required before one is hired as a CPS teacher. Of course, the teachers claim the testing is unfair and that it has eliminated some very qualified applicants. One of those eliminated applicants was a woman who completed her graduate studies in special education at Michigan State University. The Sun-times described her as a "dream applicant," who was all but hired except for this entrance personality test.

I really don't see the problem here. When I completed my teaching degree in 2005 I lost count of the different tests we were required to take (and pass) in order to become full-time CPS teachers. If the CPS wants a prayer at competing with the rest of the nation for the top teachers, they're going to have to man-up and tackle any and all standards required by the Board of Education and district administrators. And if that means a prospective teacher must complete a paper and pencil assessment on the correct teaching methods, so be it. Second best is first loser!

I'm a Stigmatic

I hold many secrets. Some, I will never repeat. Others, it will take some time. But this one I'm ready to reveal.

While I didn't make the connection until later in life, I've always been the subject of stigmata. According to the modern dictionaries used by theology students, Stigmata can be described as follows:

In mysticism, marks on the body which are reputed to be re-productions of Christ's wounds. They involve varying degrees of intensity from faint red marks on the skin to actual bleeding wounds. The first well-known case is that of Francis of Assisi in 1224. (reference unknown)

I can describe stigmata a little better by relating some of my own experiences with the supernatural phenomenon. Recently, after moving back to the suburbs to live with my parents, I formed a crush on this girl. It's hard to describe what happened, but we always found ourselves in these random encounters. I don't even know her name, but I do know that she lives on my block and is ever so beautiful.

At this point in my life I was recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon and I was forced to do a lot of walking around my neighborhood, which wasn't easy. I mean, the intense pain in my Achilles...I can deal with; but all my hateful "neighbors," I can just say I didn't want to encounter them just as they didn't want to encounter me. That's where this girl (who I'll call Juliet) comes in. I gave her props; so much respect that she acknowledged me. We see each other randomly, we'd make eye contact and smile and say hello. Immature, boy meets girl stuff if you'd ask me.

After some weeks went by we were both stuck. "Juliette" has those parents who'd rather subject themselves to painful torture before letting us have a one-on-one conversation. That's when I crossed the line and disappointed God. I prayed to Him to give me the chance to see this girl under non-random circumstances, which was a mistake.

So I was out early on a Saturday morning, getting my exercise. I looked up at the sky and said: "Please let me see her now; please tell me which way." I continued to walk. I then saw my (and Juliette's) street. Just before I turned...Ouch!!! I stepped on something like a rock. The pain shot through the middle of my foot and just as I was about to take off me shoe to inspect the wound, Juliette comes driving down the street. Even though I was in pain, I waved and she waved back.

After a few days of reflection, I figured it out: my punishment for this sin was the rock I stepped on. This was one of a few stigmatic occurrences I've had this year. But the main lesson to me was: don't temp fate--God's plan--as He exists and is always watching.