Chicago hot dog (Hot Doug's) | Canon A80
It seems like just yesterday that I visited Chicago for the first time, but, in actuality, it was six years ago this May, a trip that coincided with the fifth Horizontal Action Blackout. I’ve been fortunate to return to the Windy City at least once a year since, and will be back this weekend for the newly revived music fest, no doubt amped after a five-year break. Among the great bands playing are Nervous Eaters, the Spits, Tutu & the Pirates (Chicago’s first punk band), and a slew of HoZac hitmakers, including Mickey, Nobunny, Eric & the Happy Thoughts, Outer Minds, and Timmy’s Organism.
C has done a stellar job chronicling all of the past Blackouts, and will be showcasing some of his work at the Blackout Art Show on Thursday along with other talented folks such as Nathan Jerde (of the Ponys), Tim Lampinen (of Clone Defects, Human Eye, Timmy’s Organism), and Mark McKenzie (of Mickey, Functional Blackouts). My photos from the two Blackouts I went to were pretty awful, but they brought back memories of my little Canon A80’s painfully long shutter lag and the multiple flash explosions that saved a couple of my shots. Much as I miss the near-weightlessness of the Canon A80, I don’t think I can ever go back to a point-and-shoot—not even one with manual functions—at least when it comes to shooting live music. The Digital Rebel was a wonderful introduction to digital SLRs.
Final Solutions, Blackout 2005 | Canon A80
Demons Claws, Blackout 2006 | Canon Digital Rebel XT, 18mm, 2sec, f11, ISO 400
Here’s a random shot of the crowd entranced by Dead Moon. The bespectacled boy is Jeffrey Novak of Cheap Time; I didn’t know him at the time, and was surprised I recognized him. Also in the shot, to his right, is the singer/guitarist of the Mean Jeans, who was performing as rap artist C-Rex at the time—he looks exactly the same!
Blackout crowd 2006 | Canon Digital Rebel XT, 18mm, 1.6sec, f11, ISO 400
By the way, I really hope the Nervous Eaters play “Get Stuffed.”
Because it’s something I like to do sometimes.
(FYI: Here‘s the update.)
Chocolate peanut butter cupcake (Bake.) | Canon 5D, 105mm, 1/60, f4, ISO 100
Sky-high dessert (John Hancock). By Canderson
MESSIN AROUND 