Writing and Editing by Fiza Javid Photography by Fiza Javid & Tony P (Insta @ tonypphotos) Friday June 23rd - Sat June 24th Grant Park - Chicago Zedd. Zara. Practice Candy. Drama. Drag. So much electricity in this incredible atmosphere. This will overall consolidate the two days into the single most spectacular success of a celebration this was. Friday kicked off the start of this year's largest midwest pride festival at Pride in the Park 2023. The weather was absolute perfection and the sense to walk into Grant Park with pride in a post Roe v. Wade world became all the more necessary. As sections of the country bans books, gets rid of gender affirming healthcare, even fathoms a "Don't Say Gay" bill, among other restrictions being placed on life saving reproductive healthcare, we are reminded of why its important to not only be proud, but to be loud about it. Pride has never just been about rainbows and glitter. Pride, while it demands attention is also a demand for acceptance. Circuit Mom stated it perfectly when she said "we need our allies more than ever, because the news is getting a little scary!" Then there were the superstars of the festival. All the incredible drag performers: Sheeza Woman, Utica Queen, Kenya J Sanchez, Boy J, Angelíca Grace, Miss Toto on the Red Bull turntable, Platinum Carrington, XO Carrington, Enza, Irregular Girl and all the incredible backup dancers who brought all the drama with their phenomenal energy. There was a sense of fearlessness electrifying the audience with all their gorgeous looks and the attitudes to match. Zara Larsson was a genuine A-list popstar who made dancing and singing look entirely effortless. She is a natural. She wow'd the crowd with "Ruin My Life" and "Can't Tame Her," winding through each rhythm and posing for the camera with each movement. Through the DJs playing Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears and Charli XCX, it was fitting to have Zara follow the vibe created by these popstars in the mix of the music circulating the entire festival. It would be impossible to perfectly highlight each drag performer in this article, however, I need to shine a 10/10 sign to Utica Queen, Angelíca Grace and the rest of the above mentioned performers for their level of dedication. Utica was adorned in jewels as she came out in a maleficent inspired gem head piece with a backdrop screen with occasional fire displays. This definitely was a playful way to satirize the ways in which Sam Smith and Lil Nas X have both been likened to the devil for simply expressing themselves openly and beautifully. To wear devil horns with gems is definitely a way of saying "look you can either be scared of me or you can see that the fear is silly. I am beautiful and WORTHY of acceptance." Utica Queen managed to say all that with her performance, and it can be equally equated to Angelica. The level of power exhibited through Angelica's performance was unbeatable. With every split and facial expression, she had an in-your-face punch with every feminine expression. It was so powerful to watch and scream along in support for. The music carried through with Zedd, who always managed to sample and references to effortlessly. From his Squid Game backdrop and his infectious smile over the audience as he performed "Stay the Night," "Clarity," and "Break Free," he truly became the reason this crowd was able to let loose. As he performed, many fans created their own light shows while one man walked around with a gigantic "You Are Beautiful" pride flag that flew over a crowd like the genuine reminder it was. Lila Star Escada was truly epic by all degrees. She came out with a school teacher outfit telling a story to the "children" of the audience, as we were guided by the track of her reading a story to the class. This outfit was slowly stripped away as her hair unraveled into a rope and a star adorned body suit. I must note, the "Lil Kim" inspired photoshoot that was wheeled in with her face was iconic. She also showcased true theatrics and it was hands down one of the major highlights of day two. Years & Years truly showcased his truly vocal abilities. Along with his backup singers, while their dance moves were subtle, it was obvious it is due to their abilities to carry a finely trained voice without any sense of auto tuning whatsoever. His highlights included "Muscle" and "Sanctify" which carried so much weight and testament to his ability. It was nice to look over to see tears in the eyes of the audience members. Finally, the one and only Saweetie gave a short and adrenaline filled moment on stage. Perhaps it felt short as it was so exciting. From "Tap In" to "Best Friend" and "My Type" there was half a crowd screaming along to the point of nearly fainting (I'm serious, there were lots of people in deep shock), and the other half in a twerking frenzy. So much jiggle, so little time, as the pyrotechnics shined over her body suit adorned with crystal beads. From the very beginning to the end of that set, she and her backup dancers gave non stop energy and delivered the groundbreaking finale this festival deserved for 2023. Overall, it was one to truly remember and be loud and proud of. Excited to carry on this pride into Sunday's parade. Until next year! Fiza Javid - JBTV Music Television Pride in the Park, JBTV Music Television, Zara Larsson, Circuit Mom, Zedd, Saweetie, Chicago, Live Music, Fiza Javid, Tony P
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Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid United Center Chicago Saturday - June 6, 2023 Magical: "Beautiful and delightful in such a way as to seem to be removed from everyday life". Mystical: " Inspiring a sense of spiritual mystery, awe, and fascination". Mythical: Can get tricky. However: "Based on or described in a myth as contrasted with history" Or better yet, "existing only in the imagination, fictitious, imaginary". The three M's. And notice how some Cure titles permeate the three M's. So it goes without saying that when you don't tour for a bit, make the announcement that you're planning a major tour, and that new songs are ready willing and able to come out of hiding, after years of being on the down low- well, the mythical can easily take precedence. And with a band like The Cure, that's so easy to dive into that wormhole. If you love and adore a band that much, you rely on your memories, your dreams. Things can easily expand that way, all well and good. Whole different story when you want to be present, and witness them yet again, and capture the magic. And as the tour builds, starting back in New Orleans on May 10th, but really long before that from last year- Chicago being towards the end with them heading east, ending on July 1st in Miami- it becomes apparent that they've expanded their setlist throughout, and have been long enough together as of now to blend together as one- Just the way Robert likes it. You notice, because Robert is smiling lots, feeling the beautiful blend of all things "Cure related" musically, emotionally. And the United Center crowd- full display rapturous. And with the surprise return of guitarist and keyboardist Perry Bamonte, who last played with the band during "Wish", and specifically the gorgeous song "Trust". Although not in the setlist, but still, the quality of that song and others like it- ever evident throughout their long 31 song set, with all things ending around 11:40pm cst. Two long encores- not one or two songs, then wave goodbye. No no no - try the first encore- "Disintegration" "Plainsong" related- along with others. The second encore- even bigger and bolder. Try ten songs, even with the surprising "Why Can't I Be You"- all high notes of "Whyyyyy!" easily matched, with the crowd in utter delight. Sprinkled with "Lullaby" and "The Walk". Love that album "Japanese Whispers", swinging post punk style. That album was on repeat- LOTS, back in the day. And of course "Inbetween Days" and "Just Like Heaven", and of course "Boys Don't Cry", and "Killing an Arab". The kinda setlist you just don't want to end. And beautifully done, without much fanfare: Nice and nonchalant vertical LED screens along the backdrop, cool and moody lighting throughout, and then of course the band, all basically front and center, and somewhat close, not far apart. That in my opinion, is important to note. There's not much need for fanfare, and K Mart- ish bells and whistles to shock and awe. Music takes precedent. Above all else. Camaraderie is of the utmost- between everyone. In this day and age, when attention spans can be somewhat limited, and excitement and blasts of visuals seem to be the order of the day- The Cure, are the exact opposite of that. Their music speaks volumes- their entire catalog. Not many bands can say that. The Cure can. Even the new songs, right off the bat with "Alone"..such beautiful sadness, and melancholy. Or "A Fragile Thing". How they started there, with emphasis on gentle, also speaks volumes. Mixing the pot of Cure related sweetness and melody. Wow. Such a splendid and easy going vibe, nothing rushed, even from the pit while photographing. No need for any angst whatsoever. No pushing and shoving. Let it all flow, like The Cure onstage in front of you. Even into song five- "Like Cockatoos". Didn't see that coming, from "Kiss Me Kiss Kiss Me", again, one of my favorite albums from them, and even to this very day, an album worth revisiting, over and over. But "Like Cockatoos" has a mystical blend of seductive goodness, with a simple melody that's so downright hummable, and intoxicating. And the audience- multi generational across the board. Families. Lots of 'em, along with the diehards. Along with Robert, the Cure's other constant- Simon Gallup. Don't ever underestimate the importance of this guy. He brings the energy, sure. He molds and melds. And it's not deliberate. It's all emotion, all for the love of the band, and propelling forward. They all have their roles to play, they all have their distinctive take on the songs being played and presented, with nothing hurried, nothing pushed to extremes. Consolidated and make good of, that's the order of the day. And also with Reeves Gabrels onboard, this just adds more beauty, elevates the overall mood of things, and beefs up the sound. Another point that should not go unnoticed. So yes, there's mournfulness portrayed throughout, but that it's done so exquisitely, so honestly, just touches the heart, that you know, when paying attention, witnessing the evidence and facts in front of you- that we're delicate human beings if we want to be. We have choices, even when comprehending loss, and that our time on this mortal coil is rather limited. Do your best to make use of it. Robert Smith, his songwriting of past, and more so of late, packs a payload of hurt. A lot of it personal, a lot of it family related. But to convey all of that pain in such beauty, and with such honesty emphasizes to me yet again that Robert knows how to write with lots to say, lots to convey, without being pushy, without bludgeoning with angst. This is why their show at the United Center, this tour in particular, will remain ingrained in my head forever- the gentleness of it all, embracing reckonings of all kinds with despair, and done so from the heart. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago The Cure, Robert Smith, Simon Gallup, Reeves Gabrels, Perry Bamonte, Roger O' Donnell, Jason Cooper, JBTV Music Television, Fiza Javid, BobbyTalamineClick To Add TextWriting and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid Riviera Theatre Chicago Tuesday 6/6/23 Love and Rockets baby. Daniel Ash- All sorts of guitars, vocals, and all around cool vibe, with a wicked and striking fashion presence. David J Haskins- bass guitar, and also vocal, followed by a debonair and elegant fashion sense, as well, and also a cool vibe. Kevin Haskins- All sorts of drums, and also synthesizers- (also perfect timing on samples), and a simple, yet elegant vibe as well. May look simple on paper, but when up close and personal, from the front stage pit for a bit, and you see the layout of the stage, and floor plan, and you then see lights go down, and the show is about to begin...some moments are memorable, sure, and then some are downright fantastic and F'ing way way more memorable, to the point of- "The show's already over?" Like - fast. It's hard to really define and describe the importance and coolness of all this, without kind of getting lost in the weeds. But age be damned, I guess is first and foremost. Some rockers look tired, aged to the point of mummification. Some rockers look beaten down, after years and years of hard living. And then some rockers look so cool, so clean, so elegant, where they can (and will) be cool into their eighties. Bryan Ferry is one. If David Bowie was still alive, he'd be another. I put Daniel, David and Kevin in this camp as well. It has a lot to do with the songs. They are mysterious. They are at times dark, at times psychedelic freakouts. They are at times acoustic jams followed by sexy electric. Go ahead, fill in the blank of whichever song fits the mold, because there's lots and lots of them. And the beauty of it all, Love and Rockets style- nothing is dumbed down. Nothing is dialed in. It's all thought out, thought out to the point of cosmic wisdom. And sexy. This show, with a stop at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago, was just so damn sexy. The setlist- hasn't changed since Cruel World a couple weeks back. And there's nothing wrong with that. Not that these guys couldn't surprise and tweak- they're definitely capable. No need though. Immerse yourself in the setlist, and explore. Explore some more, while on the road. Let's make this work. Let's mold and meld, this established setlist of eighteen songs. Opening with "I Feel Speed". Followed by "No Big Deal". And then "Kundalini Express". Then into "The Dog- End of a Day Gone By". By now, you should get the gist. This is wicked pop music, for lack of a better term. And these songs aren't boring. They're well thought out, molding genres with serious backbeats depending on mood, courtesy of Kevin Haskins. That's the juice, in my opinion. You make this work with a solid drummer- a drummer who knows sexy beats, then the rest of the band can add to the sexy as well. All of this show, and from what I've read leading up to their show at the Riviera- they still sound so vital. They still sound vital and important and meaningful. What an enjoyable grab bag of songs to pick and choose from- with more nuggets midway through their set, particularly with "Haunted When the Minutes Drag", which had moments of psychedelic freakouts, and also "No New Tale to Tell", followed by again, the oh so sexy "So Alive". "My Dark Twin", and of course "Mirror People" have an understated presence as well. Eighteen songs total, including the two encores. And again, it felt like it was over in a minute. For this show at the Riviera- every aspect resonates. It resonates in a such a good way- seeing these guys play together again, an intimate venue, the extraordinary lighting and overall presentation, the mood throughout- just so astonishing. You should feel lucky that you saw them, or will see them, with the seven or so dates remaining, because apparently this will be their last time out together. I can go on, but the focus the past 48 hours since the show has been the images, and how to convey what I saw the best way possible, and not produce anything "boring". Like the band, I want the photos to pop off the page. And the same goes for the delightful opening act on this tour- Vinsantos. Such a blend of all things cool as well- a bit of cabaret, moments of heartfelt presentation, a display of wicked eye makeup and bright aqua blue lipstick- and to start the show while walking out, and before playing his keyboard, he has to get comfortable by removing his white shoe pumps. I love how Vinsantos experiments- not just in musical tastes, but also with costume, and presentation, and the simpler the better in my opinion, not too extravagant, but to have the sense enough to detach a bit, and listen to the songs, and show support. That's the beauty of Chicago- not detrimental to an intimate performer, especially the opener, with lots of nauseating crosstalk from the main floor. It's quiet, and respectful. As short as the set was, it was meaningful, and memorable. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Love and Rockets, David J, Daniel Ash, Kevin Haskins, Vinsantos, JBTV Music Television, Fiza Javid, Bobby TalamineWriting and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid Subterranean Chicago, Sat 6/3/23 Sean Payne. A man of many hats. A man who knows how to create and build upon, whether it be his from "the ground up" label, Glitch Mode Recordings, to his many bands, Cyanotic most likely being the best well known, although there's plenty of others. Let alone contributing and throwing his hat into the ring with multiple side projects- one of the coolest being Vampyre Anvil from back in the day- I think they performed at Cold Waves V- consisting of Jason Novak and Sean Payne. I bring this all up because as you can start to tell, Sean Payne is a creator, a guy who has his eyes and ears in the underbelly of dark and heavy electronica, or what he likes to convey to all - "Angry Robot Music". Tragedy struck back on May fourth, when Sean and his wife Anastasia Payne were involved in a deadly rollover accident on Interstate 90 near St. Charles Minnesota. Unfortunately, Anastasia did not survive the car accident. Sean received life threatening injuries from the rollover, and was airlifted to the Mayo Clinic Hospital of St. Mary's campus in Rochester Minnesota, and remained there for a few weeks until he was stable, and comfortable enough from all of the internal trauma. That one simple sentence on the tragedy- that's a lot to take in. And it happened so suddenly. Jason Novak, a man of many hats like Sean, was on the road at the time, managing Front Line Assembly, on their North American Tour with Ministry and Gary Numan. He posted the tragedy on Facebook while on the road, a post that didn't mention names and such- a post about a punch to the gut revelations about just being told about the tragedy, and the struggle to comprehend, amplified by living in this cruel world at times. The post I believe was taken down after a few hours. But I felt it as well, without knowing who was involved, from Jason's post. Without re- tracing his steps, It needs to be conveyed how much Jason wears his heart on his sleeve, and conveys the brutal truth, both positive and negative on the current state of things, that being the world we're living in. The post that I believed followed, was sympathetic in tone, announcing what led up to that post, that being a rough day, and that he doesn't pray often, bit if he did, he would now. Like praying in your best way possible, such as screaming out metal lyrics that convey agony and doom, or the simpler type of prayer, on your knees, bedside, through the meditative quiet, message out to all who are involved that are a bigger spiritual force than me. I think he needed to convey with the message of current state of living, brutal how human life can be at times, But he'd be there to assist anyone who wanted to walk through this tragedy, and that we have each other's backs. It's important to note how all of that struck me, not knowing anything about what happened to Sean and Anastasia at the time, and following Jason's lead, that more would be revealed when the people involved are ready. So I myself didn't ask questions, or want to call people blindly, and find out what's up, And when you do find out eventually what happened, it's like a punch to the gut. Like Jason said in a post a bit after- I agree wholeheartedly in what he said about Anastasia- that wherever she went, whatever she was involved in, she just brought light, and she did that for Sean in spades. So us like minded folk, we reciprocate, and we're there, indefinitely, with love and support, leading up to this magnificent fundraiser for Sean Payne, and provide a benefit show with like minded acts that convey so dearly what we've come to love and be a communal part of. The actual show itself, was a display and an up the ante mix and match of solid DJ's and individual recording artists and bands from the industrial and heavy EBM electronica genres, opening with Jeff Moyer, and his set being solid as always, followed by Martin Atkins, who mixed and matched post punk this and that with some heavy and gnarly beats, followed by Mutilato- (Jim Marcus), who by the way focused his set on new material which was downright captivating and awesome to hear, followed by Morgue VVitch, who certainly knows how to embrace dark electronica enhanced by sophisticated vocal, and then followed by DJ Flesh_Bot, who has a downright awesome command of conveying and and playing some serious spins of Industrial, dark techno, and lots of rhythmic noise, all done so elegantly in clothing and presentation. The dance floor was busy when she was at the booth, for her entire set. Next up was Choke Chain, who brought the angst, conveyed the angst, lived in performance perpetual angst. Milwaukee Industrial represent: I'll say. And he's a cool and quiet guy when not performing. So goes to show yet again how guy like Mark Trueman can create sinister and punishing soundscapes with a level of intensity that needs to be witnessed firsthand. Acucrack immediately followed, the brainchild of Jason Novak and Jamie Duffy from back in the day. So sorely miss the likes of Jamie Duffy, and what he brought to the heavy mix of not only Accucrack, but a mind blowing number of projects and bands as well. That Jason has taken the time to continue with this project speaks volumes, what with how Acucrack has evolved, with the use of in your face vocal in the mix, followed by some downright heavy and punishing beats, yet done with a solid core rhythmic base that forces you to move, and to entrance. That was some heavy shit that took precedence for the evening, in my opinion. Next up was Subspace, a multi media force of mixing deep and colorful visuals, all the while spinning everything from industrial, dark and burning electro, and doing it all with such a flare for presentation. The raffle portion of the event immediately followed, with Jean Shock at the helm, giving away to the lucky winners pairs of tickets to Love and Rockets, Sisters of Mercy, and of course Cold Waves XI. Nest up was Caustic- which by their moniker says lots: "Unpopular Music for Unpopular People". Yes, they're in your face, with heavy back breaking beats, followed by lots and lots of participatory chants. A great set from them as well. And then to close things out, we have EchoDroides (Miguel Martin), and DJSJ (Steve Jansen), taking the controls of all things ambient and dark and heavy industrial, enhanced with some serious EBM and electronica to elevate the mix until closing. So to come full circle- this community of like minded folk, have come together yet again to help one of their own get back on his feet, and make sure he's taken care of, and then some. When you witness this in person, see the love in the room, have a chance to support and to just "be there"- that's gratifying. Everyone doing their small part for Sean. Coming out in support there of. Sean is that kind of guy to lend out a helping hand to assist. Hope you all like the photos everyone. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Sean Payne, Jason Novak, Kelly Britton- Novak, Martin Atkins, Jeff Moyer, Mutilato, Acucrack, Caustic, JBTV Music Television, Bobby Talamine, Fiza Javid |
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