plural blog

After briefly grazing through this summer’s music festival line-ups, shows, events, and more, I’ve decided to do myself and hopefully you a favor and list some of —what I assume will be–- the best shows in Chicago this summer…and most of them are free.

6/28 Stevie Wonder at the Taste of Chicago, Orchestra Baobab at Jay Pritzker Pavilion

6/30 Killer Whales at Millenium Park

7/1 and 9/2 Fred Anderson at the MCA

7/6 Icy Demons, Golden Birthday at Ronny’s

7/9 Michael Columbia at Empty Bottle

7/12 Slavic Soul Party at Martyr’s

7/12 Tortoise at Empty Bottle

7/15 and 8/16 Steely Dan at Chicago Theatre

7/17 Pitchfork Music Festival Free Preview at Millenium Park

7/19 Gershwin’s Greatest hits at Jay Pritzker Pavilion

7/19 High Places at Schubas

7/18-20 Pitchfork Music Festival feat. Public Enemy an much much more at Union Park

7/19 A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Mos Def at First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

7/24 50 Years of Bossa Nova feat. Paulinho Garcia at Jay Pritzker Pavilion

7/27 Matmos at Empty Bottle

8/4 Tortoise at Millenium Park

8/13 Wagner “Die Walkure” at Jay Pritzker Pavilion

8/14 Kelan Phil Cohran and the Legacy of Sun Ra

8/28 Sonny Rollins at Chicago Jazz Festival

8/31 ORNETTE COLEMAN at Chicago Jazz Festival

9/20-21 Hideout Block Party at the Hideout

9/25 Janet Jackson at Allstate Arena

9/25 My Bloody Valentine at Aragon Ballroom

10/10 Stereolab, Monade at Vic Theatre

more to come later…… dates courtesy of Chicago Reader, Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago Jazz Festival, Millenium Park, the Hideout, and Empty Bottle.

Olafur Eliasson is amazing. When I first saw his traveling exhibition at SFMOMA last December, he blew my mind and my eyes, and once again, he does not disappoint. His latest work, entitled “New York City Waterfalls” is a $15.5 million dollar project creating waterfalls throughout New York Harbor. I would highly recommend anything that Olafur is involved with, it will surely change your perspective, literally. Full story from the New York Times, full images here.

Related links: Olafur Eliasson website

I just found out that my good friend Isabela Capeto launched her new fragrance, the bottle is a 3D version of the logo we designed for her back in 2003, now in white. The perfume comes with a set of pens so people can personalize their little white doll. If you are ever in New York you can check it out at the Henri Bendel store. (Too bad they closed their Chicago location a couple of years back.) The other option, of course, is her stores in Rio and São Paulo.

A good designer friend of mine just recently sent me an email with this great reminder…

Most days, you carry on with the things you learn, adding more and more new items to the ever expanding Freitag messenger bag known as your brain. So often do we forget – at least I forget – to revisit some of those key fundamentals and key concepts that drive the heart of your work. Thanks for the reminder, Mike!

In a brief talk, Adrian Shaughnessy gives us “The Essential Attributes of a Graphic Designer” presented by Design-Event. Author of “How to be a Graphic Designer, Without Losing Your Soul”, Shaughnessy gives great insight, advice, and expertise for us upcoming design students, professionals, and entrepreneurs. Remember to remember. Check it out, here.

On a completely different and quick note, while I was writing this post, I was sent this link, equally as influential, but in a different way… Enjoy quality film techniques, here.