If you thought raver style went out with the 90’s, you are wrong. It still exists and is going strong, as exhibited this weekend at New York’s Electric Zoo. There was a strong showing of the favorites– tons of neon, beaded bracelets and so, so much glitter. But it seems 2010’s ravers are taking it to the next level by mixing current trends with old electro staples.
There was music, there was food, there was art and revelry. All the makings for a fabulous music festival came together and delivered. With 4 different stages, each boasting their own lineup, Randalls Island park isnt as big as some of the other large festivals I’ve attended (Austin City Limits, cough, cough) so you could easily dart from one stage to another and catch all the acts. And speaking of the acts, wow, what a lineup.
Are you the kind of person that plays well with others? Do you have a fancy new outfit you have been dying for an excuse to wear? Do you feel comfortable in a room full of rock stars, models and fashionistas? Well then YOU are the perfect accessory to join me at ChinaShop’s first party in NYC for Fashion Night Out this coming Friday September 10th.
3 lucky ChinaShop readers will be invited to attend our first ever ChinaShop Pop Party! That’s right, if you will already be finding yourself in the greater NYC area on Friday, you and a friend will be able to partake in the extravaganza. These 6 individuals who get to join us not only will receive entry into one of the most high profile and incredible evenings of their natural lives, but they will receive a custom one of a kind piece of Good Art Hlywd Jewelry. That’s right….choose your plus one carefully because they get to bite some of your swagger. We’re not even offering these special pieces to our celebrity guests…just our lucky ChinaShop readers.
To enter all you have to do is “like” us on facebook and write a brief pitch for why you should be a part of our star studded evening. The most impressive pitches will gain entry to this amazing event. And if your friends get involved and write a few testimonials on your behalf…all the better. Convince us that you bring something special to the party…and indeed we will give you something special in return.
This event includes everything that ChinaShop represents, a little Art (curated show by the Yasha Young Gallery), Music (Live performance by AwolNation as well as some very special guests on the ones and twos), Film (debuting a 3 part series of videos created by ChinaShop exclusively) and of course the darling of the evening, Fashion (with collections by Althea Harper, Andrea Roady and others).
Meet the ChinaShop contributors in person, rub elbows with celebrities, listen to some amazing music, do a little designer shopping and take home one of the most amazing gift bags I have ever seen. This is truly an event you won’t want to miss!
All winners will be notified on facebook by noon on friday, Sept. 10th!
Growing up a punk rock girl I was always on the look out for the ultimate rock n roll accoutrement. As a fully grown punk rock girl, it gets a little harder to find appropriate accessories that still say “I’m edgy but won’t shop at Hot Topic”. Enter Good Art Hlywd! Founder Josh Warner creates handcrafted American masterpieces in Los Angeles one fine design at a time.
This brand is authentic Americana to the core. Admired equally for the perfection of the Spanish Cross, the elegant hand-assembled chains and the venerable Model 10 Bracelet, this is communication on a visceral level. Every facet of the line is steeped in Warner’s spare-no-expense attitude of “do it right or not at all”.
If you ask Los Angeles based designer and illustrator Andrea Roady who her fashion icon would be, she would tell you without a doubt it is Queen Elizabeth I. Andrea has a fondness for the Elizabethan era and she draws much of her inspiration from it. Oh, P.S. if you don’t know what “anachronistic” means, as I didn’t, it is a person or a thing that is chronologically out of place, especially one from a former age that is incongruous in the present.
The Glitch Mob is a trio of dudes from Los Angeles who played Sunday at the Redbull Music Academy Stage. Admittedly, I don’t keep up with the electronic music scene as well as I should so I had no idea who these guys were. As I approached the stage I had no intention of staying, listening, dancing, interviewing or taking portraits but I ended up doing all five.
At his second appearance at New York’s Electric Zoo (he also played the 2009 festival), Mehdi’s status as veteran of the tables was so obvious that its easy to assume he came out of the womb spinning.
Mehdi’s music fuses the hip hop and electro genres. I’m not usually a booty dancer, but with Mehdi throwing tracks, one can’t help but bend over and grind a bit. Don’t get too comfortable though, ‘cause soon he’ll have the entire crowds eyes closed and arms raised, pulsating in a euphoric trance. If someone sat through a Mehdi show and didn’t enjoy themselves then they just don’t like life. This music just feels good. The tone of the music changes with Mehdi’s expressions; he is first serious, brows furrowed in concentration, then playful, bouncing and smiling from ear to ear. This is music at its best– a coming together of different styles and talents that when woven together with Mehdi’s precision and skill, ebb and flow seamlessly from end to end.
It’s really not possible to explore Jessica Lichtenstein’s work and not be strangely intrigued. Her art involves scantly clad Japanese anime women placed into an array of eccentric situations. She has one piece in particular that I couldn’t take my eyes off of, featuring partially naked lady friends, some with blue and purple hair, all chained together and attached to the wrist of a giant black robot looking figurine. Jessica’s an artist, with a definite attribute of distinctive flair. Her work speaks for itself- it’s dirty, it’s sexy, it’s fetish-forward.
Yeah, he might have started off as all aspiring musicians probably did — slave to the piano/violin/flute/insert other uncool musical instrument here at his parents’ behest. But legendary engineering guru Gary Langan proves it was also endless networking, a great deal of good fortune, and of course that requisite workhorse mentality that got him as far as he’s come. And through a combination of it all, Langan perfected his chops assisting behind the engineering board on classics like Queen’s A Night at the Opera, and working with Trevor Horn on Yes’ 90125 and the hit single “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” This led to work on The Buggles’ Video Killed the Radio Star, and further recording and writing work with gods like Malcolm McLaren and even god-awful bands like ABC (remember “Poison Arrow”?). And if that weren’t enough: “We made music from rummaging around in other peoples’ boxes of sound, and putting them together with a machine called the Fairlight,” adds Langan. Riiight. Did we mention he was also one of the original (if somewhat accidental) creators of that Fairlight thing, one the very first pieces of modern sampling equipment, and also one of four musical masterminds behind incendiary avant-garde synth band Art of Noise? In case you didn’t know, AON was one of New Wave’s chief purveyors of original and unique electronica — ah, you get the point. An artist can only be so talented before you start to feel queasy with envy– for more on (and from) Gary on his illustrious history, head over to Red Bull Music Academy Radio. It’s a bit that makes for great mental masturbation, especially if you’re a prog-head!
On August 18, I had the pleasure of flying down to Sao Paulo to participate in Brazil’s first show of digital art. Located at the notoriously conservative University MackKenzie, Mostra 3m de Arte Digital was a sleek, slam-bang-pow introduction to new media art. Think Photoshop masterworks projected across walls. Think holographic greeters and 3 foot long ipad screens and interactive stop-motion lightbox video toys.
