Young UK production twosome Bondax just recently dropped their first single of 2013. It's a strong, glitchy track called "Gold" which features guest vocals from Joe Janiak. "Gold" was just given a great video treatment by director Sam Pilling, and was also remixed by Moon Boots. You can check out their new video and remix at the bottom of this post, along with 2012 offerings "Baby I Got That" and "It's You."

Bondax will be embarking on a spring North American tour next month. That tour kicks off with a performance at The Mid on March 13. Ticketing information for the Chicago show is forthcoming, but check Clubtix for updates.

All Bondax dates, a tour flyer, and some videos // song streams are below...

Continue reading "Bondax beginning North American tour at The Mid"

Sydney, Australia's Flume (aka Harley Streten) crafts smooth, hip hop and R&B-influenced electronic music. His debut self-titled LP was released in October of 2012 in Australia, and now the album's out in North America too (via Transgressive). Take a listen to Flume's debut album, which features vocal contributions from George Maple, Moon Holiday, Jezzabell Doran, Chet Faker, and T.Shirt, in its entirety at the bottom of this post.

Streten will be embarking on a spring North American tour that includes a stint at SXSW next month. After the Austin, TX festival, he'll come our way for a performance at The Mid on March 22. Tokimonsta, Giraffage, and Zebo are also on the bill, and advance tickets for the Chicago show are on sale now.

All Flume tour dates and a stream of his self-titled LP and a few remixes are below...

Continue reading "Sydney's Flume playing The Mid, released his debut LP --- (stream it here)"

As seen on BrooklynVegan, UK producer Gold Panda just recently welcomed his new EP, called Trust, via Ghostly. Take a listen to Trust in its entirety at the bottom of this post, and grab a vinyl copy of the EP when it hits stores on March 5. Gold Panda will be touring North America in support of his latest release in May. That tour includes a performance at The Mid on May 10. Advance tickets for the Chicago show, which features support from Rac and Zebo, are on sale now.

All Gold Panda tour dates and a stream of his Trust EP are below...

Continue reading "Gold Panda playing The Mid in May"

James Murphy on the S.S. Coachella (more by Greg Cristman)

Fresh off of DJ sets on the S.S. Cochella, DFA head honco James Murphy has announced that he'll be heading to Chicago to DJ at The Mid on January 25. Redux DJs, Tim Zawada, and Mike Petrack & Aran Daniels will act as main support, and advance tickets are on sale now.

Speaking of DFA, label signees Factory Floor have shared the lead single from their forthcoming debut LP. It's called "Fall Back" and will also be released as a 12" with three-synth loops on the B-side. Preorder the 12" via DFA, and take a listen to "Fall Back" at the bottom of this post.

A couple videos of James Murphy spinning and a stream of Factory Floor's new single are below...

Continue reading "James Murphy playing The Mid; Factory Floor have a new single (listen)"

Brooklyn rapper Talib Kweli has been visiting Chicago quite frequently this year. He'll do so once more before we ring in the New Year, dropping in on December 21 for "Hip Hop Saved My Life -- End of the World Dance Party" at The Mid. Kweli will be performing with a full band behind him (it's a really great show), and will receive support from Jon Huang, DJ Intel, and Maker. Advance tickets are still available. Before he visits Chicago, Kweli is also headlining the BrooklynVegan-presented Duck Down & Javotti Media's holiday party at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn tonight (12/18). If you're in New York: Tickets are still available and BrooklynVegan are also giving some away.

Earlier this week, Talib shared a video for his new single "Outstanding," which features a guest spot from and was directed by Ryan Leslie. The track's got a relaxed flow, Leslie's smooth vocals are a welcome addition, and Talib makes a Roger Rabbit reference. What's not to like?!?

All Talib Kweli tour dates and his new video for "Outstanding" are below...

Continue reading "Talib Kweli has a new video, playing a full band show at The Mid this Friday"

Araabmuzik @ Pitchfork Festival 2012 (more by James Richards IV)

Due to his recently rescheduled tour with Sleigh Bells, Araabmuzik has added a bunch of his own headlining dates to his 2012 tour schedule to fill in the gaps. One of those dates is a free show at The Mid on October 21 with support from DJ Intl and PHNM. RSVP for entry.

Araabmuzik produced two tracks, "Dope, Money, and Hoes" and "Y.N.R.E.," on the new A$AP Mob mixtape, Lords Never Worry. You can stream both of those songs, and check out his 2012 tour schedule below...

Continue reading "Araabmuzik touring, playing a free show at The Mid"

The Hood Internet @ Internet Week in 2011 (NYC) (more by Ryan Muir)

Chicago production duo The Hood Internet (aka Aaron Brink and Steve Reidell) are gearing up to release a debut, guest-filled LP titled FEAT on October 2 via Decon. Unlike their previous material, FEAT doesn't contain any samples and instead features collaborations with Class Actress, Cadence Weapon, AC Newman, ShowYouSuck, Zambri, Hooray for Earth, BBU, the Rosebuds, Astronautalis, and many more. The album's tracklist (and full guest list) can be found below.

Brink and Reidell play a hometown show at The Mid this Friday (6/15), which will serve as an official pre-party for the Spring Awakening Music Festival. Locals Willy Joy, Zebo, and Ghosthouse are also on the bill, and advance tickets are still available. The show is also free before midnight if you RSVP (via the ticket link).

All Hood Internet tour dates are listed below, along with FEAT's album info.

Continue reading "The Hood Internet ready debut LP, playing The Mid on Friday"

Lollapalooza 2012 has revealed the full schedule for their 3-day festival, set to take place from August 3-5 in Grant Park. Check it out HERE.

A bunch of official aftershows have also been announced, happening from August 1-5. Here's a number of them (more TBA, including unofficial shows):

August 1
Alabama Shakes, First Aid Kit, Dry The River, Filligar @ Metro
Delta Spirit, FIDLAR @ Lincoln Hall

August 2
Passion Pit, GIVERS, Kishi Bashi @ House of Blues
Kids These Days, Overdoz @ Schubas
Dr. Dog, Kevin Devine, The Dunwells @ Lincoln Hall
Zedd, Gus K, DJ Gordo, DJ Torio @ The Mid

August 3
Bear in Heaven, YAWN @ the Empty Bottle
NERO (DJ Set), Die Antwoord, Anamanaguchi @ Congress Theater
Frank Ocean @ Metro
tUnE-yArDs, Washed Out @ House of Blues
The Black Angels, Night Beats @ Double Door
The War on Drugs, Milo Greene @ Schubas
Blind Pilot, Kopecky Family Band @ Lincoln Hall
Porter Robinson, Madeon @ The Mid
The Growlers, JEFF the Brotherhood @ Subterranean
Paper Diamond, Minnesota @ Bottom Lounge

August 4
White Rabbits, Dum Dum Girls, Oberhofer @ Cubby Bear
Doomtree, Naledge of Kidz In The Hall @ the Empty Bottle
Zeds Dead, Big Gigantic, Midnight Conspiracy, Big Chocolate @ Congress Theater
The Afghan Whigs @ Metro
Of Monsters & Men, Yellow Ostrich @ House of Blues
Trampled By Turtles, The Devil Makes Three @ Double Door
Childish Gambino @ the Vic
The Temper Trap, Poliça @ Park West
Gary Clark Jr., LP @ Schubas
Twin Shadow @ Lincoln Hall
Calvin Harris, Nathan Scott @ The Mid
The Big Pink @ Subterranean
Bombay Bicycle Club, Hey Rosetta! @ Bottom Lounge

August 5
Chairlift w/ Alt-J @ the Empty Bottle
The Walkmen @ Lincoln Hall

Craig Finn of The Hold Steady @ Do Division on 6/2/2012 (more by Zach Pollack)

Taste of Randolph Street Festival kicks off on Friday night (6/15) featuring sets from Los Campesinos! and Those Darlins. The fest continues on throughout the weekend and includes performances by The Hold Steady, Santah, Hollows, Angel Melendez & The 911 Mambo Orchestra, and more.

Admission is $10 per day and as always, there will be a slew of local restaurants serving up great food just inside of the gates. Check out the full music lineup-by-day below...

Continue reading "Taste of Randolph happens this weekend (Los Campesinos!, Those Darlins, The Hold Steady, Santah & more)"

Kele Okereke of Bloc Party @ Terminal 5 in 2009 (NYC) (more by Faith-Ann Young)

Bloc Party are hard at work on the follow up to 2008's excellent Intimacy and will make their return to the road this summer. As announced, their current string of dates includes a performance on Saturday (August 4) of Lollapalooza 2012.

BP frontman Kele Okereke released his debut solo EP, The Boxer, in 2010. He followed that up with The Hunter in 2011, which continued his interesting blend of house and downtempo/ambient music. Kele will be visiting Chicago's The Mid on May 17 to perform a DJ set. Advance tickets are on sale and this date seems to be a one-off.

All 2012 Bloc Party dates and some videos, below...

Continue reading "Bloc Party are coming for Lolla; Kele DJing The Mid sooner"

MSTRKRFT's Jesse F. Keeler @ Metro w/ DFA 1979 (more by Grant MacAllister)

In celebration of the launch of their new line of pre-mixed cocktails, Bacardi are throwing Plus Fest across ten-cities TONIGHT. Chicago gets MSTRKRFT (featuring 1/2 of DFA 1979), Team Bayside High, Wolf Pack, and MattBoyWhite at The Mid. RSVP for free entry. Check out the lineups for each of the ten participating cities below...

Continue reading "Plus Fest is taking place in multiple cities TONIGHT; MSTRKRFT, Team Bayside High, Wolf Pack & MattBoyWhite play The Mid"

James Murphy @ Madison Square Garden in NYC (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

James Murphy has been keeping busy lately with a coffee addiction and screenings of Shut Up And Play The Hits, a documentary on his band LCD Soundsystem's final show at Madison Square Garden in April. He's also started to announce a few DJ performances, including ones at The Great GoogaMooga, The Roots Picnic, Governors Ball, and Chicago's The Mid. The DFA Records-head will hit the Chicago dance club on March 23 with support from DJ La Jesus, Mister Joshua, and Kool Hersh. Advance tickets are on sale.

Speaking of DFA Records, The Juan Maclean will hit Smart Bar for a DJ set on April 6. Main support comes from Samone Roberts and Advance tickets are on sale.

Check out the trailer for Shut Up And Play The Hits, which screened at SXSW last week, below..

Continue reading "James Murphy is coming to The Mid; The Juan Maclean are DJing @ Smart Bar"

photos by Ben Rodig

Daedelus @ The Mid on 2/17/2012

On Friday night (February 17), Los Angeles-based DJ/producer Daedelus headlined The Mid with support from Conspirator and Little People. The late-night show (10PM - 4AM) served as the afterparty for Lotus, Conspirator, and Emancipator's Congress Theater performance, which took place earlier that night.

BV Chicago photographer Ben Rodig was in attendance. More of his pictures can be found below..

Continue reading "Daedelus, Emancipator & Little People played The Mid (pics)"

DJ Krush at MHOW in NYC on 2/19/12 (via Facebook)

Japanese producer DJ Krush is currently on a 20th anniversary tour which hit NYC at Music Hall of Williamsburg last night (2/19). A picture from that show is above, which DJ Krush posted to his facebook along with the message, "thank you for great time with wonderful audience at MHoW NY!! hope to see you soon!! and CHICAGO next,,, tour dates are far from over."

When we first announced the tour, the Chicago date (and other North American dates) hadn't been announced yet. But we now know that he'll be coming here to play The Mid on Tuesday (2/21) with Orchard Lounge and Maker. Tickets for that show are on sale now. Show flier, a 1996 video, and all dates below...

Continue reading "DJ Krush playing The Mid Tuesday (part of his 20th Anniversary Tour Dates)"

A-Trak @ a SPIN party (NYC) (more by Bryan Bruchman)

Though tickets haven't been posted yet, jet-setting DJ A-Trak will be performing at The Mid on February 10th. His Chicago performance is part of a short (and sporadic) string of winter dates, which you can view all of below.

Flosstradamus will play a hometown show at the venue, though much sooner. He'll headline a FREE (with RSVP) event on December 28th, along side AraabMuzik, Zebo, Prob Cause, and BBU.

French techno producer/DJ Laurent Garnier is also coming to The Mid, on January 13th. He'll perform with Benjamin Rippert and Scan X. Tickets are still available.

Head below for all 2011/12 A-Track dates..

Continue reading "A-Trak is coming to The Mid, so is Laurent Garnier & more DJs"

The Check Yo Ponytail Tour will hit Chicago's The Mid this Friday (10/28), featuring Spank Rock, Big Freedia, The Death Set, Pictureplane, and Franki Chan. Tickets are still available, though if you can perform what Pictureplane has described above, winning a pair of tickets might be in your future.

Hit the drawing board!

Big Freedia @ House of Vans this summer (more by Andrew St. Clair)

Initially, Big Freedia was not on the lineup for the Check Yo Ponytail Tour's stop at The Mid on October 28th. She has now been added, and tickets are still available. Get ready for ass everywhere!

Freedia's last Chicago shows were part of the Do Division street festival in July and at Empty Bottle that weekend. She was scheduled to play at the Hideout Block Party in September, but canceled last minute.

The Mid lineup also features: Spank Rock, Pictureplane, The Death Set, and Franki Chan.

The Mid

What was once a weekly club event in LA dubbed Check Yo Ponytail, has now expanded into a complete multi-city tour. The crew (sadly, minus Big Freedia) will hit Chicago's The Mid (aka mini-Terminal 5) on October 28th. Tickets will be posted HERE shortly.

Spank Rock (embarrassingly) plays tonight at Charter One Pavilion with Ke$ha, and LMFAO..

tUnE-yArDs @ Pitchfork Fest 2011 (more by Josh Darr)

Cut Chemist @ CMJ

As announced,

tUnE-yArDs is releasing a 12" single for w h o k i l l's "Gangsta" on September 27 via 4AD. The 12" features the album version of the track, an Ad Rock (of Beastie Boys) remix, a Cut Chemist remix, the instrumental version, and an cappella version.

Cut Chemist has an upcoming Chicago gig at The Mid on October 7th, with Quantic.
tUnE-yArDs are playing both November 9th & 10th at Lincoln Hall with Pat Jordache.

Pre-order the 12" HERE, and stream/download Ad Rock's contribution below..

Continue reading "Cut Chemist remixed tUnE-yArDs, playing The Mid w/ Quantic"

Say Hi @ Bowery Ballrom 10/18/2009 (more by Jake Forney)

today in Chicago
* Say Hi @ Lincoln Hall
* Ben Rector @ SPACE (Early Show)
* Fake Problems - Live Taping @ JBTV
* Geoff Farina @ Elastic Arts (Free Show)
* Pie City Ramblers @ Hideout (Early Show)
* The Real Jane Marin @ Elbo Room (Lounge)
* The Hoyle Brothers @ Empty Bottle (Early Show)
* Yann Tiersen, Breathe Owl Breathe @ Bottom Lounge
* Drive-By Truckers, The Heartless Bastards @ Vic Theatre
* The Congregation, Francesca Esme Johnson @ Darkroom
* Katz Company, Carbon Tigers, Fly Phoenix @ Subterranean
* THE SLEEPERS, Channel Four, Circus Bear @ Double Door
* King Sparrow, Warm Ones, Hollus, Secret Colours @ Martyr's
* Anatomy of Habit, Running Bottomless Pit @ Hideout (Late Show)
* The Exoskeleton, Spyderbone, Pop Suicide, Imperial @ Red Line Tap
* David Wax Museum, Jon Drake & The Shakes @ SPACE (Late Show)
* Noose, Thought Crusade, Face Reality, Nightburner, @ The Dunk Tank
* The Plastic Boots, Soul Pollution, Deep Space Pilots, Arlum @ Abbey Pub
* Rabble Rabble, Velcro Lewis, Black Bear Combo @ Empty Bottle (Late Show)
* Black September, Welkin Dusk, PILGRIM, Mutilation Rites @ Crown Liquor Bar
* Sonic Pistol, Along the Parallel, A Friend Called Fire, Jamie Lono @ Elbo Room
* The Arrivals, Canadian Rifle, Vacation Bible School, Lipreader @ Lucky Gator Loft
* Aktar Aktar, Late In The Playoffs, They Face Reaction, Omegawatt @ Beat Kitchen
* Andy Marchel And The Cocaine Rainbow, Black Jet Radio, The Clergymen @ Reggie's

New Chicago dance/house music venue, The Mid is having its Grand Opening party tonight. They have some great music scheduled for the upcoming weeks, so its definitely something worth checking out. Their flyer is below.

What else?