Riot Fest Tops The Rest

The lineup for this year's Riot Fest was announced this week and it's a doozy. Just when you thought the music festival bubble had burst, that every fest had morphed into the same cookie cutter lineup, this happens. And get this...instead of Perry Farrell playing his own festival's tenth year in Chicago, Jane's Addiction will play Riot Fest's 10th Anniversary. Jaw. Drop. Mind. Blown.

It was a big week for Tankboy and Chicagoist with the initial lineup announcement (yes, that's yours truly posing as "an excited Riot Fest fan"), an interview with the fest's founder, Riot Mike, and this latest announcement that ten of the bands will be playing full album sets in honor of the tenth anniversary.

I don't want to wish summer away, but I'm excited for September to get here!

Finding Love, Keeping Love

One of the very first photos of us as a couple in 2008.

The night he proposed. 

We're getting married!! 

I wrote a little something to put here, but it might be a little too personal, a little too gushy. Perhaps I'll share more later...

Talkin' Lolla

My man is an expert on Lollapalooza:

Chicago News and Weather | FOX Chicago News

Like A Heat Wave

Summer is officially in full swing with a 100+ degree heat wave hanging over Chicago and most of the mid-west as we speak. As summer is swinging, I also find less and less time to sort through my thoughts and post! So, here's a little of what's been going on!

• Tankboy's 40th Birthday Bash at Darkroom on Saturday was a wild success (if I do say so myself as part of the planning committee). Memories were made from the inception of the plan (the guest of honor learning of the surprise show one day early!) to the night of the event (a sleeping Tankboy almost missing his own party!). Thanks again to everyone who helped, all the bands who played, and everyone who came out to make it a special night for Jim. Special thanks to Rudy, Kip, JB, Sam, Ivan, Pogo and Kenny. 

• Thanks to Debby for making our Disney vacation memorable for a different reason.  Instead of relaxing by the pool on vacation with my fam, we rode out a tropical storm that stalled over the state. Even though I didn't come back with a tan, we still managed to have fun once we put our expectations on a shelf, threw on ponchos, and ran to the parks to ride whatever rides we could!

• I made my inaugural visit to Milwaukee's Summerfest for Robyn with my girlfriends. #fembotsroadtrip

• I got to see the Paris Opera Ballet perform Giselle at the Harris. 

Here's a song to help get you through the heat wave. Take with Chicagoist's so hot playlist. Repeat as needed. 

Lollapamadness

The unavoidable music news in Chicago today is the announcement of Lollapalooza's 2012 lineup. Once again, I don't know if I'll actually attend, but my weekend will surely be filled with music one way or another. And once again again, Tankboy appeared on Fox to discuss the lineup:

Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Black Keys, Florence Top Lollapalooza Lineup: MyFoxCHICAGO.com

Tankboy: Lolla Expert

So, my boyfriend was on TV this morning. Apparently Fox Chicago News considers him some sort of Lollapalooza expert or something.

In all seriousness though, you sounded great, baby!

Fence Jumpers, Rain Don’t Spoil Lollapalooza: MyFoxCHICAGO.com

Love and Music

Somebody bring me some coffee to the Continental tomorrow night because I'm DJing with my boyfriend Tankboy til 5 in the morn!

The significance of tomorrow night? It will be two years to the day that Tankboy and I met at that that very spot. Come celebrate with us, and eat some tamales!

Thanks to Clayton Hauck for snapping that shot of us at West Fest shortly after we met.

Let's Party!

Today is Tankboy's birthday. Happy Birthday Tankboy! You look great for 24 again!

It's also Sweet Treat Wednesday, so come by Beauty Bar early for the party where I'll be playing some of Tankboy's favorite songs! Expect lots of Blur, Bowie, Flaming Lips, and maybe I'll even play something from that Fun. band...maybe.

Claychella

Look! We're famous!

Clayton Hauck is a pretty cool guy. Besides being a really great nightlife photographer, the guy gets to throw himself a day-long birthday party with the likes of Flosstradamus and The Hood Internet as DJs. In fact, there will be almost 30 local DJs and MCs playing throughout the day, including my very own DJ Tankboy at 3pm. Like I said before, this party spans the entire day beginning at noon going all the way til closing time. Did I mention it's free before 10pm?

So even if you're planning to spend Saturday celebrating the impending St. Patricks Day, start the day with some Guinness & Eggs w/ your buddies and then make your way to Lincoln Hall, because judging by last year's photobooth shots, there's tons of fun to be had.

Check out my preview for Gapers Block, which includes a full list of DJs scheduled to appear.

A little follow up/background on the previous Flaming Lips post...

When Tankboy and I started dating, I had been to his house a few times and wondered where all his music was. Sure, there was a pile of CD's on the end table, but that's nothing for someone who has supposedly been writing about music for 15+ years.

Then one day he opened the door to the "extra room" that I didnt realize was there. The room was FILLED with boxes, and stuff, and the walls were lined with CD racks. "THAT'S where everything is!" I exclaimed. When I moved in, I felt like I moved into my very own record store, that only carries stuff I love!

Around the same time I had gotten really into The Flaming Lips after hearing a couple of new tracks from their then upcoming Embryonic album. So, Tankboy started schooling me on the "early stuff" that he said had more of the weird--before the balloons and confetti and radio-friendly feel-good melodies.

Luckily, the F's were right by the door of the extra room, easily accessible. So I snagged what I could, loaded up my iPod, and spent a lot of time with their catalog (including the later prettier Yoshimi and At War With The Mystics). And I loved it all.

Happy Birthday Tankboy!

If you haven't figured it out yet, Tankboy is my boyfriend, and today is his birthday! We will be celebrating tonight at Burlington in Logan Square with music from DJs Keep, Pocket Taco and Rudy Tuesday (and probably Tankboy too, among other friends who feel like manning the decks). Come by and buy him a birthday shot of Makers. Or you can come by and buy me a shot so I can put up with drunkypants after all those shots :)

(Drunkypants - aka Tankboy - on Halloween)