Framed around the ethos, ‘Signs of Life in Music, Film and Culture’, I started contributing to Paste when it was a bi-monthly in the early-aughts, still including a CD-sampler. Live reportage via festivals was my bread and butter, as a one-man journo-photog combo package, contextualizing chaotic cultural events into new-journalism think pieces spread out over Chicago, NYC and Austin, though I did some band profiles, record reviews and feature pieces, as well.
Highlights:
SXSW 2010
‘Moose!‘ (Day I), ‘Shamrock‘ (Day II), ‘East Meets West‘ (Day III), ‘Friendship Bracelets‘ (Day IV).
Antony & The Johnsons
The shaky-vibrato baroque popster collaborates with the Brooklyn Philharmonic for a one-off baptismal exploration of sound.
Lollapalooza 2009
‘Crooked Rain‘ (Day I), ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog‘ (Day II), ‘Been Caught Stealing‘ (Day III)
Pit Er Pat’s ‘High Time’
Spacious new dispatches from far-out Chicago trio.
SXSW 2009
‘Nerds and Noise Ordinances’ (Day I), ‘Where’s That Confounded Bridge?’ (Day II), ’Lost in Texas’ (Day III), ‘The Hipsters are Coming’ (Day IV).
Nina Nastasia and Jim White
One of indie-rock’s most sought after drummers pairs up with a neo-Laurel Canyon songbird.
Pitchfork 2009
‘There Will Be No Encore’ (Day I), ‘We Miss Being Ruffians’ (Day II), ‘Do You Realize??‘ (Day III)
Chicago Noise Machine
A collective of Chicago local bands unite to create a talent-core exposure incubator.
Pitchfork 2008
‘Looking Back on ‘Don’t Look Back’ (Day I), ‘Evolution of Hip’ (Day II), ‘Lights & Music‘ (Day III)