So I spent All Hallow’s Eve Eve at Congress Chicago, which was throwing a monster Halloween bash starring Crystal Castles, Chromeo, and Boys Noize.

Crystal Castles opened with a blinding, chaotic set that included lots of strobes.  Though I didn’t catch many shots due to the maddening strobe lighting, they put on a high-energy set that didn’t disappoint.

Chromeo was next to lay down some funk-infused electro.  During an encore performance, each member came out donning their Halloween costumes:  Dressing like the other!

And though Chromeo was the headliner, Boys Noize wrapped up the evening spinning nonstop electro dance jams that had the entire theater jumping.

Click any image to see the full Freaky Deaky Chicago Halloween photos

Bottom Lounge held host to a Monster Bash with Flosstradamus to help ignite the long Halloween weekend. Two DJ booths were set up on either side of the dance floor for a kind of back-and-forth audio assault. I was one of very few not wearing a costume or covered in fake blood.

Click any photo for the full gallery.

And Steve Aoki made a hilarious guest DJ appearance:

Labels: Bottom Lounge, Flosstradamus

I was so STOKED to land a nail-bitingly-last-minute press pass for Riot Fest at Congress Theater. Truth be told, while there are some cool bands on the roster, I wasn’t too interested in shooting any of them aside from headliners Murder City Devils.

I remember catching them on their farewell tour in 2001, and after an ear-bleeding show, me and a couple friends vied to get a video interview with them as part of an art project. They agreed, and allowed us onto their tour van to sit and chat with singer Spencer Moody, and bassist Derek Fudesco.

My friends encouraged me to conduct the on-camera interview, and it was one of the nerdiest coolest thing I’d ever done to that point in life. That video I believe is since lost, but that night was the distinctive moment I knew I wanted to put to use all I had learned in my high school photo classes and pursue music journalism. I subsequently carried my Minolta film camera to all sorts of dive and basement shows, getting a little better each time.

And so, after all these years, I can get right up front and take photos I can be proud of: