#Sub-par breweries | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

mrsleopoldfitz · 4 years ago

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Random Chicago question for ya: What are your top three restaurant recommendations?

Oh, Nonny. Strap in. You’re in for a ride.

I saw your question this morning and knew I’d have to sit down and really think about it. I thought I’d give you maybe five places I loved because I knew I couldn’t hold myself to just three. Well, you’re getting 18 recommendations and four places I suggest you skip.

A word of warning: I’m a North Sider who lived on the near West Side for years, so most of these places are located in those areas. There are a ton of great places on the South Side (seriously check out Hyde Park - it’s a mecca of great food and culture) that I like, but I haven’t been to often enough to call my favorites. They’re absolutely worth exploring though. Start with Jolly Pumpkin and branch out from Harper Court.

So I guess that means you’re getting 19 recommendations and four skips. Please feel free to reach out and ask me if you have any more questions.

Personal Favorites:

Cafe Iberico - Super authentic Spanish tapas at a great price. There are lots of good tapas places in Chicago, but this is the best.

Folklore - Small Argentine place with great cocktails near my old neighborhood.

West Town Bakery & Diner - This was my favorite brunch place in our old neighborhood. Had to get up early to make sure we got seats, but damn was it worth it.

Bar Eats:

Fatpour Tap Works - Another burger joint that happens to make awesome salads and has an insane selection of beers on tap.

Cleos Bar and Grill - Great place to watch soccer and get a personal pizza at all hours. Definitely a neighborhood kind of place. The Bloody Mary here is trouble. Sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a bad way, but there’ always a good story attached.

Owen & Engine - Best burger in Chicago in an English-style pub. I’m not even kidding. And the rest of the food is great, too. Added bonus? They’re right down the street from Maplewood Brewing.

Brewery Restaurants:

Old Irving Brewing - Hands down some of the best burgers and beers on the northwest side of the city. If I ever leave Chicago, this place will be a must-visit for me. I spend way more money here than I should.

Lagunitas - Yes, I know they’re a California brewery, but they’ve done so much for Douglas Park, they’re honorary Chicagoans. The facility is huge and a lot of fun to just look at (plus they get bonus points for a trippy Willy Wonka theme right as you walk in), and the food is good.

District Brew Yards - Four breweries that allow you to pour your own beer and delicious, delicious Lillie’s Q’s BBQ. It’s a win-win.

Holes-in-the-Wall:

La Pasadita - My personal favorite taqueria, but there a lot of them in Chicago. The fact that it’s right off the Division Blue Line is just an added bonus.

Mario’s Italian Lemonade - Best. Italian. Ice. In. The. City. Don’t try me on this, just go yourself if you get a chance over the summer.

Original Maxwell Street Polish (3801 W. Harrison) - The smell of sauteed onions and kielbasa will tell you that you’re in the right place. Be prepared to sit on the curb or the hood of your car though. You walk up to this joint, order at the window, then chill on the street with the rest of your new best friends as you finish your meal.

Bars:

Queen Mary Tavern - Best cocktails, hands down. Everyone talks about Violet Hour since it’s right under the Damen Blue Line, but this place is a better find. There are some mainstays (the Navy Strength Old Fashioned is godly), but they rotate the menu out with the seasons. Add in Tuesday movie nights with free popcorn and movie-themed cocktails, and you have my heart.

Innertown Pub - This is a typical Chicago bar in what was once clearly someone’s living room. It’s cash only and definitely a local find that’s worth a stop.

Matchbox - Teeny tiny bar that looks totally unassuming but is a brilliant find. Best pisco sour I’ve ever had in the city.

Typical Chicago:

Johnnie’s Beef - Technically not Chicago (it’s in Elmwood Park), but definitely the best Italian beef in the area. Even Alton Brown said so. (Get it dipped if you’re not a coward.)

Fatso’s Last Stand - Greasy, terrible-yet-delicious late-night food and some of the best fried shrimp you could ask for. It’s pretty much everything you want in a Chicago red hot (hot dog) stand without the tamales. (Yeah, our red hot stands sell tamales. It’s a Chicago quirk I wouldn’t give up for the world.)

Tortorice’s Pizza - In my opinion, the best non-chain deep dish (and tavern-style!) you could ask for. I love Lou Malnati’s, but this place is better.

Skip:

These places are good in their own right but are definitely overhyped. If you want to stop by, go for it, but there are better, less crowded places out there.

Pequod’s - The pizza is good, but the caramlized crust is overblown and not worth the wait. Other places do the same thing for a more reasonable price and wait time.

Weiner’s Circle - It’s fun to go to late at night, but a Chicago style hot dog is a Chicago style hot dog no matter where you go. Skip the line and price hike by going further away from Wrigleyville. I’d suggest Jimmy’s Red Hots on Grand.

Al’s Beef - Their gravy is terrible (no flavor) and they’re assholes. Like, super racist POSes at the original location. If you’re going to the one on Taylor Street, skip them and go get yourself an Italian ice across the street at Mario’s instead. You’ll thank me.

Kuma’s Corner - Years ago everyone lost their collective shit over Kuma’s Corner and their burgers. Honestly… They’re meh. I feel like the crazy toppings are covering up for sub-par burgers. They’re okay, but go to Owen & Engine, Old Irving Brewing, or Fatpour if you want a great burger with fewer hoops to jump through.

#asks #anon asks #sweet home chicago #chicago #chicago shit #chicago recommendations

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thepourfool · 7 years ago

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Beer, Wine, & Spirits: The Dominance of The Middle Class

This may piss a few people off...which is reason enough to say I'm sorry you feel that way...but not enough to not say it.

In a total of over 1,000 breweries I’ve seen in the past eight years, I’ve found THREE that I could honestly say were just wastes of good space and brewing materials. That’s not three per year, either. Three, total. From the United States.

More and more, lately, I read hand-wringing laments about “all these new, sub-standard breweries” and, as I said in a previous post – “All These…

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#Ale Industries #Arizona Wilderness Brewingh #Brewery Vivant #Burial Beer Co.#Cedar Springs Brewing #Cigar City Brewing #Crooked Stave #Deschutes Brewery #Fort George Brewing #Hartford Family Winery #HillRock Estate Distillery #Ledger David Vineyards #Loring Wine Company #pFriem Family Brewers #Sleight of Hand Cellars #Sub-par breweries #Three Taverns Brewing #Westland Distillery

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beerselfie · 6 years ago

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What do you think about Sour IPAs! #Repost @thebeermama ・・・ @gristhouse Tropical Sour IPA. WOW! I have never had beer from this brewery before and this beer was phenomenal... if only it would warm up! This was the perfect summer beer. Smooth and intensely tropical, straight up candied pineapple and the guava playing nicely to lift the other flavors beneath it all. I was a little wary as I’ve had some pretty sub-par spur IPAs before but I am SO glad I tried this. One sip and I’m instantly transported to a beach and warm water and relaxtatiin. Well done @gristhouse ! . . #craftbeer #craftnotcrap #fortheloveofbeer #beerme #beer #showusyourcans #beerbabe #beernerd #beergeek #girlswhodrinkbeer #ipa #ale #hops #sour #sourbeer #tropical #pa #pabeer#girlsincraft #craftbeercommunity #fortheloveofbeer #redlipstick #anastasiabeverlyhills #warbyparker https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxay-oKAzOi/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1i8q6gf033ybk

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cannavists · 2 years ago

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Nothing like FRESH sea food. @pbfishshop and #WhenISeaFoodIEatIt the jasmine rice was good as well as the jumbo shrimp 🍤 in garlic 🧄 sauce the onion 🧅 rings are sub par and I do not recommend them, the IPA is from Owl Farms Brewery and the mango ipa was good! #mrmauiwaui #cannavist #letOurPeopleGrow #FreedomOfSpeech #SweetIslandSativa #420 #710 #cannabis #Apparel #t_shirts #tshirts #hoodies #hoodiegang #cannabiscommunity #TheOriginal820 #growflowers #savethebees #cannavist™️ #CannaFam #ClimateChange #EarthFirst #NoWarWithUkraine #I_Stand_Wth_The_Ukraine #mmj #TheOriginal820 (at Pacific Beach Fish Shop) https://www.instagram.com/p/CidzC39P1mU/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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reportwire · 3 years ago

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Beer For Sale That Tastes Like Band-aids

A new Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins, US has released a brew called “Torched Earth” which has a foul taste resembling the flavour of band-aids. This is no accident either, the “Torched Earthed” brew is intentionally foul! Why you may ask? Well the beers foul taste is to highlight the need for companies to address climate change. In order to make the beer taste sub par they swapped fresh hops for…

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theflashisgone · 3 years ago

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I am by no means an expert, but I actually did research into the history of milk pasteurization when I was a kid, so:

It wasn't the cows' feed making the milk unsafe, it was the fact that they were being housed and milked in extremely unsanitary conditions, often as a side business of the breweries themselves, which led to a lot of fecal matter making its way into the milk, as well as noticeable amounts of pus and blood from mastitis caused by contaminated milking equipment being shared between cows without being sanitized first.

Chocolate and strawberry milk were invented as a means of concealing visible contaminants.

Sub-par milk would also have whitening agents such as chalk or plaster added to make it look better.

If the milk spoiled, boric acid might be added to neutralize the offensive smell and taste. This did nothing to kill the bacteria that made it unsafe to drink.

The rules about pasteurization were part of a larger set of regulations designed to make milk safer for consumers and they actually worked pretty well for that purpose, though there were still a lot of other threats to children's health. If I buy a container of milk from the grocery store, I absolutely don't have to worry about it containing fecal bacteria or being adulturated with non-food additives that will give me fatal diarrhea (though I do still have to worry about the fact that it's milk and I'm somewhat lactose-intolerant).

btw the reason you think unpasteurized milk is dangerous and disgusting is because in the late 1800s/early 1900s urban alcohol distilleries were literally carting their waste grain to dairy farms for the cows to eat because it was cheaper than maintaining wide acres of pasture, and the resulting “swill milk” was so toxic and full of bacteria that it caused infant mortality rates in cities to soar, prompting the federal government to mandate pasteurization for ALL commercially sold dairy products. this effectively prevented rural farmers who could not afford to (or felt, rightfully so, they didn’t need to) pasteurize their milk from entering or remaining in the no-longer-free market, thus removing raw dairy products from the general public and normalizing the practice of grain feeding dairy cattle. over the last century, knowledge and trust of raw dairy has practically evaporated and most people think it is completely normal to pasteurize dairy, and even believe that we have been doing so for centuries (we haven’t). despite modern food science confirming what people have always known, that grass-fed dairy is not a high-risk food, pasteurization laws are still in place, and selling raw milk is still illegal in most American states. the FDA performs raids on small farmers who are caught selling their milk privately to other private citizens in states where it is not legal. no, i’m not joking.

this has been a pro-raw milk, anti-big dairy, anti-FDA post. happy valentine’s day

#unsanitary tw.#dairy #the 19th century was wild #in the lack of regulatory laws sense

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wineanddinosaur · 5 years ago

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Hop Take: For National Craft Breweries Like New Belgium, Independence Is Not Sustainable

Unless you live under a beer can-shaped rock, you’ve likely heard the news that New Belgium Brewing will be acquired by Lion Little World Beverages, a subsidiary of Kirin, a Japanese brewing conglomerate.

New Belgium co-founder Kim Jordan confirmed the announcement with a letter on Tuesday, saying that Kirin’s subsidiary will acquire 100 percent of the Colorado-based craft brewery. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2019, dependent on New Belgium’s employee-owners agreeing to the sale.

Wow — New Belgium, the fourth-largest craft brewer in the US, will be sold to a Kirin subsidiary. @Brewbound reports this is the end of the brewery’s employee-owned status.https://t.co/YPnqp2hwH5

— Leah Douglas (@leahjdouglas) November 19, 2019

This marks another American craft beer pioneer that will no longer be considered “craft” under the Brewers Association definition. It’s far from the first to do so, and it certainly won’t be the last.

New Belgium’s sale reiterates the bleak reality of successful national beer brands: Success is not sustainable once you reach a certain size. New Belgium is (was) 100 percent employee-owned. It makes some of the most popular beers in the country, including Fat Tire, its Voodoo IPA series, and a stellar lineup of sour beers. It’s carefully stepping into the FMB category with its Mural Agua Fresca. And in 2018, it was the fourth-largest craft brewing company in the country, out of more than 7,000.

And still, the economics of operating at that scale are impossible to sustain without selling. This is true of many other top craft breweries, too.

I see New Belgium was bought out and #beertwitter is mad. I can’t remember the last time I even considered buying a NB beer. Large national brands aren’t exciting and the purchase is usually supply chain related.

— Surly Bearded Viking Ginger (@Wiscobeergeek) November 19, 2019

Looking at the other BA-defined craft breweries, VinePair co-founder Josh Malin cleverly pointed out how the mighty are falling, starting with the top 15 craft brewing companies of 2018:

Yuengling produces sub-par light lager, and no beer geek considers it craft.

Boston Beer Co. is thriving thanks to flavored malt beverages (FMBs) such as Truly Hard Seltzer and Twisted Tea. It recently beefed up its beer portfolio by purchasing Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in May 2019.

Sierra Nevada’s Hazy Little Thing IPA is one of the most important IPAs right now. But it took impressive engineering to turn the brewery around after two years of falling sales of its flagship Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

New Belgium sold to Kirin, one of the largest brewing companies in the world.

Duvel Moortgat, a Belgian brewery most definitely considered “big” by small(er) independent breweries in Belgium, owns Firestone Walker, Boulevard Brewing, and Brewery Ommegang in the U.S.

Gambrinus owns Shiner Beer and Truman Pils. Good for them!

Bell’s Brewery is kickin’ it, but it also pulled back distribution in Virginia and is in the midst of a dispute with a distributor there.

CANarchy, a brewery group including Oskar Blues, Cigar City, Three Weavers, Perrin, Deep Ellum, and Utah Brewers Cooperative’s Squatters Craft Beers and Wasatch Brewery, is backed by private equity firm Fireman Capital.

Stone Brewing has been ginning up press for almost two years now after suing MillerCoors in February 2018. On top of that, it shuttered its Berlin brewery, handing the keys over to BrewDog in April 2019. And its $90 million “True Craft” investment fund went by the wayside.

Deschutes laid off 10 percent of its employees last year and cancelled plans to build a new brewery in Virginia this year.

Artisanal Brewing Ventures — comprised of Victory Brewing, Southern Tier Brewing, Sixpoint Brewery, and, as of Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019, Bold Rock Cider — is another rollup.

Brooklyn Brewery took investment from Kirin to the highest possible percentage (24.5 percent) to still be considered craft/independent.

Dogfish Head sold to Boston Beer.

SweetWater Brewing took private equity money from TSG Consumer Partners.

Minhas is a mystery.

I wish I was a little bit taller I wish I was a baller I wish I was a New Belgium employee owner

— Michael Kiser (@mpkiser) November 19, 2019

The message in so many bottles is clear: Staying afloat as a national or mid-sized brewery is nearly impossible in the current market. I predict we��ll continue to see breweries like these — Sierra Nevada, Bell’s, and Deschutes are probably next — merge, sell, or take private investment to keep treading water (beer?) in years to come.

Artisanal Brewing Ventures Acquires Hard Cider/Seltzer Brand

On Wednesday, Artisanal Brewing Ventures (ABV), owner of Victory Brewing, Southern Tier Brewing, and Sixpoint Brewery, announced the acquisition of Bold Rock Cider. The cider and seltzer maker is the first non-beer partner to join the group, and the second-most popular cider brand in the U.S., according to ABV.

“Bold Rock’s portfolio is a perfect complement to ABV’s other partner breweries by bringing consumers a leading hard cider, a new hard seltzer and a line of canned cocktails,” John Coleman, CEO, Artisanal Brewing Ventures, said in a press release.

And so, another craft brewery group moves “beyond beer” to please promiscuous American palates. The future is now, people.

The article Hop Take: For National Craft Breweries Like New Belgium, Independence Is Not Sustainable appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/hop-take-new-belgium-kirin-acquisition/

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delfinamaggiousa · 5 years ago

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Hop Take: For National Craft Breweries Like New Belgium, Independence Is Not Sustainable

Unless you live under a beer can-shaped rock, you��ve likely heard the news that New Belgium Brewing will be acquired by Lion Little World Beverages, a subsidiary of Kirin, a Japanese brewing conglomerate.

Wow — New Belgium, the fourth-largest craft brewer in the US, will be sold to a Kirin subsidiary. @Brewbound reports this is the end of the brewery’s employee-owned status.https://t.co/YPnqp2hwH5

— Leah Douglas (@leahjdouglas) November 19, 2019

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

And still, the economics of operating at that scale are impossible to sustain without selling. This is true of many other top craft breweries, too.

— Surly Bearded Viking Ginger (@Wiscobeergeek) November 19, 2019

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Looking at the other BA-defined craft breweries, VinePair co-founder Josh Malin cleverly pointed out how the mighty are falling, starting with the top 15 craft brewing companies of 2018:

Yuengling produces sub-par light lager, and no beer geek considers it craft.

New Belgium sold to Kirin, one of the largest brewing companies in the world.

Duvel Moortgat, a Belgian brewery most definitely considered “big” by small(er) independent breweries in Belgium, owns Firestone Walker, Boulevard Brewing, and Brewery Ommegang in the U.S.

Gambrinus owns Shiner Beer and Truman Pils. Good for them!

Bell’s Brewery is kickin’ it, but it also pulled back distribution in Virginia and is in the midst of a dispute with a distributor there.

Deschutes laid off 10 percent of its employees last year and cancelled plans to build a new brewery in Virginia this year.

Artisanal Brewing Ventures — comprised of Victory Brewing, Southern Tier Brewing, Sixpoint Brewery, and, as of Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019, Bold Rock Cider — is another rollup.

Brooklyn Brewery took investment from Kirin to the highest possible percentage (24.5 percent) to still be considered craft/independent.

Dogfish Head sold to Boston Beer.

SweetWater Brewing took private equity money from TSG Consumer Partners.

Minhas is a mystery.

I wish I was a little bit taller I wish I was a baller I wish I was a New Belgium employee owner

— Michael Kiser (@mpkiser) November 19, 2019

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The message in so many bottles is clear: Staying afloat as a national or mid-sized brewery is nearly impossible in the current market. I predict we’ll continue to see breweries like these — Sierra Nevada, Bell’s, and Deschutes are probably next — merge, sell, or take private investment to keep treading water (beer?) in years to come.

Artisanal Brewing Ventures Acquires Hard Cider/Seltzer Brand

And so, another craft brewery group moves “beyond beer” to please promiscuous American palates. The future is now, people.

The article Hop Take: For National Craft Breweries Like New Belgium, Independence Is Not Sustainable appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/hop-take-new-belgium-kirin-acquisition/

source https://vinology1.wordpress.com/2019/11/21/hop-take-for-national-craft-breweries-like-new-belgium-independence-is-not-sustainable/

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johnboothus · 5 years ago

Text

Hop Take: For National Craft Breweries Like New Belgium Independence Is Not Sustainable

Wow — New Belgium, the fourth-largest craft brewer in the US, will be sold to a Kirin subsidiary. @Brewbound reports this is the end of the brewery’s employee-owned status.https://t.co/YPnqp2hwH5

— Leah Douglas (@leahjdouglas) November 19, 2019

And still, the economics of operating at that scale are impossible to sustain without selling. This is true of many other top craft breweries, too.

— Surly Bearded Viking Ginger (@Wiscobeergeek) November 19, 2019

Looking at the other BA-defined craft breweries, VinePair co-founder Josh Malin cleverly pointed out how the mighty are falling, starting with the top 15 craft brewing companies of 2018:

Yuengling produces sub-par light lager, and no beer geek considers it craft.

New Belgium sold to Kirin, one of the largest brewing companies in the world.

Duvel Moortgat, a Belgian brewery most definitely considered “big” by small(er) independent breweries in Belgium, owns Firestone Walker, Boulevard Brewing, and Brewery Ommegang in the U.S.

Gambrinus owns Shiner Beer and Truman Pils. Good for them!

Bell’s Brewery is kickin’ it, but it also pulled back distribution in Virginia and is in the midst of a dispute with a distributor there.

Deschutes laid off 10 percent of its employees last year and cancelled plans to build a new brewery in Virginia this year.

Artisanal Brewing Ventures — comprised of Victory Brewing, Southern Tier Brewing, Sixpoint Brewery, and, as of Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019, Bold Rock Cider — is another rollup.

Brooklyn Brewery took investment from Kirin to the highest possible percentage (24.5 percent) to still be considered craft/independent.

Dogfish Head sold to Boston Beer.

SweetWater Brewing took private equity money from TSG Consumer Partners.

Minhas is a mystery.

I wish I was a little bit taller I wish I was a baller I wish I was a New Belgium employee owner

— Michael Kiser (@mpkiser) November 19, 2019

Artisanal Brewing Ventures Acquires Hard Cider/Seltzer Brand

And so, another craft brewery group moves “beyond beer” to please promiscuous American palates. The future is now, people.

The article Hop Take: For National Craft Breweries Like New Belgium, Independence Is Not Sustainable appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/hop-take-new-belgium-kirin-acquisition/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/hop-take-for-national-craft-breweries-like-new-belgium-independence-is-not-sustainable

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norfolkrp · 8 years ago

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PROPERTY OF NORFOLK POLICE DEPARTMENT → RESIDENT FILES.

SYLVESTER MURTAUGH→ TWENTY TWO, HUMAN.

SEXUALITY: UP TO ROLEPLAYER.

OCCUPATION: BARTENDER & OWNER OF THE TWO CROWS.

ADDRESS: HARROW HOUSE, 38 ALTAIR STREET, RAVEN’S ROW.

“The doctor said all my bleeding is internal. That’s where blood is supposed to be. ”

Sylvester Murtaugh; a man who usually has a joint in one hand, and a bottle of good scotch in the other. Find him behind the bar entertaining his customers with half-stoned theories of the universe, of death and birth. Find him partying mid-week, because why not? Find him eavesdropping on conversations and conspiracies. The Two Crows is a place of liquor, drugs, and secrets -- and Sylvester Murtaugh welcomes all.

Aged sixteen, a young busboy carves his initials into the dark wood behind the bar. With every dig, with every drag, with every curled wisp and splinter, he wishes fate to grant him his uncle’s establishment. A wish fate granted five years later. Freddie Murtaugh was everything he wanted to become, and so he paid more heed to manage a bar and it’s patrons than academia. Although his grades were sub-par at best, his philosophical mind is a world of wonder and curiosity. Some suspect that this insightfulness into the world and all things come from being psychic, but no, Sylvester is very much human.

Bartending was just an art he perfected earlier than it says on his license, his teacher has no other than the uncle he looked up to. Freddie taught him how to brew his own beer, and together they started their own brewery in the basement of the bar. Their relationship transcended one of uncle and nephew or master and protege, Freddie was as good as a father to him. He taught Sylvester how to listen for people’s secrets and observe changes. The Norfolk Police Department were friends of Freddie, and in exchange for information, they overlooked the contraband behind the bar.

Aged twenty-one, his wish comes true. October. Crisp, misty, and golden. Freddie Murtaugh’s heart begins to fail him. When the mornings are light, sweet, and heavy, Freddie’s heart gives in. Sylvester inherits both the establishment and a grief that he suspects will never leave him.

It was a terrible urge, to drink every bottle and to powder his gums. And it took every bit of courage and strength not to give into it. Surrounded by it, trading in it, he proved resilient not to indulge in it. When his resolve weakened, Sylvester turned to bewitched herbal remedies to sate his self-destruction.

Freddie Murtaugh is honoured every day within the confines of the Two Crows, he conducts business just as his uncle did. Sylvester entertains, his persona bold and cheery. Sylvester listens, his ears sharp picking up the faintest of whispers. Sylvester trades, money for liquor or information for police amnesty. Sylvester knows, Norfolk isn’t quiet. It’s a place of magic, of secrets, of hunger.

He only hopes this town doesn’t eat him alive.

PERSONALITY → MBTI: ESFP | + CHEERFUL, SECRETIVE, TALKITIVE | - INCONSISTENT, DISORGANISED, IMPULSIVE

This character is currently available, and the face claim is John Boyega.

#john boyega fc #john boyega #lsrp #trc rp #new rp #open #human #canon #sylvester murtaugh

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notesfromspain · 8 years ago

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4 countries in 10 days

With our overly large bags in tow, Jenna and I headed to the airport, ready to embark on our highly anticipated adventure. Keen on getting out of Barcelona, we arrived at our gate only to be pulled aside by TSA and told we needed to pay 50 euros a piece to board the plane with our “carry on” bags. After a yelling match that ended in us reluctantly handing over the cash and sprinting to our plane that was about to leave, we were off. Not exactly on the best note, but we laughed about it once we were air born, direction Dublin. Once we arrived in Ireland we did a walking tour of Dublin, along with a tour of the Guinness Factory. We stayed in a hostel where we met a bunch of friends and all went out that night and got to experience the traditional Irish pubs. Live music, everyone singing along and dancing, everything we’d heard about Irish pubs was true, they were filled with so much energy. The following day we road tripped to the Cliffs of Moher and over to Galway, both breathtakingly beautiful places that confirmed my love for Ireland and it’s rolling green hillsides and welcoming people.

Next stop: Scotland. We touched down in Edinburgh where we were welcomed into one of the friendliest hostels yet; with helpful staff and a fun community environment, we explored the city and ate at some cozy hole-in-the-wall pubs recommended by locals. Edinburgh’s Christmas market sprawled out over the heart of city, giving way to parks and gardens painted with the remains of fall colors, topped with the skyline of the Edinburgh Castle and other ancient buildings. It was an incredible city, and I was fortunate enough to be able to spend some time with an old friend from high school in France, who’s studying at the University of Edinburgh. Having not seen her in 4 years, it put time in perspective and how fast it passes year after year. Our second day in Scotland we took a bus tour up through the Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness. Home to some of the main filming locations of Harry Potter, I was beyond ecstatic to stand where the beloved characters of all my childhood created visuals to the books that remain some of my favorites to this day. For our final day in Scotland we decided to rent a car, a cheaper option than most public transport. Driving on the opposite side of the road was terrifying. With traffic speeding at you on your left side, roundabouts that went the opposite way, and shifting gears with your left hand, I felt like everything was upside down and it was a miracle we made it there alive. It took some getting used to, but once we arrived at North Berwick, where Tantallon Castle was located on the edge of the sea, we knew it was worth it. Also known as the “Douglas Castle” these historic ruins are directly descended from my ancestors, making it a slightly eerie yet incredible visit.

Later that night we took off for the Netherlands, excited to check off country number three of the trip and spend Thanksgiving in Amsterdam. We only had about a day and a half so we packed as much as possible into the short time we had to explore. The Anne Frank House, Vondel Park, the Red Light District and the Heineken Brewery were the highlights. The rest of the time we spent wandering the twisting streets that followed various canals, all lined with bikes and strewn with boats. Thanksgiving dinner was bar food from a local pub connected to our hostel, “Durty Nellies”. We listened to live music and befriended a few other travelers and all headed out together that night.

Last but not least, we finished our travels in Switzerland. By far my favorite country to date, we were based in Zurich, but rented another car and covered as much of the country as we could in a day. Lucerne was our first stop where we planned to get breakfast, and also where we learned how incredibly expensive Switzerland is. Not our top choice of a breakfast place, but one we figured would align with our budget, we stopped in McDonalds. Nothing in there was under 17 Swiss francs (almost 20 dollars) and this turned out to be the average price for a sub-par breakfast sandwich no matter where we tried.

We continued on to Interlaken via a winding mountainous road that opened up to a view of the Swiss Alps, an incredible skyline that we stopped just to stare at. Known as the adrenaline capitol of the world, we were surrounded by sky divers, hang gliders, and every other form of high altitude sport. Farther up through the Alps we arrived at Lauterbrunnen, a town nestled in the valleys and canyons of the mountains with waterfalls pouring down the surrounding cliffs.

Our last stop was Grindelwald, a picturesque town with traditional Swiss houses scattered over the rolling hills. Located in the very heart of the Alps, the surrounding terrain was breathtaking. We followed a road up as far as we could and arrived on top of a hillside that overlooked the entire town, where we watched the sun sink behind the mountains and cast a golden glow over the tips of the trees. A moment we didn’t want to end and wouldn’t soon forget, we stayed there until darkness fell. The beginnings of Christmas began to peak out of the windows as we drove through the town in search of somewhere to eat. The surrounding snow-covered mountains that enclosed the town jutted straight up and were illuminated by the glowing lights of the streets, and I knew this place was one of the most beautiful places on earth.

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isaiahrippinus · 5 years ago

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Hop Take: For National Craft Breweries Like New Belgium, Independence Is Not Sustainable

Wow — New Belgium, the fourth-largest craft brewer in the US, will be sold to a Kirin subsidiary. @Brewbound reports this is the end of the brewery’s employee-owned status.https://t.co/YPnqp2hwH5

— Leah Douglas (@leahjdouglas) November 19, 2019

And still, the economics of operating at that scale are impossible to sustain without selling. This is true of many other top craft breweries, too.

— Surly Bearded Viking Ginger (@Wiscobeergeek) November 19, 2019

Looking at the other BA-defined craft breweries, VinePair co-founder Josh Malin cleverly pointed out how the mighty are falling, starting with the top 15 craft brewing companies of 2018:

Yuengling produces sub-par light lager, and no beer geek considers it craft.

New Belgium sold to Kirin, one of the largest brewing companies in the world.

Duvel Moortgat, a Belgian brewery most definitely considered “big” by small(er) independent breweries in Belgium, owns Firestone Walker, Boulevard Brewing, and Brewery Ommegang in the U.S.

Gambrinus owns Shiner Beer and Truman Pils. Good for them!

Bell’s Brewery is kickin’ it, but it also pulled back distribution in Virginia and is in the midst of a dispute with a distributor there.

Deschutes laid off 10 percent of its employees last year and cancelled plans to build a new brewery in Virginia this year.

Artisanal Brewing Ventures — comprised of Victory Brewing, Southern Tier Brewing, Sixpoint Brewery, and, as of Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019, Bold Rock Cider — is another rollup.

Brooklyn Brewery took investment from Kirin to the highest possible percentage (24.5 percent) to still be considered craft/independent.

Dogfish Head sold to Boston Beer.

SweetWater Brewing took private equity money from TSG Consumer Partners.

Minhas is a mystery.

I wish I was a little bit taller I wish I was a baller I wish I was a New Belgium employee owner

— Michael Kiser (@mpkiser) November 19, 2019

Artisanal Brewing Ventures Acquires Hard Cider/Seltzer Brand

And so, another craft brewery group moves “beyond beer” to please promiscuous American palates. The future is now, people.

The article Hop Take: For National Craft Breweries Like New Belgium, Independence Is Not Sustainable appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/hop-take-new-belgium-kirin-acquisition/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/189210905969

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yesborg9 · 7 years ago

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Brooklyn, NY Dec.2017

Having had a great time in New York City in January, it was definitely on our list of cities to re-visit. When we missed our flight home and had to stay an extra night we decided to stay in Brooklyn rather than Manhattan, which we also enjoyed. So this time when we booked the trip, we decided that we’d spend the majority of our vacation there, as the wife had stayed in Manhattan several times but had one spent the one night on the island.

We arrived late so we had dinner at the hotel restaurant. I had a few local beers and a cider while the wife got drunk on complimentary sparkling wine. Being a Friday night, I was curious of the Brooklyn nightlife, so we wandered around downtown looking for someplace fun. We stumbled upon a place called the Brooklyn Brewhouse, an Irish pub and restaurant with a hint of dive bar. We got to chat with a few locals that were confused as to why we as tourists chose to visit Brooklyn. I told them that the interaction I had with locals back in January convinced me that “these are my kind of people.” Unrelated to that conversation, there was a guy face down on the bar with a Corona in front of him. He was pretty much like that for the 45 minutes or so that we were there.

We had Saturday brunch at Circa Brewing, Brooklyn’s newest brewery. Their head brewer used to brew at Sixpoint and they also have a former Lakefront brewer, whom we saw sporting a Lakefront Brewery shirt and a Packers hat. The wife was very pleased with a dish called “Dutch Baby” which was similar to a German pancake, while I had an amazing ham, egg & cheese on a portuguese muffin with my sampler flight. I liked almost all of their beers after sampling all ten. My favorites were the Belgian Amber, Maple Brown, and Pumpkin Ale. I surprisingly liked their Pilsner and Rotater (hazy) IPA as well. The staff was very friendly and we even got to chat with the head brewer as he worked; they brew beer literally right behind the bar.

In all of the previous times the wife has been to NYC, she’s never been on the subway. We wanted to go to a German-style holiday market at Union Square in Manhattan, so we got on the 4 train. It was fairly easy for us to figure out after riding trains in Toronto, Vancouver, Washington D.C., Berlin, and Munich. When we got to the holiday market, we were overwhelmed by how crowded it was. Shoulder to shoulder people in narrow walkways between stands; the only way to navigate through was to work your way into the river-like flows of humanity. We didn’t last five minutes there. We walked south toward Washington Square to see the famous arch.

I knew the Comedy Cellar was nearby, which I’ve always wanted to visit, but it was not yet open. If it weren’t for the Big Ten Championship game that night, we would have been able to see some great New York stand-up comedy. Two blocks away was the famous Joe’s Pizza. We each had a slice, and sacrilegiously, we thought they were just ok. But it’s really more about the experience of waiting in line at a small pizza joint for a huge slice of fresh pizza that needs to be experienced when visiting. As we ate our slices in the park across the street, a limo pulled up and a guy got out of the back and proceeded to get in line with everyone else there. Overrated pizza? Maybe a little, but famous nonetheless.

Having already seen Dana Barrett’s condo building, the church that Stay-Puft stepped on, and the restaurant in the park from Ghostbusters, I decided I really wanted to see the Firehouse. It was a mile walk out of our way, but we found it...completely covered due to renovation. A guy from England and his daughter arrived at the corner the same time that we did, and they were just as disappointed. Heads hung low, we found the nearest subway station and rode back to Long Island.

We ended up having a small travel nightmare as the connecting train we were supposed to take in Brooklyn was down for the weekend, so we hopped on a bus which turned out to be going the wrong direction. Finally we gave up and called a Lyft, but the address of the next brewery on the island also existed in lower Manhattan, so our driver took us across both bridges for a half hour sightseeing drive instead of the short 2.5 mile drive it should have been.

We arrived at Other Half Brewing to find the place was almost as packed at the holiday market at Union Square. I was dumbfounded to see that the beer menu had 20 beers, 18 of which were IPAs or imperial IPAs. I knew right away the wife wouldn’t be happy staying there long, so I decided to have a glass of each non-IPA and then we’d leave. The “Tough Call” porter was very good, as well as the “Something To Drink When All the IPA Is Gone” helles lager.

We walked a half mile to Folksbier Brauerei, obviously specializing in German-style beers. They didn’t have flights so I had to sample 10oz of each beer. I liked all of them, especially the “Magdalena” farmhouse ale, the “Spectral Hare” witbier, and the “OBL,” an unfiltered Bavarian-style lager. We had chips and guac there, which was great, but we ordered tacos and they were sub-par. I’d have to say it’s the first time I can remember having a taco I didn’t like.

It was time for the football game, which after a long day of running all over and dealing with crowded areas, I decided to just grab a six-pack of Brooklyn Brewery Winter Lager and watch the game in our hotel room. The wife ordered take-out from a nearby Italian restaurant.

On Sunday, I barely had the desire to watch more football so rather than going to the local Packers bar as we planned, we just went back to Circa Brewing for brunch. It shouldn’t have surprised me that they had the Packers game on there, considering the brewer from Milwaukee worked there. It also surprised me how many Green Bay fans (jerseys and all) were there watching the game, however few were actually paying full attention to the game, occasionally glancing up at the TV when the touchdown replay is shown.

Seeing how I was not in a good mood after watching two lousy football games, the wife decided to abandon her plans to visit the park & conservatory and take me somewhere that would cheer me up. We took a Lyft across town to Brouwerij Lane, a small beer store with rare beers on tap. As much as this pleased me, two couples were there with infants. If you think it’s OK to bring a child to a brewery or bar, especially one that doesn’t serve food, you’re wrong. This only agitated me more when they inevitably started crying [babies don’t like bars!], even after I had two very good sours and an 11% ABV Belgian strong ale.

At this point I felt the only thing that would cheer me up would be going back to Brooklyn Brewery, as it was only a 5 minute walk away. Cheer me up, it did. It wasn’t as crowded as it was the last time I was there in January, which was nice. It was almost last call, so I quickly ordered four beers to enjoy: Black Chocolate Stout, “Post Road” Pumpkin Ale, “Funkmeiser,” and “BB R&D Golden Ale.” The stout and pumpkin ale were both great, and the Funkmeiser was an absolutely amazing sour. The golden ale was actually terrible.

Having scoped out the area on Google Maps prior to our visit, I knew there was a pizza place just around the corner so we went there for dinner. Vinnie’s Pizzeria had many exotic options, but we just stuck with traditional slices. They weren’t bad, but I was more interested in the small restaurant’s decor.

Before calling a Lyft back to the hotel, the wife wanted to stop at the coffee shop next door. Luckily, they had beer. I had a “Troublesome” sour from Off Color Brewing, and it was quite good.

I bought a large bottle of “K is for Kriek” (bourbon barrel aged sour) at Brooklyn Brewery and drank it at the hotel. This turned out to be a horrible mistake, as it was 10% ABV and I was already half in the bag. Laguardia Airport is bad enough to navigate without a hangover.

Seriously, Laguardia sucks. There is always construction going on (our Lyft driver spent several minutes complaining about it), the check-in area for Southwest is small and unorganized, the hallways are narrow, the few bathrooms they have are all located in the worst places, and there isn’t enough seating at the gates for people waiting to board. The only good thing about it is the direct flights to and from Milwaukee.

In comparison to our last trip to New York City, this trip perhaps wasn’t as fun as when we stayed in Manhattan. Possibly because then we went to nicer restaurants and visited more landmarks. We kind of slummed this trip by staying in a cheaper area, taking the subway, and visiting more hole-in-the-wall eateries. It was a nice, laid back long weekend vacation. I did sample far more beers on this trip (31). There are endless things to do in the area, so I’m sure we’ll be back again soon.

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robynbernardart · 7 years ago

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Rough Sketch

Sorry for the late post, Apparently even when you pay for wifi on the cruise ship the speed of wifi in the middle of the ocean is sub par. The idea of this is to eventually become a interactive phonographic for Michigan breweries. Each node is a geographical coordinate to a location of a brewery in Michigan. By scanning the QR code attached at each node, the idea is to open up an additional info graphic with information about that particular brewery. Think of it as almost a treasure map to find the best brews in Michigan. Now that i’m back from tour I’m super excited to be working on this fun project.

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rickhorrow · 7 years ago

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15 to watch + tech week of 82817

More change is coming to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center – and we don’t just mean the gradual approach of Fall. Tennis fans flocking to the 2017 U.S. Open, both in person and via television, can gauge whether modifications made to dampen sound under the $150 million retractable roof that debuted over Arthur Ashe last year are working, as well as witness progress on the complex’s next major project, the construction of a new 14,000 seat Louis Armstrong Stadium scheduled to open in 2018. And in July, the USTA announced that total player compensation for this year's Open will top $50 million "for the first time," with a record $3.7 million going to "each of the singles champions." The total purse will be $50.4 million, a nearly 9% "increase from last year." Not as welcome are ticket price increases for fans. While the $60 daily grounds pass remains one of the best values in sports, many already-pricey seat packages have seen a double-digit increases over 2016, such as fourth-row tickets cited by Sports Illustrated that went from $17,560 to $23,960. Like all mega events, basic principles of supply and demand reign at Flushing Meadows – especially in the “twilight years” of tennis’ reigning global ambassador Roger Federer.

StubHub Signs 8 New NCAA Properties. As the 2017-28 NCAA football season gets underway, StubHub ups its collegiate partnership roster to 50+, signing 8 new properties and renewing ten with Power 5 and mid-major conference schools. Through StubHub’s strategic partnership integration with industry-leader Paciolan, season ticket holders for the following eight schools will access StubHub as the athletic programs’ official ticket marketplace: University of Washington, University of Pennsylvania, Tulane University, Northwestern University, University of Cincinnati, University of Houston, University of Memphis, and University of Tulsa. Among renewed schools are University of Alabama, University of Georgia, University of Oklahoma, Florida State University, and University of Pittsburgh. Together, StubHub and Paciolan offer partners proprietary ticketing integration technology that provides buyers and sellers an intuitive, industry-leading ticketing experience. They also provide a wealth of analytics from StubHub’s 16+ years of operation for every partner – by far the most robust in the industry. Coupled with the ever-growing appetite for properties to better understand its consumer by leaning on StubHub’s breadth and depth of data, the long list of these new and renewed deals is a signal that the StubHub-Paciolan partnership is something that no one else can offer in the ever-competitive, ever-changing collegiate market.

The Indy Women in Tech Championship presented by Guggenheim has announced an upgraded food experience during event week. byte @ THE #IWiTCHAMP will take place September 8-9 onsite at the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Said Harry Hardy, Tournament Director, “byte will highlight some of the best restaurants, chefs, and breweries Central Indiana has to offer.” byte @ THE #IWiTCHAMP is one of several ancillary events furthering the tournament mission by providing exposure and funds for initiatives focusing on women in tech and youth STEM and robotics programs. As such, byte will showcase compelling stories of diversity and highlight female chefs, restaurateurs, and brewers. “Indy’s culinary scene, which has attracted national attention over the past few years, is ripe for hosting a food experience that highlights the achievements of our women-owned restaurants and chefs,” said Lauren Petersen, Director of Events and Community Engagement at TechPoint and chair of the IWiT Championship Ancillary Events Committee. One notable byte participant is Sabrina Richards, a 13 year-old local chef, who has been featured on Rachael Ray’s Kids Cookoff, Disney’s Food and Wine Festival and local Indy events. The IWiT Championship will activate diverse corners of America’s tech ecosystem, while highlighting Indianapolis’ vibrant food scene and supporting exceptional women entrepreneurs, chefs, brewers, and more.

Upon the club’s October 16 season opening, Augusta National Golf Club Chairman Billy Payne will step down from his longtime leadership position. According to the Augusta Chronicle, current Masters Tournament Competition Committee Chair Fred Ridley is set to replace Payne, who served as chairman for 11 years. Payne’s legacy will be a terrific one: as the sixth chairman of Augusta National, he invited the first women to join the club, “vastly increased” the Master’s digital presence, and transformed the Augusta grounds “with an aggressive program that included improvements in parking, on-course amenities, hospitality and even how patrons arrived at the course.” In 2007 alone, Payne helped land a new Masters TV contract with ESPN and added Mercedes-Benz and Rolex as the Master’s first two global sponsors. Going forward, Augusta National Golf Club now “has a bigger voice in the game’s issues and seems to operate with more autonomy,” setting up Fred Ridley for success. Through his stewardship, Payne achieved a rare balance: he held fast to the heritage of the club while looking beyond Magnolia Lane to see how the Masters could wield influence around the world for more than just one week each year.

With college football season mere days away, the country is gearing up for the Chik-Fil-A Kickoff games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Two marquee games – to be held on Saturday, September 2, and Monday, September 4, respectively – will feature the Alabama Crimson Tide against the Florida State Seminoles and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets against the Tennessee Volunteers. Last year, the NFL was plagued with sub-par viewership numbers from season start-to-finish, but NCAA football churned out more impressive numbers. According to Sports Illustrated, last year’s Week 1 in CFB had viewership up 22% from the previous year, and that positive trend continued for weeks. With Week 1 this year promising to feature some thrilling contests, the NCAA expects this trend to continue. On the other hand, overall CFB crowds did slightly decrease last year for the sixth consecutive year. The decrease was small, so the NCAA hopes to buck this trend starting next week.

Protesters recently gathered at the NFL’s HQ to support free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick. According to USA Today, The United We Stand Rally Coalition organized the gathering. Protesters were heard shouting “Boycott, Boycott” and “Stand with Kaep, Stand with Kaep” in front of the building. Rally organizers requested a meeting with NFL officials to “discuss potential policy changes and methods to support and protect players who are socially active.” The organizers further noted that if they are not granted a meeting by September 7, they will boycott the NFL “and singled out Verizon as a league sponsor, urging those in attendance to potentially change their service provider to competitors.” The NAACP also requested a meeting with the NFL to discuss the current handling of the Colin Kaepernick situation. While these meetings might be productive, Commissioner Roger Goodell is not the person who would sign Kaepernick to a contract – a team owner would. While including Verizon in the protest may improve short-term leverage, long term NFL policy change will need to come from within, and earn the 32 owners’ support.

Barely a year after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, the Brazilian government is stuck at another roadblock. According to Bloomberg, the Brazilian government is trying yet again to sell Olympic Park after a failed attempt last year. The government is pushing forward with its Investment Partnership Program (PPI), which includes “multi-sport arena 1, 2, and 3, the velodrome, the tennis center and the car park.” The government is aiming to finish the sale “by the end of next year,” relieving itself of the significant maintenance costs the facilities incur. So far this year, the government has paid $14.2 million to maintain Olympic Park, though the facilities are mostly abandoned, damaged, and breaking down. A fire recently destroyed part of the velodrome roof, meaning a potential buyer would have to spend money to fix the facility despite it only being a year old. The Rio Games will end up being the latest cautionary tale for cities vying for Olympic hosting honors, in line behind Montreal, Athens, Sochi, and others.

Even with the Chargers leaving, San Diego State University is still in the hunt for a new stadium. According to SportsBusiness Journal, SDSU AD John David Wicker confirmed that the university is working with the city to find a potential stadium site near campus. As of now, Mission Valley remains the most promising area in which to build. With the Chargers in Los Angeles, the Aztecs are now the main tenants of Qualcomm Stadium, although facility officials recently announced that the stadium will be closing its gates for good on December 31, 2018. This does not change SDSU’s plan to land a new stadium, though it does put a hard deadline on the date they need to move out. One of the main reasons that the Chargers left San Diego was their inability to work with the city to build a new stadium. But unlike a professional sports team, a university cannot just uproot and move. Since no other existing facility in the region satisfies SDSU’s stadium needs, a new solution needs to be reached pronto.

Despite officials claiming recently that the roof at Mercedes-Benz Stadium would be ready for opening day, problems ensue. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the sunflower-shaped roof has required “more money, time, steel and stress than anyone involved expected.” The roof is still not ready to open completely and properly, meaning all games and events will have to be run under a closed stadium roof for now. Over the past few months, Atlanta Falcons officials have listed multiple dates when they expect the roof to be ready to operate; now they say that they do not “know exactly when they’ll be able to open the roof for a game.” Architectural firm HOK, which won the $35 million assignment, is responsible for the roof design and implementation. Firm Senior Vice President Bill Johnson said that the difficulties “had a lot to do with the fact that this roof [design] has never been done before.” Innovation always breeds risk, and while the Mercedes-Benz roof design was heavily vetted, simulated, and tested, real world conditions can never be duplicated 100%. Expensive lessons learned.

In wake of the Manchester Arena attack and other acts of terrorism across Europe these past few months, English Premier League clubs have started to consult with counter-terrorism police. According to the London Daily Mail, EPL clubs have started to worry more that their stadiums will be targeted by terrorists, prompting them to take proactive steps to stop this from happening. Manchester United was the first club to employ a counter-terrorism chief, but others are now following that club’s footsteps. Recently, “a summit was held with every top-flight head of safety and security” in attendance to ensure safety at all matches this season. The counter-terrorism experts not only spoke about what preventative safety measures to take, but also what to do in the event of a terrorist attack during a game. In Manchester and across the country, “rings of steel have been put in place around a number of top-flight grounds including Old Trafford and the Etihad.” While it’s numbingly sad that such measures have to be taken, “better safe than sorry” has never taken on such importance. One more life lost to terrorism is one too many.

Athletes such as LeBron James have openly condemned President Trump and the events in Charlottesville, Virginia. But Buffalo Bills wide receiver Anquan Boldin has taken his disapproval one step further. According to the AP, Boldin has decided to hang up his cleats and pads and retire in wake of the Charlottesville conflict. The 14-year veteran was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2015, and this act only exemplifies how worthy he is of the award. “There’s not enough money in this world for me to continue to allow the things that are going on to continue to spread,” said Boldin. “Anybody with any sense can see how divided we are as a country, and Charlottesville only magnified what we were already seeing.” Boldin further stated that not only players need to use their platform to speak out against social injustices, but coaches, GMs, and owners need to use their status to push for change. While there’s not a straight line between Charlottesville and Boldin’s decision to step down, he act may inspire many more high-profile athletes to speak out, and take specific, concerted action to correct social injustice and affect needed change.

The San Francisco 49ers have one of the nicest, newest stadiums in the NFL, but it just doesn’t feel like “home.” According to the Sacramento Bee, the 49ers have made a number of aesthetic changes to Levi’s Stadium this past offseason in response to critiques that the venue was “too bland and didn’t have enough of a home-stadium feel.” The four-year-old stadium got a touchup with the addition of 100 portraits and banners, a new “ring of honor” atop its suite tower, and “splashes of gold.” The “ring of honor” features jerseys that belonged to 49ers legends, such as Steve Young’s No. 8. 49ers President Al Guido said, “A lot of people kept saying, ‘You know, we need to add some gold into the building. It feels like it was red and white. And we’re not the Arizona Cardinals. We’re the San Francisco 49ers – so where’s all the gold?’” Sounds like the Niners and Levi’s Stadium officials added the gold so they wouldn’t be panned….

One might think that adding an all-star to your lineup would boost ticket sales. That is not the case in Oklahoma City. According to the Oklahoman, the addition of Paul George has hardly boosted the NBA Thunder’s ticket sales, but the team is not concerned. The Thunder have maintained such a high level of popularity over the years that there was little “inventory available to sell or to market” upon George’s arrival. For the last seven seasons, the “Thunder have had a season-ticket renewal rate between 94-96%,” despite losing stars Kevin Durant and James Harden. Sources close to the team noted that while ticket sales might not reflect the impact George has had on the team and market, a better indicator will be merchandise sales and TV ratings. “We’ve seen a lot of demand for Paul George T-shirts…but sometime around training camp or so we’ll be able to show what the last two or three months have looked like and the impact,” said Thunder Senior VP Brian Byrnes. Lack of ticket inventory is always a sneakily good problem for a team to have – and the Thunder are clearly well-positioned for success on and off the court this season.

In wake of the blockbuster move between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics to trade Kyrie Irving for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the Brooklyn Nets’ first-round pick, 2K Sports is left scrambling. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, less than a month before NBA 2K18 is set to hit the stores, cover athlete Kyrie Irving has been traded. Irving is set to be featured on the cover in a white Cavs jersey shooting a reverse layup. 2K Sports has not yet commented on whether or not it will try to remove Irving from the cover; “it is possible the game is too far into production to change things.” The gaming agency has never faced this problem before – “never had a cover athlete traded before the season even starts.” Acknowledging the situation, the NBA2K Twitter accounted tweeted a link to the cover with the caption, “Whoops.” While “Whoops” is a clever start, what 2K Sports really needs is some new art.

Expanding its portfolio yet again, Manchester City’s parent company, City Football Group, has made another club acquisition. According to the London Guardian, City Football Group purchased a major stake in La Liga side Girona. The 44.3% share the company bought in Girona equates to the share that Girona Football Group owns, “the agency owned by Man City Manager Pep Guardiola’s brother Pere.” After being promoted to La Liga last season, Girona is playing in Spain’s top flight for the first time in the club’s 87-year history. Negotiations for the takeover were said to have begun last year, with City Football Group citing the Catalan club’s “on- and off-field potential, together with a positive academy track record” playing a major role in validating the purchase. City Football Group now has stakes in Manchester City, Girona, MLS club New York City FC, Australian club Melbourne City FC, Japanese club Yokohama F. Marinos, and Uruguayan Club Atletico Torque. Five continents down. Only Africa and Antarctica to go.

Top Sports Tech

On Saturday night, Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor competed in one of the most highly-anticipated boxing in the last decade. Both athletes use social media extensively to build their public brand, but the days leading up to the fight saw a large spike in mentions and other interactivity on many social media platforms. Although Twitter was the site where they made most of their posts and headlines, another form of social media changed the way the fight was viewed by thousands of people. The two most controversial social media platforms became Periscope and Facebook, which some fight viewers used to live-stream the bout for thousands of others to see for free. As a result, many viewers did not need any type of livestream link to watch. All they needed was someone on Facebook to share the live stream from another person, or for someone to do the same on Periscope. Once word spread via Facebook and Twitter, the secret was out and thousands were able to watch a version of the fight for free. How many people? During the 10th and final round, one Facebook Live stream had over 310,000 people watching at once. Periscope became a trending topic on Twitter as the fight raged on, as more and more people turned to the livestream site to be able to view the fight. Before the fight took place, Showtime tried to curb any illegal live streams by obtaining a preliminary injunction from a federal court in California. It could take months for Showtime to succeed in any sort of legal action to prevent this from happening in the future. As for now, the people who took advantage of free live streaming can revel in their victory.

Riddell Sports has created a new "Speed Flex" helmet that could change the way the public views the danger of playing football today. In the past few years, a bevy of research has been conducted implicating playing football with severe head trauma. This head trauma has taken the name of CTE, short for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. CTE has tilted public opinion and youth players away from football. As parents look to keep their children safe from lasting negative effects, youth sport participation numbers have increased in both baseball and basketball in the last three years. In Nebraska, Omaha public school football players will be equipped with the high-tech helmets in order to better protect players during their games. The helmet has built in sensors that detect exactly how hard each player gets hit, and will alert the training staff during an especially hard hit that causes concern. OPS supervisor of athletics Steve Eubanks had this to say of the implementation of the new helmets: "We really have one shot to get this right, so we're taking our time.” If the use of Speed Flex helmets works in Omaha public schools, we could see a change in the way the public views the safety of football. Only time will tell if this new technology could help save football in the long run.

Aaron Gordon is known for his elite athleticism and dunking ability on the basketball court. The 2016 NBA Sprite Slam Dunk Contest runner-up, Gordon's brand shot up after a breakthrough showcase of his leaping ability and creativity. As Gordon nears his fourth NBA season, he is in line to receive a massive payday through restricted free-agency next summer. Now, Gordon is helping develop a mental-training application to help athletes better prepare for competition in other ways than physical training. Gordon is known to meditate before games on his phone, using the in-development application before its release sometime in the next year. “There's a lot of things you can meditate before the game so when you get to the game, you feel like you've already played,” Gordon said. “You feel like you've already won.” In the NBA, players are pushed to physical limits as far as any athlete in the world. Combine that with the pressure these players face from the intricacy of the game, and it seems that an application to help hone mental skills along with physical skills may be a new league essential.

In Major League Baseball, there is no greater challenge than consistently hitting off of elite pitching. Teams are always looking for new ways to gain a competitive advantage, and virtual reality may be the frontier for professional baseball position players. The Arizona Diamondbacks are expected to adopt VR technology to help prepare their players better for the tall task of hitting major league pitching. The Diamondbacks would join the Tampa Bay Rays as the only MLB teams to use VR in game preparation. On the SportTechie Podcast, Arizona Diamondbacks President and CEO Derrick Hall said, “I think it’s going to become a big part of the preparation for each team as well. I think we’re going to start seeing the installation of virtual reality downstairs in the clubhouses or in areas where you do have space available, so they can go in and prepare for [pitchers].” It is clear that along with the increased, and basically mandatory, use of sabermetrics and advanced statistics in MLB, teams are continuing to look to data and technology to help their team gain an advantage. In the next few years, we could see the number of MLB teams using VR to train their players spike from just two today to over a dozen.

Sport’s Illustrated Play mobile application, also known as the Play App, is expanding to include an all in one application for youth sports teams, players, and coaches. On the app, coaches can set schedules, rosters, and communicate about various topics with players and parents. In the past, SI Play was only available to certain leagues. Today, SI Play is available to any coach or administrator looking to organize information for their youth sports league. Said SI Play CEO Jeff Karp, “Previously, software to build a website, register your team, navigate payments, help with scheduling, store photos and videos, was disparate. With SI Play, which is really unique, what we’re offering is the technology that combines that, and with the SI Play app, it essentially comes to a mobile-first environment…Now, we can see youth coaches and leagues change for the better in the coming year. This application will help players earn the same amount of playing time, leaving parents and coaches happy alike. Time will tell just how far-reaching the Play App will take youth leagues across the country.

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mktgdesign · 8 years ago

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Feed your soul with unexpected discoveries: the uncharted makes Movement a monumental and historic event time and time again.

The banter started months ago; if not half a year. It began trying to decide on the appropriate accommodations for Movement 2017. I felt like a bride trying to wrangle my bridesmaids into making decisions for my bachelorette party. Which, in fact, I did have to do for my actual bachelor party for Movement/DEMF weekend a few years back. A very similar set of assholes were also in attendance (they would agree, trust me).

From there we traversed many group text message tangents over the course of the next few months. Most ranged within simple reflections of earlier times: long lost parties from late 90’s Detroit, memorable sets and djs, how a reclusive artist ends up in the national news for ordering a TV online and receiving a rifle instead, even a few scanned rave photos cracking daylight for the first time in years.

Some flirted with darker realms. Anywhere from accusations of man-crushing Richie Hawtin, to inviting each other to a 90s party of has-been djs, to crude innuendos involving Sarah Palin and throwing Kogel Viennas down the Windsor Tunnel. And that was the nice stuff.

A host of other rude comments and opinions flooded our cellular networks for weeks. It was not uncommon to leave the office to 187 messages awaiting your amusement. It gave you a chance to catch up on the last 4 hours of general mockery and drop a few one-liners to show you having lost your touch. These things may bring a lesser group of friends past fighting-words. And at the very least would leave at least one member in tears at night. Usually from uncontrollable laughter, but quite possible from actual deep, root-infested hurt.

Needless to say a group of five ol’ school, dedicated house and techno heads were once again ready to take Detroit head-on for Movement weekend.

Friday: A Little Techno History

The first stop once we arrived in Detroit was Atwater brewery. Atwater makes a few of my favorite beers. We wanted to stop for a few drinks while awaiting more peeps to come through. Unfortunately they were playing the worst pop music station imaginable. Two drinks were all we could handle. Unacceptable for Movement weekend in Detroit.

After sliding by the hotel to pick up another member of the crew it was time for some long overdue lunch. Off to Mudgies corner deli in Corktown for some of the best sandwiches in the country. I was ecstatic Submerge had open hours for the entire weekend. We decided to hop there Friday before the festivities got into full effect (and the wax got picked over).

This was my first time shopping at Submerge and it was exactly what I expected. Upon stepping out of the car we were immediately greeted with Kenny Dixon Jr.’s “Prince house.” A big red brick home complete with wide open windows to let long, purple sheets free-flow in the wind–granting the the funk and soul music to pour out onto the street.

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Once inside Submerge we headed downstairs to peep the records in stock. To the left there was a quick pop-up shop more dedicated to soul, funk, and Detroit house. In the main room to the right was Detroit techno of all kinds. Classic cuts, new releases from Detroit labels, some imports and used obscure EPs. They had four listening stations setup and a majority of UR crew on hand to assist. I picked up some classic cuts from Transmat, Metroplex, a few newer Planet E releases, and even a couple used original Nine Inch Nails singles.

Before walking out with our bags of wax we hit the Techno museum on the ground floor. The room was full of display cases with everything from the classic Roland drum machines that helped kick-start the Detroit sound to releases that put the city on the map. The ceiling was lined with artist passes from years of UR events across the globe and on the back wall was a small enclosed studio.

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After stocking up at Submerge we headed to Greektown Hotel to settle in and await the remainder of the crew to arrive. Before our opening Movement party we needed a good meal. We hit Selden Standard for some amazing small plates. We headed to the Smartbar Movement Opening Party & BBQ at TV Lounge for the night. Delano Smith in the main outdoor area was killin’ it. Such a smooth and groovy set; great mixes and fire tracks. The highlight of the night for me. The other stand out set was Jason Kendig during his b2b with Derek Plaslaiko; rocking it from the alley stage. Everyone was in a great mood and sharing positive vibes throughout the night. Close to each stage was pretty packed but there was plenty of room to walk from room to room. There was enough space to dance and conversate. TV Lounge is always a safe bet to start a festival weekend and it did not disappoint.

“Detroit Michigan. If you ain’t ready to party, take your bitch ass home. T-Shirts!”

Saturday

On the way to the festival Saturday afternoon a street vendor shouted a line that defined the now Mantra for Movement weekend, Detroit Hustles Harder. “Detroit Michigan. If you ain’t ready to party, take your bitch ass home. T-Shirts!”

Once inside we first caught a bit of Alton Miller‘s set on the Made In Detroit Stage. He was playing those soulful vocal tracks that hit. A few mixes were sub-par but a fun set to start the festival. We hit Matrixxman at the Underground Stage next. They kept the Underground Stage setup the same as last year, which sounded the best in years. The sound was still great this year, but wow, it was already aggressively loud. Not even in the pit the bass was thunderous, earplugs were definitely necessary.

We headed to Luke Hess on the Main Stage to support and represent. What a good set. Early on there was a noticeable, consistent clicking coming from the right stack. But Paxahau staff was on it and remedy a quick fix. Josh Wink, up next after Hess, was to Luke’s right cheering him on and having a great time. I always feel like a bit of a tool holding out my phone for a quick photo or video. But after seeing Wink whip out his phone for some photos of the crowd, I though… yeah it’s acceptable.

We popped over to the Redbull Music Academy Stage to catch the tail end of John Arnold‘s (live) set just to head back to finish off with Hess. We headed back to the Underground to catch Rrose (live). His live set from Movement 2013 was amazing. His music is on the more spacial, heady, and surreal side of techno the sound was still crazy loud. We found a spot to the right of the stage that had the most agreeable sound.

After Rrose it was off to one of our favorite stages for every Movement weekend–the Stargate Stage to see Octave One (live). Octave One was great as always, but we could not miss our chance to see Larry Heard, a king of house, live. Heard had a live vocalist on stage with him while also layering his own vocals on top for choruses. His set was honestly a little tough to get into at first. I assumed it may be as it was not quite party-mode enough for 7pm open day. I didn’t stick around for the entire set but I heard by the end he brought his A-game to Detroit.

Next I caught a bit of Nicole Moudaber on the Main Stage from VIP. I was also very much looking forward to seeing Ben Klock (as always). He’s an amazing Dj to which I have never seen a bad set. Always quality, always on point. I was excited because the last two times he played at Movement he was at the Underground and now we got to see him outside at the Pyramid Stage. Well, we tried our best. We made our way to a decent spot on the floor but there was a steady stream of people flowing both in and out of the stage area. It was to much to bare. We tried several spots and half the group ventured to the VIP stage atop the pyramid structure. This newly added section was also overflowing and lacked good sound for the set. Earlier in the day the Pyramid Stage sounded great from the Beirgarden. We decided to have a bit of a rest, grab a few drinks, and see how Klock sounded from the garden. Out of luck again. The sound was not as full as earlier and was now competing with the Main Stage. Good thing I’ve seen Klock many times.

Next I made my way to the Main Stage to secure a good spot for The Belleville Three.

Titans of Techno: The Belleville Three & Richie Hawtin

Having seen each of The Belleville Three perform solo numerous times over the years I’ve grown accustom to their unique style, music, and stage presence. I wasn’t sure what to expect having all three of these influential figures on the stage performing together as one. The group had attempted a similar outing back in 2010 at Amsterdam’s Awakenings Festival to which they deemed a disaster. Taking that as a lesson they premiered the new project at Coachella this year to critical acclaim. It was now time for these three to bring it back home and show the hardcore techno fans of Movement what they had in store.

The set began with a dark, lush, and ominous soundscape backdropped by nothing more than a visual of three triangles joined together as one, pulsating on a black background. These three triangles represent each figure from The Belleville Three and together form their official logo. Kevin Saunderson positioned in the middle, Juan Aktins to his right, and Derrick May to his left.

The intro resonated the presence of Juan Atkins, the Originator. The ambient sounds built into minimal Detroit techno as the screen visuals progressed in tandem. A simple vocal repeating “Detroit” layered over the haunting sounds while the visuals projected images of the industries that built the city. Inversed black and white videos crisscrossed the Detroit skyline, the very scenery we were witnessing live. This imagery gave a glimpse into the apocalyptic conditions of late 1970’s Detroit that helped fuel the creative ambitions to conceive what we now know as techno.

The set morphed into the juxtaposition of the soulful sound Detroit became known for and the dark, pounding minimal Atkins provided. As each new track was added you could feel who’s selection it was. Each member bringing their unique styles together as one and playing upon their strengths on stage. The performance was planned to sound very much like each individual was playing their own set, yet glued together as one cohesive piece. Aktins presumably played live. Saunderson, the hulking figure in the middle, controlled the main mixing board as he cut in tracks and used effects for the break-downs. May flipped through vinyl as he added tracks to both a turntable and a CDJ, working the mixer by chopping the crossfader and track faders and manipulating the EQ’s like no one else can. The group ripped through a myriad of songs during the performance. Everything from their own hits to music that inspired them (Afrika Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock”) fused with 2nd and 3rd wave Detroit artists their music helped inspire (Jeff Mills’ “The Bells”).

The Belleville Three did a beautiful job crafting the peaks and valleys that make for an unexpected and energetic set. The meshing of these three solitary styles and egos worked remarkably well on stage. As expected with three strong and creative individuals each working on the same timeline, the performance was not without the occasional hiccup. Tracks would go slightly off-beat or out of phase. At times Atkins or May would peer over to Saunderson for a visual confirmation, but the three always ventured forward moving the crowd in-sync. These longtime friends who always pushed each other creatively over the years, and not without a healthy dose of personal competition, forged their own paths into the music industry. Each creating and managing their own labels and careers. But tonight, for this performance, after all the years of success and failures, ups and downs, and the countless electronic acts who have also found success in the wake of their own, the Belleville Three came full circle, bringing old fans and new fans alike under one banner.

Arguably the most well known artist that emerged from the earlier Detroit scene was next up on the Main Stage. Richie Hawtin brought his new “CLOSE” concept to Movement 2017. As did The Belleville Three, Richie also debuted this new performance at Coachella. He was now primed to rock the audience here in Detroit. Rich has always been at the cutting edge of Dj performance technology. He is one of the best at matching tracks to mix, has a great stage presence, and he knows it takes more than just talent on the decks to be the best… it takes inventive marketing genius.

CLOSE is Richie Hawtin’s attempt to remove some of the shrouded mystique behind Djing (but while also adding back in some amaze and bewilderment). Nearly all electronic artists perform from behind a console outfitted with a mixer, a computer, and either turntables or CDJs. The gear, while necessary, also serves to separate DJs from their crowds. Hawtin wanted to remove this barrier and bring the crowd closer to what we was doing while on stage. The result is a stage setup that removes the wall in front of him and instead splits his gear between two tables angled towards the crowd. This gives amble space to view the entire body of the performer, not just a head and torso.

The performance doesn’t end with opening up the Dj physically to the crowd. Hawtin performs his improvised mix while cameras directed at him create abstract representations of his mixing and controlling in real time. In effect showing his fans exactly what it takes for him to mix up to four tracks and samples at a time while also layering in multiple effects. These visuals are amplified by sets of lighting across the stage synchronized to his beats. The lighting stared as simple yellow globes pulsating on the pitch black stage. Until all at once waves of lights blast across the stage emerging the crowd from the depths of anticipation.

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The visuals continue to grow and interact with the music, blurring the lines between electronic artist and performance art. Deep reds are projected upon the massive screen behind while blinding lights shine directly behind Hawtin as he reaches across both tables to his side, flipping back and forth between his gear. The lighting seems to lift the man, elevating his on-stage persona to almost godly, unattainable heights. Rich has always been a master at constructing the dramatic within his sets. Using effects during extended breakdowns followed by massive drops and powerful beats. The introduction of digital djing, and the unlimited possibilities to loop samples and create on-the-fly remixes, has allowed electronic artists to concoct a perfectly timed tension and release that makes for dazzling mixes. Richie has now harmonized this sonic technology with the visual artistry rock bands have been using on stage for some time.

One thing I can say about Richie’s sets is they can at times become predictable. Every few minutes or so I expect a break with his unique mash of effects culminating into an immense drop that drives the crows wild. It still gets me, I admit, but without everything else this new concept has to offer, I want to ensure the music still surprises me. Which is one thing I’ll give to The Belleville Three performance. Even though I’ve heard most of the tracks they played for years, I could never confirm exactly how the mixes would play out. The reverse seemed to be true for Hawtin’s sets. I rarely recognized the tracks, except for his signature Plastikman samples and effects, but I almost always knew how the mix would play out.

The crew and I do like to clown on Rich fans as they’ve gushed over him and his various accomplishments throughout the years. But that’s only because we’ve been with him from the start. There was a period within his CLOSE set which festival goers were throwing glow sticks from high elevated areas of the stage down into the pit. Which propelled those fans to throw them again and lead to numerous plastic glowing projectiles shooting across all manners of the crowd. This isn’t Woodstock kids (I know, I was there in 1999 too). Enjoy the music. Respect your neighbors. If they only knew how Rich used to ban glow sticks and flashy raver toys from his early parties and instead paid homage to the dark entombed warehouse vibe with either a single strobe or one color bay of lights. And of course with absolutely no smoke machine.

I agree what used to work best for the dank basement clubs and abandoned warehouses of the 1990’s does not transfer well to the festival space in 2017. Hawtin has transformed his music and his performances many times over the years, usually leading the trends and at times inventing them. It seems like all his years as a live performer, electronic artist, and Dj may have led up to this point. I applaud him for moving that needle once again.

The first day of Movement 2017 was a success. There was almost to many acts to see to close out the night. I was disappointed not to catch Function (live) or Robert Hood (live). I’ve seen both of these sets before and no one can foretell when or if I could see The Belleville Three or Richie Hawtin CLOSE again.

Tresor in Detroit, Once Again.

After such an amazing ending to the first (official) day of the festival it would be challenging to top. Topping one performance is not always the hope for the next. Like any great mix you must invite the ebb and flow of the day and night, from set to set, to guide your experience. The Tresor after party was actually the only thing we planned before the festival besides Movement itself. We had a great time last year and I love the Tangent for events.

Claude Young was on in the side room when we arrived and Silent Servant was in the main room. Claude was putting down a good mix with classic industrial influences such as Nitzer Ebb, Depeche Mode, and lots of good electro. I love that music and these have been huge influences of mine as well, but it wasn’t what I was looking for at the time. I kept waiting for him to break into those groovy, banging house and techno tracks he played lasted year at Tresor. He did break out some of his mixing and turntable skills, such as his signature cross-fade with the nose trick, but a Movement after party should keep the party going right off the bat, not ease into it.

There was a surprise guest coming on at 4am and I saw Function in the building. Given I had missed his set earlier in the night and heard it was great (as always) I was crossing my fingers. Civil Defense Programme (live), Roger Semsroth’s (aka Sleeparchive) experimental noise project, was coming on in the main room and Thomas Fehlmann + Terrence Dixon (live) was taking over the side room.

Civil Defense Programme was way too heavy, and well, noisy, for my attention at this time in the morning. Terrence Dixon was in fact some of the reasoning behind us choosing Tresor for the night. Earlier in the week I was geeked to find a Terrence Dixon set on Slam’s podcast.

“What a great way to get me pumped for his set Saturday night,” I thought. Unfortunately the podcast was quite boring. It had a 38 minute intro for a 53 minute set and didn’t pick up much after that. Needless to say the set Saturday night at Tresor wasn’t much of a difference, even standing there live. I’ll also note that the sound, the low-end particularly, in the side room was a bit underwhelming. When a name like Tresor comes to town for a single night you bring your A-game on all accounts. During Movement weekend no less. Not to mention just days after developer Fernando Palazuelo broke ground at the legendary Packard Plant where Tresor boss Dimitri Hegemann vows to construct a new club in Detroit.

Finally! Someone brings the fucking heat to the floor.

Christina Sealey, one half of the duo that form Orphx, was next up in the main room bringing a hybrid live / Dj set. Finally! Someone brings the fucking heat to the floor. It was an inventive set of broken beat techno, interesting tracks, and low-end heaters. Up next in the main room was the surprise guest. No, it was not Function (though he was billed as the surprise guest for No Way Back at Tangent Monday night); it was Dj Deep. I had never heard Dj Deep before and didn’t realize he played the festival earlier in the day. I wasn’t sure what to expect but he as well brought a quality set. He started out with some more house to techhouse tunes for a few mixes then dropped the heat for the rest of his set.

We spent a fair amount of the party traversing from room to room, outside in the back area, and also out in front. During one of our longer stints out back we noticed a small team setting up a tent. We got wind that Dan Bell would also be appearing for a surprise Dj set outside! Great news and completely unexpected at a Tresor after hours. We stuck around to watch the sunrise during the smooth and funky grooves Mr. Dan Bell brings to the decks so well.

The end to a very solid opening day for Movement 2017.

Sunday

Sunday started how Sundays in Detroit usually start–at the Grand Trunk Pub for $2 Bloody Mary refills. The Lobster and Spinach Benny hit the spot and three bloody’s took the edge off. Most of the crew wasn’t quite yet ready to face the day. We contemplated hitting the Resolute day party to keep the Dan Bell vibe going, but I decided to head down to the festival solo.

This day was mostly filled with acts playing the Underground Stage and the first one I caught was Orphx (live). The bass and volume seemed to be toned down just a bit at the Underground Stage today (which was a good thing). Orphx and their rare form of live improvised industrial-techno sounded great. I caught them a few years back, also in the Underground, and the set was good, but the sound that day in the Underground did not do it justice. I was pleased this year.

The weather decided to start not cooperating Sunday afternoon. First a bit of rain, then tapering back to just a sprinkle. I was trying to get everyone down to the festival before it got too objectionable, but then the real rain reared it’s ugly head. I wasn’t planning to see Ryan Elliott this year. Last time I saw him at Movement his set was just ok. This year he brought some serious sounds. I was very much hoping to see Audion (live) on the Stargate Stage. Mathew Dear is always a solid choice and after hearing his new release “Starfucker” on Hot Creation just the night before I was ready.

I hate to be a fair-weather raver, but shit… I didn’t bring any rain gear and didn’t feel like walking around in wet clothes the rest of the day. It’s a good thing Ryan was bringing a proper set. I decided to stick around and stay dry. Unfortunately so did a bout half of everyone in Hart Plaza. I’ve never seen it so packed in the underground at that time of day. I had to squeeze my way through the crowd and find a spot way off in a corner just to breathe.

Towards the end of his set the sunshine started too peek out once again. Which was perfect as I wanted to get a decent spot to catch Sleeparchive (live). I’ve heard plenty of live sets from Sleeparchive and own plenty of his tracks but never the chance to see him live. The set was exactly what I was expecting. His signature sound of hard, dark, and uncompromising techno channels earlier works from Regis and his Downwards imprint. There were very few breaks in the menacing bass. Which seemed to scare most of the crowd out of hiding in the underground and out to sunnier pastures. These sounds have been a part of my techno DNA for decades and they still have their place and time. I will admit as my interests and tastes flow through the years and the seasons this style of techno just isn’t what I’m seeking at this particular place in time.

I needed a break from the underground and the crew was finally making it through the gates. I opted for a rest in the open air and a chance to re-connect with friends. We first popped by Cajmere at the Stargate Stage to catch the Chicago house and techno legend do his thang. He was putting down a good set as always. Though IMHO he was lopping and holding on to the breaks way too long. At times he would drop the beat in, then go straight back into the break. I felt like half my time spent there was just waiting for the beat to drop.

Paranoid London (live). An instant classic!

We swung by the underground to catch the start of DVS1. Maybe it was because I just came from Cajmere but DVS1 was playing noticeably fast for techno these days. I didn’t tap out the bpms but it was mid 130’s at least. Admittedly I don’t know much about Paranoid London but my boy was destine to see them play live so we ventured over to the RBMA stage. So glad we did as this was the surprise set of the weekend. Paranoid London has a wide range of house/techno music and let gets down and dirty with dope ass bass lines, thumpin kicks, and of course signature live vocals. They have managed to create tracks reminiscent simpler times in dance music with some fun and dark twists. Paranoid London (live) was an instant classic!

BXT was next on our schedule. I was thoroughly impressed with Amp Fiddler with Will Sessions live last year at Movement so I was very excited to see what he and Niko Marks bring together as BXT. We talked about leaving Paranoid London to catch the opening of BXT. It was a tough call. We were having such a great time with PL and it was a known vs and somewhat unknown. We had to stick around to finish PL. Once we arrived at BXT at the Made in Detroit Stage… Whoa. We did question the choice to stay at PL. Honestly I wish I could have just seen both full sets, B2B. (Festival Choices…)

BXT is the next generation of Detroit soul and funk. Period.

BXT is the next generation of Detroit soul and funk. Period. The duo’s vibe together on stage is transcendent. Both artists are exceptional on the keys as they flip positions and allow each other to shine. Both radiate brilliant presence while remaining humble and poised to feed off each others energy. Another highlight of the weekend. Cannot wait to see more from these two.

After awakening our pineal gland with Detroit soul it was time to see Amsterdam’s legendary techno icon Steve Rachmad as his Sterac alias. It doesn’t matter where or what alias Rachmad is playing, he is consistently one of the best Djs of all time. There was just enough room to grab a good spot outside of the pit when we arrived. Shortly the place was massively packed with people sweating and grooving to the proper techno Sterac was laying down. I’m sure the rain that had now returned steered a few unsuspecting Testpilot fans towards the underground and could now not escape the alarming, yet irresistible, techno hammering out of the subs. I believe the rain also delayed some sets around this time, but fans of Testpilot and Juicy J still got to see their shows that night. I’ll leave it to Sterac to end out my night for day two of the Movement festival thanks.

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Unfortunately this is where my Movement festival weekend comes to a close. Responsibilities led me from Detroit before any of the solid activities got started on Monday. For those that stuck around it was off to Industry Brunch at Tangent for daytime party vibes where FBK from Ohio threw down a live set full of dark techno.

One of the main highlights from the festival was the Ben Sims B2B Truncate set. The duo added some rave-time fun to close out the Underground Stage for the weekend. Lots of classic jackin’ techno mingled with new grooves.

Then it was back to Tangent for The Bunker NY party. Function came through as the special guest with a three deck CDJ set. Hot Mix (Mike Servito, Justin Cudmore, Gunnar Haslam) served up some tasty deep house and techno with a side of acid (yum!). Antenes was the surprise hit for this Movement close out. Electro and varied styles of techno were fair game for her mixed vinyl and CDJ set.

What It’s All About

While the friendly ridicule and chaffing brought my group of friends together leading up to Movement festival, it’s always the music and camaraderie that keeps us coming back year after year. It is the obvious that brings us to Detroit for Movement: the artists we know, the dj’s we can count on, the performers we’ve been waiting for. But it is the uncharted that truly makes Movement weekend a monumental and historic event time and time again. It’s the surprise sunrise sets from your favorite djs. It’s the artists you anticipate holding the torch into the next generation of Detroit. It’s stumbling across a stage and staying for the entire set. It’s you discovering something that has never existed before this moment, and will never again be present in the future.

Movement Detroit and the events, happenings, and beliefs behind it have grown into a living entity. It’s nothing you can touch or hold. It’s difficult to describe to those who cannot already feel it. It is an abstract concept that unifies thousands of minds, bodies, and souls from across the world. It’s a movement for the city of Detroit and the music that feeds the soul of it’s people. It remains admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering for fans of electronic music in the year two thousand and seventeen. And I see it feeding their souls for years to come.

Movement 2017 Review: Detroit’s Electronic Music Festival Feed your soul with unexpected discoveries: the uncharted makes Movement a monumental and historic event time and time again.

#House #Movement 2017 #Music Festivals #Techno

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