Sunday, November 15, 2009

David Vondle demos openFrameworks at dorkbot Chicago on November 19th 2009!

Note: dorkbot is on the 19th this month, not the last thursday as usual.



Chicago-based interaction designer and hacker David Vondle will walk us through openFrameworks with an eye toward its use in computer vision, people tracking and multitouch, and also touch on electronic prototyping for digital experiences.

Openframeworks is a c++ library designed to assist the creative process by providing a simple and intuitive framework for experimentation.

The library is designed to work as a general purpose glue, and wraps together several commonly used libraries under a tidy interface: openGL for graphics, rtAudio for audio input and output, freeType for fonts,freeImage for image input and output, quicktime for video playing and sequence grabbing.

DATE:

Thursday November 19th 2009

TIME:

7 PM

LOCATION:

Enemy Sound
1550 N. Milwaukee Ave 3rd Fl.
Chicago, IL 60622
http://www.enemysound.com

COST:

FREE

WTF:

What is a "dorkbot"?! The idea of the international dorkbot network is "people doing strange things with electricity" and meeting in informal, friendly environments to discuss their projects. These projects could include hardware hacks, New Media Art projects, creative code, circuit bent musical instruments or wild DIY garage science!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Michael Esposito @ dorkbot Chicago on October 29 2009!




Experimental artist and researcher Michael Esposito will present some experiments and sound art from his recent work with Electronic Voice Phenomena. Michael recently completed an album in collaboration with Brent Gutzeit constructed from EVP recordings gathered at dorkbot Chicago's host, Enemy.

Michael Esposito is an experimental artist and researcher in Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP). Over the years, under the Phantom Airwaves institution, Michael has participated in hundreds of paranormal investigations all over the world. He has conducted extensive research at many active locations and has developed a great deal of unique theory and devised many unique experiments within the field of EVP.

Working extensively with EVP's relationship to experimental music, Michael combines EVP with field recording and related frequency tones of research sites to provide an audio-archeological picture of both sides of the veil. Michael is currently published by Touch Music[MCPS] UK.


DATE:

Thursday October 29th 2009

TIME:

7 PM

LOCATION:

Enemy Sound
1550 N. Milwaukee Ave 3rd Fl.
Chicago, IL 60622
http://www.enemysound.com

COST:

FREE

WTF:

What is a "dorkbot"?! The idea of the international dorkbot network is "people doing strange things with electricity" and meeting in informal, friendly environments to discuss their projects. These projects could include hardware hacks, New Media Art projects, creative code, circuit bent musical instruments or wild DIY garage science!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

8bit Halloween ft. Bit Shifter CHICAGO

hey yawl, our friend + previous dorkbot Chicago presenter Liz Revision is organizing an 8bit Halloween ft. Bit Shifter here in CHICAGO. yawl should chk it out. full nfo below! - jonCates



One of the premiere Game Boy-wielding 8Bit electronic musicians in the world is Josh Davis aka Bit Shifter, and subVariant and Front 312 are excited to have him perform at Ai Lounge on Halloween. Having played over 100 live shows armed with only two Nintendo Game Boys, and two home-brew aftermarket music programs, he has a dedicated following and has been known to ignite dance floors with his high energy live performances.

Tom Loftus of MSNBC.com says of Bit Shifter’s performance,“[B]y the time Davis jumped to his rave-up 'Parapersona Crash,' the walls started to shake and what little hesitation the audience may have had over dancing to a kiddy toy's 'bleeps' and 'bloops' vanished.”

“We booked him ...and I still think it's the most people that have been in the Tank at one time--hundreds and hundreds of people…” says Mike Rosenthal, Artistic Director of The Tank in NYC. “ Bitshifter just rocked the place--just blew us all away.”
Josh Davis says of the 8bit sound, “This is a really distinctive sound-set that anyone of our generation will have most likely been exposed to during childhood and as a consequence of that it became hardwired into our aesthetic sensibilities….but it was always off-limits creatively. So, people who grew up with 8bit and 16bit video game consoles--if they were musicians, they were able to dabble in just about *anything* else….”

Liz Revision of subVariant will open by digitally spinning minimal tech-house, glitch, and IDM; Mr. Automatic from Front 312 brings electro, new wave, and acid house; and Onefiftyone from Chicago Workgroup plays nudisco.

Bit Shifter explores high-energy, low-bit music composed and performed on a Nintendo Game Boy. The result is an unapologetically fun foray into an evocative and distinctive sound-set, executed on a console generally misperceived as being technically limited. Made possibly by two home-brew Game Boy music-making programs, Nanoloop and Little Sound DJ, Bit Shifter's music adopts and subverts the playfulness inherent in the familiar Game Boy sound-set, repurposing it into the service of novel idioms. Based in New York City, Bit Shifter has performed over one hundred shows worldwide, having recently circumnavigated the planet in a 20-date world tour with fellow chiptune compatriot Nullsleep.

subVariant is a Chicago-based record label and events production company known for its both its innovative electronic music releases and creative packaging, as well as its edgy and boundary-pushing live events and music showcases. Front 312 has been promoting an eclectic night in Chicago for over a year featuring house, electro, new wave and industrial at Liar’s Club, although individually its members have been churning away in various underground electronic realms, and have collected a diverse group of dedicated followers. Together subV and 312 bring their diverse crowds together to experience Halloween in a cool downtown location with an excellent, creative and diverse lineup unique in Chicago for Halloween.

Tickets are $20 at the door, $15 presale at http://www.fractalspin.com/bitshifter, or $17 day off with an RSVP to http://chicago.going.com/bitshifter.

The first 30 people with presale tickets will get a free surprise treat bag featuring cool stuff from local businesses and online shops.

A very limited amount of free tickets for people video game industry are available. Send a link to your LinkedIn page / corporate bio / other credentials to lizk {at} subvariant . com as soon as possible.

Ai Lounge is at 358 W. Ontario, Downtown Chicago. The night runs from 10pm – 3am. A late night sushi menu is also available, as is $10 valet parking.



Bit Shifter interview

Bitshifter-"The World Has Turned and Left Me Here" (Weezer cover) by quantazelle

AUDIO:
“The World Has Turned and Left Me Here” vocal track
from Bitshifter (Weezer Cover)


http://subvariant.com/media/Bitshifter-04TheWorldHasTurnedAndLeftMeHere.mp3

AUDIO:
“Activation Theme” by Bitshifter (Original Instrumental)

http://www.8bitpeoples.com/mp3/get/370/8bp059-02-bit_shifter-activation_theme.mp3

VIDEO:
“Bitshifter Interview”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BifjWTFAvMU
TEXT:
“Interview with Bitshifter” (Longer, more technical
interview)


http://www.chaoscontrol.com/?article=bitshifter


GOING
(DISCOUNT LINK): http://chicago.going.com/bitshifter


PRESALE TIX: http://www.fractalspin.com/bitshifter


subVariant: http://www.subvariant.com


Liz Revision: http://www.lizrevision.com

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Joe Hahn & Tyler St Clair @ dorkbot Chicago on September 24 2009!



Joe Hahn & Tyler St Clair @ dorkbot Chicago on September 24 2009!

Joe Hahn aka Protman is a programmer and computer music artist based in Chicago. Primarily composing with software inspired by late 80s mod trackers like Impulse Tracker, Schism Tracker, and Renoise, he also implements the use of game controllers and other input devices with PureData to translate them into midi controllers and custom sequencers. Joe is also a proponent and often host of monthly computer music battles called "Iron Chef of Music" where contenders locally and worldwide via telecommute simultaneously spend two hours creating a new piece of music out of a single audio sample. After two hours there is an exhibition and discussion of all the track submissions where cheffers can learn about software and technique from one another. Joe is also working to open a museum and workshop in Chicago with a focus on diy/circuit-bent music hardware and software.



The Milwaukee, WI native Tyler St Clair (Stagediver/Dispyz) has been an avid user and abuser of trailing-edge computer technology since 1995. During the first half of 2009 he released two lo-fi, 7" vinyls on the Radiograffiti music imprint, which were written and recorded on the Amiga line of computers using several well-known trackers such as MED, and OctaMED.

Throughout the years though he has been known to play shows/eliminate boredom using modified and circuit-bent gear including (but not limited to) a VIC-20 & MC-505. He also began work on several Atari 2600 sample playback utilities back in 2003 and has even been seen as a supporter of the UK hacking scene, evidenced by musical submissions to the Hackervoice UK podcast.

He also has the natural ability to see through clothing.

More info on his recent hardware projects/vinyl releases can be found at
http://www.radiograffiti.org


DATE:

Thursday September 24th 2009

TIME:

7 PM

LOCATION:

Enemy Sound
1550 N. Milwaukee Ave 3rd Fl.
Chicago, IL 60622
http://www.enemysound.com

COST:

FREE

WTF:

What is a "dorkbot"?! The idea of the international dorkbot network is "people doing strange things with electricity" and meeting in informal, friendly environments to discuss their projects. These projects could include hardware hacks, New Media Art projects, creative code, circuit bent musical instruments or wild DIY garage science!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Rob Ray @ dorkbot Chicago!



Electronic artist Rob Ray rides his water bike out of the militarized salt flats of Wendover, Utah to return to Chicago and present alternative energy technologies for electronic artworks! Ray (the former organizer of dorkbot Chicago and DEADTECH electronic arts center) will explain the technical, fiscal, and creative implications of alternative energy technologies on sound, video, and interactive artworks at the August dorkbot Chicago meeting. He may even also describe the subversive potential of reprogramming ATM machines with an "under-the-hood" tour of the ATM kiosk construction, electronic card-reader and push-button interaction systems, and movie and video game creation.

DATE:

Thursday August 27th 2009

TIME:

7 PM

LOCATION:

Enemy Sound
1550 N. Milwaukee Ave 3rd Fl.
Chicago, IL 60622
http://www.enemysound.com

COST:

FREE

WTF:

What is a "dorkbot"?! The idea of the international dorkbot network is "people doing strange things with electricity" and meeting in informal, friendly environments to discuss their projects. These projects could include hardware hacks, New Media Art projects, creative code, circuit bent musical instruments or wild DIY garage science!

Monday, August 10, 2009

open for this month (August) dorkbot Chicago

hi yawl

we are currently open for this month (August) dorkbot Chicago so if any of yawl have suggestions or wanna present please let us know! we have sum presenters who are preparing for later months but currently August is open, so let's discuss possibilities
looking fwd to hearing bax from yawl!

jonCates
http://systemsapproach.net/

low pass filter circuit from July dorkbot Chicago workshop!



Kevin Meinert's low pass filter circuit from Sandra Rosas Ridolfi's July dorkbot Chicago workshop! more documentation coming soon...

Monday, July 13, 2009

schematics and photos from mark beasley & tamas kemenczy's crt hax

mark & tamas posted some great photos & schematics from their crt hacking presentation last month: http://arcanebolt.net/

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Mark Beasley and Tamas Kemenczy @ dorkbot Chicago!



Mark Beasley and Tamas Kemenczy will demo a few mnml vga hacks to bend naive cathode rays using microcontrollers and some old crt monitors from the beige days.

Mark Beasley is an artist/educator making software, video, performance and web art.

Tamas Kemenczy branches and merges interactive fiction, the demoscene and programmable spells.


DATE:

Thursday June 25th 2009

TIME:

7 PM

LOCATION:

Enemy Sound
1550 N. Milwaukee Ave 3rd Fl.
Chicago, IL 60622
http://www.enemysound.com

COST:

Free

Sunday, May 31, 2009

photos from Alex Inglizian's presentation







Alex Inglizian rocking dorkbot Chicago!

thnx to everyOne for coming out to dorkbot Chicago with Alex Inglizian!

these photos are by Eric Leonardson, thnx Eric! more photos by Eric are on Flickr tagged "dorkbot" and "dorkbot Chicago": http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/dorkbotchicago/

also, if you took photos, please tag them with "dorkbot" and "dorkbot Chicago"

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Alex Inglizian rocks dorkbot Chicago! May 27, 7 PM



It's on again as Alex Inglizian rocks a presentation/workshop on "integrating hacked, modified, and circuit bent devices into a tempo synced electronic music system." This is your chance to get your hands dirty @ dorkbot Chicago and dig into a fresh plate of Chicago style dirty circuit bending! As always, dorkbot Chicago is FREE (as in pizza and beer, and also free as in speech and software)!

DATE:

Wednesday May 27 2009

TIME:

7 PM

LOCATION:

Enemy Sound
1550 N. Milwaukee Ave 3rd Fl.
Chicago, IL 60622
http://www.enemysound.com

COST:

Free

WTF:

What is a "dorkbot"?! The idea of the international dorkbot network is "people doing strange things with electricity" and meeting in informal, friendly environments to discuss their projects. These projects could include hardware hacks, New Media Art projects, creative code, circuit bent musical instruments or wild DIY garage science!

Friday, May 1, 2009

photos from Brian Comnes' presentation last nite

DSCF0844

DSCF0848

DSCF0858

DSCF0862

DSCF0864

DSCF0875

DSCF0880

DSCF0900

Brian Comnes presenting analog vs digital distortion in audio electronics for dorkbot Chicago at Enemy Sound last nite

thanks to everyOne for coming by last night! and thanks to Brian for an electric talk & straight up nasty distortion jam afterwards

more photos are on Flickr tagged "dorkbot" and "dorkbot Chicago": http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/dorkbotchicago/

also, if you took photos last nite as well, please tag them with "dorkbot" and "dorkbot Chicago"

video documentation and digital download of the Brian's slides coming soon

Thursday, April 23, 2009

distortion with brian comnes at dorkbot dorkbot chicago thurs april 30th(7pm)

Hope you'll join us next Thursday, April 30th at 7PM for the next
installment of Chicago Dorkbot. This time Brian Comnes will take us
on a journey through crunchy tube labyrinths into a fiery halo of
home-made distortion gear. We'll also get a close-up look at some of
the technical and aesthetic differences between analog and digital
distortions, climaxing in an earsplitting A-vs-D cage match.

See you at:

DATE:

Thursday April 30 2009

TIME:

7 PM

LOCATION:

Enemy Sound
1550 N. Milwaukee Ave 3rd Fl.
Chicago, IL 60622
http://www.enemysound.com

COST:

Free

WTF:

What is a "dorkbot"?! The idea of the international dorkbot network is
"people doing strange things with electricity" and meeting in
informal, friendly environments to discuss their projects. These
projects could include hardware hacks, New Media Art projects,
creative code, circuit bent musical instruments or wild DIY garage
science!

Friday, April 3, 2009

photos from Todd Bailey's presentation last nite

DSCF0552

DSCF0547

DSCF0558

Todd Bailey presenting "Where's the Party At v1.0", an 8-bit audio sampler in kit form, for dorkbot Chicago at Enemy Sound last nite. video documentation coming soon. thnx to all who came out and helped us restart dorkbot Chicago!

Friday, March 20, 2009

april 2009 dorkbot :: restarting dorkbot chicago with todd bailey

RESTARTING DORKBOT CHICAGO!

DATE:

Thursday April 2 2009

TIME:

7 PM

LOCATION:

Enemy Sound
1550 N. Milwaukee Ave 3rd Fl.
Chicago, IL 60622
http://www.enemysound.com

COST:

Free

DESCRIPTION:

Chicago's dorkbot restarts April 2 at 7 PM at Enemy Sound!

What is a "dorkbot"?! The idea of the international dorkbot network is
of "people doing strange things with electricity" and meeting in
informal, friendly environments to discuss their projects. These
projects could include hardware hacks, New Media Art projects,
creative code, circuit bent musical instruments or wild DIY garage
science!

On Thursday April 2, current dorkbot Chicago organizers jonCates and
Jake Elliott will give a short presentation on the past, present and
future of dorkbot in Chicago. The artist-run organization Enemy Sound
will host and Todd Bailey will present a sneak peak at a new project.

Dorkbot veteran Todd Bailey will demonstrate his latest project,
"Where's the Party At v1.0", an 8-bit audio sampler in kit form. Todd
is a Chicago-based electronic engineer & musician, well known in these
parts for his work on the Camp Gay art space and in the band Voltage.
More details about Todd and WTPA can be found at:

http://narrat1ve.com

dorkbot Chicago:

http://dorkbot.org/dorkbotchi/

Enemy Sound:

http://www.enemysound.com

Monday, January 5, 2009

new + old

new events in APRIL 2009 + an archive of previous dorkbot Chicago activity