Time Out: Chicago’s premiere weekly magazine of happenings, nightlife, and arts news feature: Step It Up (Nadia Podolsky and Jonathan Gavenda raise the bar in chicago) – january 20, 2011
It’s not that Chicago doesn’t have a vibrant nightlife. The last few months have ushered in multiple new clubs, giving both local and out-of-town talent fresh avenues to keep the city dancing. At the same time, when compared to the rich club scenes in New York or L.A., the ages-old title that has haunted Chicago rises back to the surface: Second City. While the dance-music community has steadily looked to the coastal cultural capitals for emerging sounds and trends, it’s been some time since the Windy City commanded that kind of attention.
Area promoters Jonathan Gavenda and Nadia Podolsky, heads of Alias Collective and Volatl, respectively, are setting out to change all this. The two nightlife mavens began teaming up in 2007 to help restore the city’s reputation as a dance-music mecca. “What’s going on in Chicago right now, there are your standard Friday and Saturday club events with great international headliners and some great locals,” says Podolsky. “But really, I think things can be bigger.”
During a conference call with the two party gurus—a Chicago native, Gavenda is currently based in San Francisco—Podolsky continues, “We want to bring in the fashion and the glamour that you really see in events in L.A. and New York and have been seeing consistently for 20 to 25 years. For some reason it just seems to not exist here at this point.”
Originally from New Orleans, Podolsky, 29, came to Chicago to pursue her master’s in history. Any moment she could spare from hitting the books she spent making the trek to Detroit, where she ingrained herself in the city’s rich techno scene. She threw her first party there in 2006. Once she got a taste of the party life, there was no going back. The budding auburn-haired promoter closed the books for good and spearheaded Volatl.
Gavenda, also a child of the ’80s, had a similar experience. He discovered electronic dance music (EDM) as an undergrad at the University of Illinois, but it was while he was on a work visa in Melbourne, Australia, that it really took hold of his life (although he did finish his degree, in Bioinformatics no less). Returning to Chicago in 2007, he organized his first Varsity All-Stars party at Miami’s Winter Music Conference. Given its success, Gavenda brought Varsity All-Stars back to Chicago, throwing the 12-hour marathon DJ get-downs at Moretti’s Ristorante a few times a year. It was while launching the party in the city that Gavenda and Podolsky first connected.
They’ve been working steadily since then, and we can thank Gavenda and Podolsky for DJ sets from a who’s who of the world’s techno community, including Adultnapper, Carl Craig, Alexi Delano, Richie Hawtin and Swayzak. We can also thank Volatl for the Chicago-centric (re)Chicago events with residents Mazi and Kate Simko.
As of last year, Gavenda’s main outlet has become the Alias Collective, with a focus on events of a grander scale. “We’re going with bigger production elements, bringing in bigger artists and doing more concept events like our upcoming Superfreq party.”
A fresh approach to partying for Chicago, Superfreq was started in 2002 by London DJ Mr. C. Bringing together fashion and nightlife culture, Mr. C is just the sort of collaborator Gavenda and Podolsky crave. The event is set to launch on January 29 at a downtown loft space, with Mr. C headlining.
“I think the good thing about Nadia and myself as event producers is that we’re not DJs,” Gavenda concludes. “We’re not doing this to promote our own DJ-slash-ego career. We don’t have just one DJ career in mind, which I think helps with the success of our events. We’re inviting others to join in. There are some really good vibes in the city right now and it’s time for Chicago to step it up.”
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event review: jus-ed, kate simko, mazi at (re)chicago – Saturday, august 21, 2010
Somewhere nestled in the meatpacking district of Chicago’s near west side, there is a warehouse basement. Above it, depending on who you ask, there is an abandoned salon, some warehouse storage or maybe an egg processing plant. The basement itself is adorned with enough trimmings to hint that it has housed a few parties in its time, and, sure enough, it reportedly can be booked for “super exclusive events.” Mysterious. Within that basement on a Saturday in mid-August, two of Chicago’s stars (Mazi and Kate Simko) bookended Underground Quality owner, Jus-Ed.Around midnight, the basement wasn’t yet full, but Mazi was already doing his best to raise the energy levels of those who came “Chicago early.” Off to the side of the venue, a retro burlesque film was projected on the wall above a gathering of people lounging on couches. As more people began to descend the staircase and fill the basement, Mazi churned through a varied but house-centric set with lots of ‘70s throwbacks. A notable highlight came at set’s end when he played an upcoming vinyl-only release from his Audio Soul Project called “Call of Grace”—which invited people to “raise your hands if you feel it.” (Many did.)
Jus-Ed came up next and cleared the sonic slate by stripping things down to the basic elements and starting the first of three noticeable sections of his set with slow-burn deeper shades of house. One of Ed’s signature moves is getting on the mic, talking over bits of his set, announcing the name and availability of a track when he senses the information is desired. Early and often, he was letting the audience know track names and labels. Eventually the second section of his set arrived and peaked with a sweat-inducing workout of the classic “Show Me Love,” proving the 20 year cycle right (the ‘90s are back). To close things out, he brought things back to his signature Underground Quality sound—raw, live-sounding drum machine workouts accentuated with subtle melodies that fit the vibe perfectly.
It was nearly 4 AM by the time Kate Simko got behind the decks, but there was still a good amount of people waiting to hear what she had to add to the night. They were treated to a nice change of pace: Kate was the polished techno counterpoint to Ed’s raw house. She did a great job of keeping things fresh throughout her set, bouncing nicely between abstract and harder shades with grace. Eventually, through no fault of her own, the party ran out of steam. Everyone was a bit exhausted when the scheduled closing time of 6 AM rolled around.
Despite not ending on a high, the (re)ed-Ucation was a success. Despite a varied line-up of house and techno, we were treated to three artists staying true to their own style, and the Volatl crew did a great job of making sure everything was put together, from the artists to the sound to the bar to the bathrooms.
Resident Advisor: Internationally renowned online electronic music news, reviews and features - event preview: brothers’ vibe to play chicago day party – Sunday, November 21, 2010
Local event series (re)Chicago will host a daytime party featuring prolific New Jersey-based producer/DJ Brothers’ Vibe this weekend at Rodan in the city’s Wicker Park Neighborhood.
Brothers’ Vibe, aka Tony Rodriguez, has been involved in the U.S. house music scene since the 1980s. Besides being a vinyl addict (boasting a collection of over 60,000 records), he runs four record labels and within the past few years has produced and remixed for popular international imprints like Freak N Chic, Moon Harbour Recordings and Playhouse. His music has gained the attention of heavy-hitters like Ricardo Villalobos, Luciano, and Derrick May.
This Sunday will see his official Chicago debut: he will be the special guest for a day-time version of (re)Chicago, an event series started earlier this year by local promoter Volatl. Supporting Brothers’ Vibe are local DJs Kate Simko, frequent contributor to stateside sister labels Spectral Sound and Ghostly International, and Mazi, a veteran of the Chicago scene for almost two decades. The Sunday party runs from 3 until 11pm, perfect for anyone looking for an early-evening dance party to cap off the weekend.
Resident Advisor: Internationally renowned online electronic music news, reviews and features - event review: game on and varisty all-stars in chicago – Saturday, july 25, 2009Visitors from all around the country drove, flew and bussed themselves to Chicago for this unusually busy weekend. Chicago promotions group and booking agency VOLATL and San Francisco’s listed teamed up for nearly 48 hours of party last weekend. listed’s third annual edition of Varsity All Stars at South Side bar and restaurant Moretti’s on began Sunday afternoon, while VOLATL’s underground party, appropriately titled Game On, got things started the night before. The main lesson? Unforgettable parties require collaboration—something that Chicago’s techno scene has been lacking in recent years.
Game On was held at a gallery space in Chicago’s warehouse district that had low ceilings, exposed brick walls, low light and a cool speakeasy vibe. As with all VOLATL events, the sound system was crystal clear. Chicago clubs are permitted to stay open until 5 AM on Saturdays, so eventually the afterhours crowd trickled in and filled the dance floor. Kate Simko played a diverse DJ set, trying pretty much everything to get people dancing.
New York’s Stefny was due up next, but was forced to postpone her set due to some technical difficulties. Pheek, though, stepped in ably with his ebullient minimal house live set while Stefny waited for a new needle to arrive. Redeeming herself with a proper Chicago debut, Stefny began her set with a strong conviction to kick the party into full swing, and the dance floor was all too pleased to oblige, cheering on every mix. After consuming several birthday cocktails, I headed home to get some sleep around 5:30 AM with the party still going strong courtesy of Chicago’s Mike Khoury, who recently moved to San Francisco.
After recharging the proverbial party batteries, we arrived at Moretti’s Sunday afternoon for listed’s Varsity All Stars event. The weather gods were surely smiling down on us that day. There were plenty of costumed Varsity revelers clad in sports attire enjoying one of the few hot and sunny days of an unseasonably cold and gloomy Chicago summer. The smoky scents of the outdoor BBQ wafted through the air, and all around me people were taking advantage of the sand volleyball court, enjoying a game of bean bag toss, and sipping cocktails under umbrellas.
The fond memories from the previous editions of Varsity All Stars featuring Cassy and Adultnapper flooded back, and I was reminded of why I look forward to this event each summer. Though listed is based in San Francisco, the agency’s artist roster includes several Chicago ex-pats; thus, they have well-established ties to the city and plenty of fervent supporters.
Musical highlights of the 12 hour party included Chicago’s Jason Patrick, who patiently built up his set and warmed up the crowd perfectly for Anja Schneider. The Mobilee label head snuck in some fantastic unreleased material during her set, which drifted between bouncy, day party-friendly tech-house and deep heady techno.
Once again, listed resident Mike Khoury had the difficult task of closing the party after the headlining DJ and, not surprisingly, rose to the occasion. I guess I should be demoted to the JV squad since I left the event a bit early and headed home. But thanks to VOLATL and listed, my birthday weekend was one of the most memorable I’ve ever had.
Resident Advisor: Internationally renowned online electronic music news, reviews and features - event preview: volatl presents jeff mills, something in the sky – Saturday, june 19, 2010Jeff Mills touches down in the Motor City this Saturday for a new show exploring the relationship between us on earth, and them out there.
The legendary dance music veteran has long pushed the connection between Detroit techno and all things science-based, fiction or otherwise. In order to push the creative boundaries forward in his live shows as well as in his productions, he’s been quick to integrate new technologies and emphasize the conceptual nature of his work.
Mills recently finished up a trilogy of albums, with the Sleeper Wakes which saw him return to Japan after a four year hiatus when he was supposedly traveling through outer space making contact with new worlds after the second album One Man Spaceship. This new show at 10 Critics promises a collage of footage including interviews with world leaders, abductees and reports of encounters of all three kinds from around the world. This is supposed to “make others consider the possibilities of what the consistent and sometimes intriguing eyewitness accounts of the activities of intelligent life could do to our psychological state and belief systems.”
Adding to the one-of-a-kind nature of the evening, UR man Mike Banks will perform and compose “a special introduction” for Mills. It will be the first time they’ve performed together in nearly three years.
Time Out: Chicago’s premiere weekly magazine of happenings, nightlife, and arts news - feature: making a scene with Nadia Podolsky – november 7, 2007Techno Boutique
Nadia Podolsky of VOLATL wants to put Chicago on the techno map. Raised in a musical family in downstate Illinois, and New Orleans, she hit the Big Easy’s annual Jazz and Heritage Fest from a young age. But eight years ago she converted to techno after hearing Detroit’s Punisher spin on three decks at a 773 techno series party on Belmont Avenue and witnessing the power of Montreal’s techno queen Misstress Barbara at rednofive. Techno became such a passion that she put law school plans on hold and took on tour-managing Chicago techno beat-slinger Sassmouth. Since that major career change, Podolsky has become a full-time industry professional, allowing her to launch VOLATL both as a booking agent for Midwest techno acts and as a techno party promoter last March.
Party Philosophy
VOLATL teams top regional electronic DJs and electronic performers with touring European techno stars like Adam Beyer and Marco Carola. “I really wanted to bring high-end techno and really good sound to the Chicago scene,” Podolsky says. Her major gripes? Too many DJs on one bill and crappy sound systems.
Who’s There?
Podolsky’s parties appeal to dance-music fans up for a big night out.
Sounds Like
VOLATL deals strictly with techno, but Podolsky has noticed that as the birthplace of house music, Chicago tends to embrace the housier techno acts that she books in town. But Chicago’s once-cozy techno legion is growing. The city is gaining a rep for producing its own underground techno via locals such as DJ and acid specialist Frankie Vega, and it’s increasingly known as a flat-out good place to party. “European DJs love to play here because people stay for the whole show,” Podolsky says.
A Night to Remember
On a Sunday this past August, the techno and house DJ collective Varsity Allstars attracted 350 dancers for a blissful daytime rave at Moretti’s.
Next Up
Look for more of the same programming in Chicago featuring VOLATL artists like Dirtybird and Overfiend and a VOLATL showcase at this year’s Winter Music Conference in Miami.
New City: Chicago’s free nightlife and entertainment guide: - Preview: Stacy Pullen and Lady D at Smart Bar RECOMMENDED: This Friday marks the first in a long-running series of quarterly Chicago events commemorating twenty-five years of Detroit techno. DJ Lady D, along with promoter Volatl, has planned the series of multimedia events (called D3) at Smart Bar. Hoping to strengthen the longstanding connection between the Chicago and Detroit techno scenes, the D3 events [...] Preview: Ida Engberg and Konrad Black at Spy Bar RECOMMENDED: In just a few years, blonde bombshell and multi-talented Swedish techno DJ/producer Ida Engberg has gone from a relative unknown to an internationally in-demand DJ. She took everyone by surprise at this year’s Sunday School for Degenerates party at the Winter Music Conference in Miami with an uncompromising techno set, and certainly got Chicago’s attention Preview: Jackson with Bruno Pronsato at Sonotechque RECOMMENDED: Berlin’s Bruno Pronsato kicked off 2009 in Chicago with an outstanding performance to a packed Sonotheque dance floor courtesy of VOLATL. Lucky for Chicago, he’s back to bring summer to a close. Meiotic is hosting Bruno to headline its successful Jackson event in partnership with VOLATL.
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