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...DRUM ROLL PLEASE... We are beyond excited to announce that EVOL Chicago is officially collaborating with Dirtybird Records as their trusted vending partner, bringing you all a super special, limited edition pin design for this year's Birdhouse Festival in Chicago!  Making history togetherFor the first time ever, Dirtybird Records is collaborating with an outside partner to create for you all a one-of-a-kind pin design! We knew we wanted something that spoke to the vision behind Dirtybird, a unique medallion of sorts & true work of art, something EVOL strives to achieve in every pin design. We set out on our team brainstorming session, approached Dirtybird with 3 solid design options, and Barclay himself (a.k.a. Claude VonStroke) chose his favorite design. A beautiful collab was born. evol chicago Presents our "dirtybird Nest"We are proud to present our official pin collab, the "Dirtybird Nest" designed by EVOL Chicago's Lead Resident Artist, Erika Lizette. The King Bird is collecting nectar to nurture the future generation of house music artists, representing how Dirtybird Records is a platform for bringing us new talent in the industry. "We Love House" is detailed in the bird's chest resonating over its beating heart and the wings mimic sheets of music notes. This design is especially close to our hearts, since Dirtybird is one of our house music icons and we couldn't be happier in having this opportunity to work together!
There will be 2 variants of these 3" soft enamel pins available at Birdhouse, the Chicago OG variant limited edition of 150 pins and the Rainbow Metal Full Glow limited edition of 50. All white glows in the dark. $30 each. The Chicago OG variant will be available when doors open, and this week we will announce the drop time for the LE 50 Rainbow Full Glow variant. The first 20 people in line for the drop will also be receiving a signed, limited edition, embellished 5x7 print of our "Dirtybird Nest". Official vending partner at Birdhouse
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Written by: Erika Lizette
DETROIT MEETS CHICAGOAt EForest this past June, I had the pleasure of meeting (and partying with) Detroit artist Jimmy Vuong from JVisuals! We traded our Forest pins that we each designed and right away I could tell he was a great guy and talented artist. A few weeks later, Misha from EVOL Chicago calls me and says, "Jimmy is going to hit you up about a possible collab!" I thought to myself, Sweet! I was excited to see what we could come up with. A STORM IN THE BRAINWhen we heard DirtyBird was coming to Chicago in September for the Bird House Festival, we knew we wanted to pay tribute to Detroit native and founder of DirtyBird Records, Claude VonStroke, as well as Gene Ferris, a Chicago House icon. We started out brainstorming and throwing around some fun ideas, everything from love birds, cracked eggs opening into baby birds, candles symbolizing the underground techno scene, Chicago buildings, and Detroit colors. We wanted something more original than just the egg, but we wanted to keep it true to DB style for fans.
THE DESIGN PROCESSWe were all running around festival hopping and working events in July, so most of our ideas were just in our heads at that time. Finally, it came down to sketch something out on paper. I took the first stab at turning our ideas into something more concrete. I sketched out two of the state birds, a robin from Michigan (Detroit) and a cardinal from Illinois (Chicago), hanging out together listening to some tech house. Sidenote: Even though Jimmy was swamped with his own pin releases and shipping/packaging while also working full-time as a mental health therapist, he was so awesome to work with and never once complained about us contacting him to share ideas back and forth. Nothing but love for JVisuals! Our design process continued. Jimmy took Erika's paper sketch and drew it out with his own stylistic flare and from there, we tweaked the birds a bit and added details to the house. We needed to keep in mind how we wanted the house to glow in the dark and balance the Detroit colors with the Chicago palette.
production: it's all in the detailsWe knew we wanted a limited edition variant and something special for all the techno fam! This was my first time doing rainbow anodized metal linework and now I'm hooked. Jimmy suggested doing a black glow which ended up creating a black matte look, perfect for that underground scene. We landed on the original variant with white glow limited edition of 100, while the rainbow variant black glow has a limited edition of only 50 made! All in all, this was an awesome collab and great opportunity to create something unique for our DirtyBird fam! Can't wait to do it again ;-)
TECH BIRD HOUSE DROPS TONIGHT!Drops tonight Wednesday, Sept 5 @8pm CT! Good luck! PURCHASE AT THE LINK BELOW. http://www.evolchicago.com/store/p128/dirtybird-tech-bird-house
guest AuthorWritten by Steven Royale, the founder of What's Good Chicago?  a look backTo celebrate, we are launching our brand and our logo collaboration with EVOL Chicago. We started WGC during the week of Lolla 2014, because of all the major artists and events that are in the city. Who can forget the secret and sponsored shows that were happening? From sponsored events by Uber, Pandora, and Redbull, to the feeling of being in the middle of Grant Park. It almost felt like you were in Miami Music Week, but right here in our very own Chicago. Four years ago, it started with just a small group of Chicago music fans, and in that time, we gained almost 12,000 members. The Chicago music scene started booming with 7 major festivals: Spring Awakening, Mamby on the Beach,, Lolla, North Coast, Freaky Deaky, Riot Fest, & Reaction, plus the major artists and events playing in Chicago almost every weekend. Since then, we have made this group about bringing Chicago the latest artist and music announcements in REAL TIME, helping with any Chicago Recommendations, grand openings for clubs and restaurants and being one of the top ticket sale option groups. With our growth, it felt like it was time to start our brand.  collaboration with evol chicagoWe approached EVOL with our brand vision and with the help of their lead artist, Erika Lizette, we collaborated on our official logo design. We feel like it encapsulates the energy within our great city and the landmark qualities that make Chicago unique. The Chicago Star with the question mark is a perfect touch to hint at the surprise events and shows always happening.
giveaways & merch sneak peakIn the next couple months, we plan on growing our community closer, by showcasing local artists, Q&A’s, and hosting sponsored live DJ streams. We also plan to feature our diverse restaurants and food options in Chicago. And of course, free giveaways and merchandise. Our next giveaway is happening this week during Lolla. Our new logo will be posted all over Lolla. Take a picture of our new What’s Good Chicago sticker and post it on your wall and on our Facebook Group to be eligible to win two single-day passes to North Coast. Thank you to all of the members who have already been a part of What’s Good Chicago, and for those of you wanting to join us, follow the link below. Hope to see you at the next event! follow us a special placeThis year, we went back home to the land of the wild, free, and family love. EVOL Chicago returned to Hydrotechnics Festival in Bainbridge, New York at Echo Lake for the fourth year in a row. Hydro holds a special place in our hearts, because it was where we planted our first roots back in 2015. This festival not only gave us an amazing opportunity to network and grow, but it also gave us a place where we know we will always receive the best underground music around and visit the most amazing people on the East Coast. The Hydrotechnics team also gave us the greatest honor to be their official merchandise vendor within the venue. For the past two years, EVOL and Hydro have teamed up to give the people beautiful pins, clothing, and accessories.
official pin collabOur Chicago based artist, Erika Lizette, and the Hydrotechnics Team collaborated on the official pin for 2018, landing on a meditating frog. Our pins came in two limited edition variants; LE 120 copper finish with a green and yellow decorated enamel and a LE 30 full glow with green linework. The full glow was a huge hit, since we only produced thirty pins. The frog became a symbol for everyone to remember to take a moment and experience the sights and sounds around you. In addition to the official pins, we vended Hydro t-shirts, sweatshirts, patches, magnets, and a raffle to win a large 4 foot wide wooden laser-etched meditating frog. Hydro frogs now available for purchase! the underground soundThe festival itself is unlike any event the team has done before. Hydrotechnics is on the smaller scale with a little under 1,000 attendees. All the attendees gather together to celebrate friendship, love and music on this 13-acre land in upstate New York. Music lovers camp in between the the long arms of the trees and line the shore of Echo Lake. Besides the beautiful view and amazing love between friends, the music was another highlight to this festival. Varying from happy hardcore, trance, drum and bass all the way to house and techno. The festival attracts electronic dance music pioneers like Diesel Boy, Doc Marten, Hixxy, Black Sun Empire and Joey Beltram.  all the frillsThe Hydro team did an amazing job with keeping their guests entertained and smiling. Beginning with a 12’ x 12’ massive ball pit in the main stage pavilion that fit up to 30 people. The team found this to be a fun place to kick back and relax outside the chaos of normal life. Walking around, attendees could enjoy a renegade stage on the bed of a pick up truck and follow the music throughout the campground. Art installations that reacted to UV light were set up for onlookers to browse. A 30 foot zen den sound healing teepee hosted by Seer & Sage was the perfect place to lay down and relax all amidst the sounds of gongs, monk singing bowls, yamchas and mantras, and the smell of sage burning and cleansing the air. As if all of that weren’t enough, Hydro also hosted a series of competitive and friendly games, multiple yoga classes by the lake, and so much more. no place like hydroAll in all, this festival left the team with a renewed outlook and full of creativity! We enjoyed every minute spent in Echo Lake and hope to see many more years with the Hydro team. We foresee a beautiful and inspiring outcome from this team and festival. We appreciate the time and effort put forward from every single person, and a huge thank you to our EVOL Fam who came and created new memories at our booth all while supporting our business. We are excited to return and spend yet another Hydro with everyone. Until then, find us at the EVOL Chicago booth at an event near you! Written by: Frida Gonzalez
 We have a stacked lineup to kick off this first weekend of March! Come out and join us for one or all 4 events! This Thursday, Chicago natives Win & Woo will be bringing you some of their dope new music at Lincoln Hall. On Friday, Autograf returns home for a blowout show at Bottom Lounge, as part of their CAUTION: LIVE Tour! Then, come dance with us at Evolution of Sound, Vol. 4, featuring local Chicago DJs! On Saturday, Microdot will be hosting Hangar01 brought to you by UndergroundChi. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions and we hope to see you out on the dance floor this weekend! Thursday, 3/1: Chicago natives Win & woo EVOL Chicago is proud to collaborate alongside Chicago natives, Win & Woo, as they throw down some of their newest music at Lincoln Hall this coming Thursday, March 1. We will be setting up a pop-shop to vend their official merch, as well as our very own EVOL Chicago clothing & accessories. Doors open @9pm. 18+ Bio: A duo from Chicago, IL, Win and Woo is comprised of longtime friends Nick Winholt and Austin Woo. Their eclectic style is pop inspired, fused with a heavy blend of melodies & driving bass lines that work seamlessly with intricate percussion. The two draw inspiration from those who create art/music that can withstand the test of time and push the limits of their creativity. Event page > https://www.facebook.com/events/139069366884680/ Soundcloud > soundcloud.com/winandwoo Friday, 3/2: chicago's very own, autograf Come lose yourself as Autograf returns home to take over Bottom Lounge this Friday, March 2 as part of the CAUTION: LIVE Tour! EVOL Chicago will be vending our local Chicago merch and organizing a raffle worth $50+ in clothing & accessories. Doors open @8pm. 17+ Event page > https://goo.gl/P7tPTc Soundcloud > soundcloud.com/autografmusic "Chicago-based Autograf began as an art project, then morphed into a musical group playing live electronica. For each show, members Jake Carpenter, Louis Kha and Mikul Wing conceptualize and create visuals to complete their unique ambience." Friday, 3/2: EVOLution of sound, vol. 4 EVOL Chicago will be teaming up with Skagg Ent. again to bring you Evolution of Sound, Volume 4 at Exit, this Friday March 2. We've got a stacked lineup of local Chicago talent, with Alex Kislov headlining this fantastic Autograf afters. Doors open @10pm. 21+ Event page > https://www.facebook.com/events/2030788557210188/ Skagg Ent > https://www.facebook.com/skagg.ent Alex Kislov > https://www.facebook.com/AlexKislovMusic Saturday, 3/3: hangar01, ft. angel alanis & paul johnson If you want to keep the party going all weekend long, come join us for Hangar01, brought to you by UndergroundChi on Saturday, March 3. Dance til 7am to some Chicago Techno, location will be announced on the day of the event. Doors open @10pm. 21+ Bio: Microdot is inspired and driven from his experience with the 90s rave scene. He has infused a movement: “Chicago Techno,” a movement he continues to spread with his performances and production. Not only is he producing and playing many shows, he’s also behind creating some of the biggest underground parties in the Midwest. Event page > https://www.facebook.com/events/1757995320925872/ Soundcloud > https://soundcloud.com/microdot-musique Photo credit: Roy Cases & Oscar Gonzalez OUR NEW "606 COLLECTION"EVOL Chicago set out to design a new collection of apparel and accessories that would help unify our community. This task was definitely challenging, considering how many different neighborhoods there are across our diverse city. Each neighborhood, whether we're talking about Wicker Park, Pilsen, or Rogers Park, for example, has its own vibe & unique street culture. We searched for a way to unite our city, and that's where the 606 Collection was born. The one thing that ALL our Chicago neighborhoods have in common is the first 3 digits of their zipcodes: 606. The beautiful and simplistic street grid system is another important element of the 606 Collection as well. While other cities are hard to navigate, Chicago's grid system serves as the perfect foundation for the more than fifty 606 zipcodes.
OUR POP-UP SHOP IN WICKER PARKEVOL Chicago is proud to announce our very first pop-up shop, in collaboration with Stoney Station Gallery in Wicker Park! We will be featuring our new "606 Collection" and our classic "We Love House Music" gear. On Saturday, December 9, our Launch Party will be a day-time event, including grand opening sales, guest DJs, and a raffle ticket giveaway! It will be an event you won't want to miss. 
Huge thank you to everyone that came out to join EVOL Chicago and Skagg ent. as we embarked on our first event in Chicago! Check out the photo album and recap video below to see what you were apart of, or what you missed out on! We are proud to announce that EVOLUTION OF SOUND VOL. 2 will be announced very soon! Stay Tuned :)  Imagine rolling into the campgrounds at Sherwood Forest on a gleaming Freightliner semi truck. Now, imagine standing in front of that semi truck decked out with EVOL Chicago vinyls, our Electric Forest owl spread out on the hood, and glowing LED lights calling you towards it! Oh yes. This was the center of our glorious EVOL Chicago base camp the past two weeks, and we could not have asked for anything more memorable. We almost didn’t make it to the Forest this year. Two days before we were set to depart, our very own EVOL truck driver, Gene Pavelko, seriously injured his foot at a Metallica concert and needed a boot and crutches just to walk! Most people would have called it quits, but not Gene. He’s the real MVP, gaining us ADA access at Forest for a prime location directly behind the Ferris wheel that was home to our epic afters. Weekend 1 - Getting our feet wet The first couple days of rain didn’t stop us. EVOL Chicago set up a mini soundcamp, bringing in guest DJs to spin some amazing house until the sun came up. We proudly partnered with Alex Kislov from Good Looks Chicago to curate the dopest sunrise sets for our EVOL fam of over 300 party-goers, nightly. Much to our surprise, Pasquale Rotella, owner of Insomniac, stopped by on his golf-cart to congratulate us on throwing such awesome afters. Hi-fives all around. Weekend 2 - Gaining a reputation Word had spread and we knew we had to step up our game for Weekend 2. We brought in ARVII MALA from Good Looks Chicago to run the decks and secure some amazing talent. On Thursday night, ARVII MALA opened b2b with GoodSex and threw down some dirty house beats to kick off the weekend -- Chicago-style! They followed up with unforgettable sets by Yheti, Xonic, Win & Woo from Chicago. On Saturday night, our base camp was banging with the beats of local Chicago Djs, including Elevated, who played b2b with JSquared, laying down some dirty trap. After closing the Forest stage Saturday night, Pillow Talk came through to play an amazing sunrise set.  Overall, EVOL Chicago base camp definitely left a mark in Sherwood Forest this year. Much love to the hundreds of new and old friends who supported us and came out to party every night! Your enthusiastic energy and positive vibes kept us going every night! Til next year. Special THANK YOU to all the DJs who played at EVOL Chicago Base Camp (Sound Cloud Links below)
And thanks for stopping by to party with us:
 Today, an iconic Chicago symbol turns 100 years old. The Chicago flag, one of the most prevalent and often reproduced symbols in our city, is finally reaching this milestone. Despite its age, the design still stands as one of the most beloved city flag designs in the country. EVOL Chicago takes pride in unifying our city and commemorating house music. It seems only right that we celebrate the 100th birthday of the Chicago Flag by hosting a giveaway. We will be giving away 1 flag per social media platform ;Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter ….. Here are the links and rules for each platform! If you aren't feeling lucky here is the link to purchase one. Good Luck!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evolchicago
Ignited flames, dug up bases, and thousands of people jumping and screaming in complete chaos: this was the scene of White Sox's Stadium Comiskey Park on July 12, 1979. On a day dubbed as Disco Demolition Night, over 50,000 people attended a double header to do more than watch baseball. With a disco record and 98 cents, people were allowed to watch the Chicago White Sox play the Detroit Tigers and participate in making history.
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