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The CHIRP Blog
Michelle Nadeau writesJoin us for the Exclusive, Secret, Popup Dining Event of the Year: Dîner en Blanc!
CHIRP is the proud music provider for the official pop up dining event here in Chicago on Friday, August 24 at 7:00pm at a secret location, organized by Dîner en Blanc Chicago.
Over 1,000 diners will participate in the prestigious event, coming from 20 meeting points throughout Chicago, dressed entirely in white, led by a group of volunteers, to the secret meeting place, promising to have a spectacular view!
In true Dîner en Blanc style, participants will be asked to bring their own tables, chairs, food and drinks. As an added treat, world-renowned Chef Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia will be creating gourmet picnic baskets that may be purchased in advance for the event, complete with wine pairings.
Dîner en Blanc and Dîner en Blanc International Inc. has grown to include 24 host cities globally. This year, Chicago is pleased to join these prestigious ranks by officially launching this celebrated event in affiliation with the original Dîner en Blanc International and will run in accordance with the high standards put forth by the Dîner en Blanc International Inc. trademark.
CHIRP is excited to provide the soundtrack for this foodie event and it’s official debut here in Chicago. Click here for more details about this prestigious event, imported straight from Paris. And make sure to register now so you don’t miss it!
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Colin Moulding Edition
While he took a back seat in XTC to the force of nature that is Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding was vital to the band’s survival early on. After all, it was Moulding who penned the song that put XTC in the UK charts, “Making Plans For Nigel”, along with a song that really got them attention in the States, “Generals and Majors” (which received a maximum score of 98 on Rate-A-Record on American Bandstand). While not as prolific as Partridge, Moulding almost always contributed key tunes on XTC albums. Moreover, he is not mentioned enough as one of the best bass players ever, with a special meldic gift — he’s pretty much the Paul McCartney of bass players of the new wave/post-punk era. Let’s pay tribute to Colin by grabbing your iPod or MP3 player, hitting shuffle and sharing the first 10 songs that come up.
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Ronnie Spector Edition
This woman took the lead on Brian Wilson’s favorite rock ‘n’ roll record ever, “Be My Baby”. She ultimately went on to marry the producer of that record, and lived to tell about it. Veronica Bennett, best known to the world as Ronnie Spector, was one of the icons of the girl group era, her yearning vocals balancing innocence and sexuality perfectly, and sounding great on top of Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound. While her work since The Ronettes faded away has been sporadic, she’s worked with everyone from Joey Ramone to Eddie Money, returning to the charts on his ’80s smash “Take Me Home Tonight”. She’s maintained her legacy with dignity, which is more than can be said of her ex. Let’s pay tribute to the lead Ronette by grabbing your iPod or MP3 player, hitting shuffle and sharing the first 10 songs that come up.
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Tony Bennett
Today let’s celebrate one of the most enduring figures in popular music, the last great American crooner, Tony Bennett. While he never achieved an artistic peak on par with pre-rock contemporaries such as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole or Peggy Lee, Bennett has shown a consistency that has allowed him to stay popular over generations. Moreover, while he has never attempted to foolishly revamp his style to stay contemporary, he has never failed to recognize new talents, which has served him particularly well when duetting with modern great singers such as k.d. lang and the late Amy Winehouse. Bennett shows that one of the best ways to stay cool is to stay true to yourself. Moreover, without Tony Bennett, what song would the Big Ragu have sung on Laverne & Shirley? Let’s pay tribute to Tony by grabbing your iPod or MP3 player, hitting shuffle, and sharing the first 10 songs that come up.
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesR.I.P. Bill Doss of The Olivia Tremor Control
(Bill Doss and The Olivia Tremor Control performs “The Game You Play Is In Your Head, Parts 1, 2, & 3” at Pitchfork Music Festival 2012)