Saturday, September 29, 2012

Blacktop Festival - Denver Arts Music & Culture

Blacktop Festival

Saturday's Blacktop Festival, presented by Denver zine and creative space Unit E, is a celebration of Music and Art and of the year 2012; "the year for do-it-yourself, for creating your experience, for enjoying the nonsense".  

This free event will run from 2pm to 10 pm on Saturday September 29th at 14th and Champa at the Denver Performing Arts Complex.  There will be live music, dance, comedy and other performances from local artists. Plus art workshops and demonstrations,  bike mechanics, local farm vendors, and a Zine library.  You can even get down with a good ole' fashioned game of Tetherball.  




This weekend, get out and get your hands dirty with a little creative production.  Or just enjoy a beautiful afternoon soaking up the sunshine, the art and the good vibes brought to you by Denver's artistic community.  For more info on the venue, line up or event in general, go to the 

Thursday, September 27, 2012

DubFX in Denver - Sub.Mission brings the OG!!!


Coming to Denver on October 6th at Larimer Lounge - DubFX will be performing LIVE. Gotta say BIG UPS to Sub.Mission for bringing this giant to the city. We are beyond stoked to see this performances...don't sleep on tickets. Get yours now before it's toooooo late!!!















Now you get the point?

Josh Schmitz - President of Ruckus Apparel



Our president, Hunt, had some time with a Colorado OG, Josh Schmitz. Josh started Ruckus Apparel and has been making moves all over the fashion scene since the first run in 2009. We have seen his gear at the MMA fights and on hot women  and  the "who's who" of Denver when we are out and about. JET Hotel is a hot spot for the Death Crew and usually boasts a line out the door to enter (real Gatsby). Hunt took a second to write an intro for the piece.....Please enjoy some Ruckus & Grime:

"I met Josh not to long ago through our passion for fashion and entertainment. We have had some very interesting talks, ideas, and interests that have come up over the duration of the relationship. Most of all,  branding comes to mind....which I have met very few that come close to the platform that Josh developed for his brand. Steeped in street culture and a true student of the game, he has continued to consistently use great fabrics, crisp original designs, and a great arsenal of trend setters in his midst. This has now transcended the brand into the lifestyle. I have seen the Death Crew at events and they roll 'thick'. Ruckus Apparel is not a brand or a lifestyle...it's an Army. I'm happy to be a part of it. Bear arms, raise awareness, and keep it gully! If you don't know Death Crew then you don't know how to live life to the fullest. Allow us to introduce you...." - Hunt, President of Grimey Gatsby


Ruckus Apparel, how did you come up with the brand?
 - I started making t shirts for myself, and then my friends started wanting them, then friends of friends, then friends of friends of friends, etc. So at that point I took $600.00, got a copyright, made my first batch of bulk Ts and
RUCKUS was born.

How long has Ruckus been around?
 - We have been around since approx. November of 2009.

Where is Ruckus sold across the country?
 - We are sold at select Urban Outfitters, I do not know which stores specifically, when they made the bulk order I'm not sure what regions they chose to sell at. Outside of them, we are only sold at independent boutiques and independently run snow and skate shops across the nation. Locally in CO you can find us at MegaFauna, Community Service, Inspyre Boutique, Stay Local, and many more coming soon. 




Who / What is Death Crew?
 -  You see it everywhere associated with Ruckus, and I get asked this question all the time. So this is my attempt to shortly explain what DEATHCREW is as unaggressively and as simply as I can.
Life has billions of specific kinds of people, but I believe that when its truly dissected, life boils down to only a few key elements, and its outside morality, religion, race, or creed; I think it comes down to what you value at your core; simply put - time management. Time Management is THE absolute most defining characteristic that we as human beings have. TIME is the most precious commodity that we own; it’s more precious than gold, and oil, and water, or any other thing we possess. TIME. It’s the one thing that money can’t buy, and the one thing we can never get back. It’s the driving factor behind every decision we make, every emotion we feel, and any belief system we adhere to. TIME.
You see a lot of people in this world search endlessly for some complex magical formula, to understand why some people are successful, and why others are not. It’s not complex - it boils down to the concept of productivity, the concept behind DEATHCREW. The amount of productivity can be simply measured by when you apply (the most amount of effort) x (the best of your abilities) x (the allotted time that you have). Successful people realize that time is the most precious commodity out there. And just going through the motions is the most disadvantageous thing that you could do. You have to give it your all, and you have to pour your heart and soul into each and every task no matter how big it is or how small it is. And on top of all that, you need to be the best person you can be while you’re doing it. You need to make a commitment to yourself that your going to do it right. You’re going to live life, right.
You see DEATHCREW is not a gang, it’s a simple belief system based on time. It’s a belief system that says, if my time here is limited, I need to live my life in a way where not a single breath is wasted. It’s about investing your heartbeats wisely, about spending your time the right way. DEATHCREW is about not being afraid when Death is at your front door, because you have lived with no regrets, knowing you were performing this life to the best of your abilities.
I listen to people all the time talk about successful people, athletes, musicians, business men, etc – and they all talk about the same thing – oh, they’re successful because of their trust fund, or genetics, or steroids, or luck etc. They fail to realize that those successful people, those die-hards, those “crazies” those “obsessed” – those guys live within the same time constraints as everyone else – they just know the value of their limited time here, and they want to do everything in their power to not squander it.
People fail to realize that how they spend their time is more important that anything else. A lot of people trick themselves into thinking that what they do in life is beneficial, but then they get so frustrated when they don’t see the results that they want. You know you can say – “oh, I went to they gym today, and I'm better off because of it”, but the real question you have to ask yourself is – What did I actually do in the gym today? What did I really do, and how did I do it? Honestly it doesn’t matter that you were there, there is NO credit for just showing up. It’s about your effort, its about doing the activity right. And this applies to all areas of you life, school, your job, your family. Being there isn’t enough, showing up isn’t enough. It’s about taking pride and doing things right, even down to the small things like – cleaning the dishes – or cleaning the house. Because… if you can’t clean the house right – how can you expected to run a fortune 500 company right? All DEATHCREW members understand that. We are going to give it our all in every single task we do – because time is so precious.
I hope this clears up the DEATHCREW concept a little bit better. Just ask yourself – what are you going to do today? More importantly, how are you going to do it? And in the end when Death is calling your name, it’s a victory, and it was a life well spent. Because, if Death is the victory, how afraid of life can we be?
DEATHCREW is about leaving a legacy, a legacy that says I wasn’t perfect… I wasn’t even close… but at least I tried.




How has the street culture world changed in Denver over the past 10 years? - I don’t know man… Street Culture, Fashion, “rights and wrongs”, they are always changing, adapting, and evolving. No one can argue that the line between fashion and streetwear is disappearing day by day. Fashion is such an interesting phenomenon because it means something different to each individual person. Fashion and Street Culture taste-makers are both built on struggle, and empowerment. Built on the ideas of individuality, and being an innovator, not an imitator. Whether it’s a pair of Air Max Sneaks, or a 400 dollar D&G pocket square, those items co-exist in different universes, but for the same purpose- to make the wearer feel like a million bucks. I love that. I love that the simple things such as changing how you rock your shoe laces can out of nowhere give you a whole new outlook and potentially even the confidence boost to go out into the world on fire as opposed to feeling hidden. So as far as how its changed, the fads have changed and evolved for sure, but the principles at their core haven’t. But that’s fashion man – regardless of price – Fashion is about walking out your door feeling sexy regardless of when / what / where / or how much your outfit costs.

What are you favorite accomplishments of Ruckus thus far?
 - I’ve been able to meet a ton of cool people through doing RUCKUS. Having some of my favorite musicians rocking and supporting RUCKUS is always awesome. But honestly man, I get stoked when I see random kids in my neighborhood wearing our stuff too. I’m just happy that people like what RUCKUS has to offer.

Tattoos, Parties, Fun Times, Quality Products, and Real People is how we would describe the  Ruckus Family…..is that correct in your thoughts?
 - Haha, yeah that sounds about right. The RUCKUS Fam is made up of all types of people. Honestly I don’t care if you’re a skater, rapper, pastor, gangster, graff kid, punk, hard core kid, or banker. As long as you’re not a cop or a judgmental dbag – you’re welcome into the Army.





How is the Fall line looking for 2013?
 - Its our best release to date. 19+ pieces spanning men’s and women’s wear, with everything from Ts, Vs, crop tops, pea coats, henleys, and lightweight jackets.  I honestly couldn’t be more stoked on how everything turned out.

Events, parties, or Fashion Shows coming up?
 - Everything now is a bit more exclusive, but we have some stuff coming up for Halloween that’s going to be awesome, but I cant release details until mid-October.

Musicians, bands, and DJ's that are Death Crew?
 - Too many to count. The newest additions to the Fam though are my homies in Oh, Sleeper – they are an amazing melodic hardcore band out of Texas. If you haven’t heard of them, you need to check them out ASAP!

3 words that touch on the future for Ruckus Apparel?
 - Classic, Sexy, Tough.

Does the Vulture that you use in your designs have a name?
 - Na, the Vulture is just a representation or a “mascot” if you will for the crew. We should probably name him soon though.

Are you GGFam?
 - You know this!!!!




Wednesday, September 26, 2012

GRiZ's Game-Changer

GRiZ

In case you don't know him, GRiZ is  21-year-old Detroit native Grant Kwiecinski, who has been  gaining traction in the EDM scene over the past year. His remixes and carefully composed tracks began to get picked up  by some heavy-hitters off SoundCloud earlier this year, then GRiZ hit a handful of summer festivals to showcase his skills and introduce some of the music from Mad Liberation.   Finally, just before setting out on a fall and winter tour with explosively successful Colorado natives Big Gigantic, GRiZ graced us with his debut LP, Mad Liberation.


Electronic music blog The Dankles touts this album as the most innovative, groundbreaking and important electronic release since Skrillex's 2010 My Name is Skrillex.   What Skrillex brought to the forefront of the cultural conversation, GRiZ has meticulously crafted and perfected.  The quality of production, depth of composition and expansiveness across genres define this game-changing album.  As The Dankles put it; "A pinch of Skrillex, a dash of Big Gigantic’s soul, Gramatik’s jazz, and Dillon Francis’ chaos, framed with Daft Punk’s patience, Pretty Lights’ flow, and the shock factor of Bassnectar. POW! You’ve got GRiZ."  A fusion of influences, plus a masterful musicianship and precise technique, combine in a well-rounded and groundbreaking effort. 

Our favorite track off this 12-track, independently produced LP is  "Best I've Ever Been". It starts with a jazzy intro (reminiscient of Gramatik) then slides into a Spanish language sample with haunting echoes. About one minute in, the track drops into funky hip-hop beats and Tupac and Biggie samples. Around the three minute mark the feel gets heavier and 16-bit and grinding synths remind you that you're listening to a producer who prides himself of only the highest production quality. Then he seamlessly slides you back into that electro-soul groove that hooked you from the start.

GRiZ is a musician's musician. He aims to deliver timeless, quality tracks rather than mountains of remixes and mashups just to keep SoundCloud followers distracted.    While one-off tracks can be fun, it is admirable to see an artist conceptualize an album as a whole and deliver such a comprehensive and beautiful effort.  While it's not the same as our parents' ritual of dropping a needle onto fresh vinyl,  take the time to  queue up SoundCloud, and sit down and give this album a listen start to finish. It's that kind of album. 

For an in-depth album review, check out this one from The Dankles

Or Download Mad Liberation for free on

SoundCloud

Maryland Pride and More...Ajna Print & Design


When we were out and about in Baltimore recently we ran into Ajna Print and Design on several proud chests......

Ajna is repping Maryland hard, and they are a local business.  Buying their supplies locally and hiring B'more locals keeps this operation grounded.  If you're from  Muurylund you might wanna give these tees a peek.  If you're not, you can have Ajna print just about anything your lil heart desires on  hemp, bamboo and organic cotton tees, hoodies, canvas banners, and more.  







Friday, September 21, 2012

Flamingo Bowl-St. Louis' Downtown Bowling Mecca!



It is absolutely true that "The Bird" is in fact "The Word", and this pink feathered beauty is getting Grimey with the night owls every night on Washington street in St. Louis. From the decor and friendly staff to the very Gatsby lanes and projectors playing above the pins this place is "The Dude" approved! Approaching the bar your beaks will salivate to the perfect mix of both St. Louis brewed favorites like Schlafly and 4Hands Brewery  and plenty micro brews the bartenders are more than happy to educate you on. The many colorfully inked bartenders will whip up anything from the perfect Martini to one of their list of Signature and constantly renewed Featured Cocktails. They will keep your night Gatsby with a Japanese Slipper or Blackberry Royal and the personality to match! Call ahead and reserve lanes for your next Birthday or just a night out getting grimey because they fill up fast especially on the weekends. The bowling floor, elevated above the dwelling space with the extremely comfortable lounge styled seating makes any night a Gatsby one. 




This oh so Gatsby alley offers so much more than just your everyday bowling facility. Also with their incredible private Palm Room becoming one of St. Louis' premiere venues for  rehearsal dinners, business parties, and Birthday parties alike. It is no surprise these private lanes have shared many Gatsby nights with the likes of local Hip Hop legend Nelly, the Blues, and Cardinals, Wiz Kahlifa, Lil Wayne, and even stared spotlight in Brett Michael's St. Louis stop date night on The Rock of Love Bus on VH1. Catering to each event's specific needs they offer the perfect place for all your Gatsby times to keep the grimey fun! If you don't bowl the Flamingo Bowl still has you covered, offering "Death to All but Metal" Monday's with The Josh, "Mixtape" Tuesdays with  Porsikboy, and "Fridays with DJ Uptown" and an array of hits jamming in the background every night of the week! So if you live in St. Louis or you're just visiting be sure to stop by Downtowns' Bowling Mecca the Flamingo Bowl!









Open Air Philly - Green Gatsby

Open Air

A massive public art installation will illuminate the night skies over Philadelphia for the next three weeks.   Open Air, conceptualized by artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, will utilize GPS technology and sound recordings to create an interactive form of expression. For the duration of the installation each night, 24 searchlights situated strategically along the Ben Franklin Parkway will respond to the volume and frequency of sounds recorded by members of the crowd, as well as online participants. Depending on GPS Location, intonation, volume, and frequency the lights will react and create unique light formations in the sky.

Open Air will also feature pre-recorded messages from Philadelphians like filmmaker  David Lynch and recording artist Santigold. Further sounds will consist of birdsong, in recognition of the yearly migrations that pass through the region.  The lights will be turned off at for periods each night to allow birds to find their way out of the beams.

The concept for the piece was inspired by  the legacy of free speech and democracy ensconced in Philadelphia's history. Says artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer;   "We wanted to take that background and implement technology to visualize it...We wanted to take free speech and make it materially visible in the city."  

The Association for Public Art's Vimeo



Open Air runs September 20- Oct 14 from 8-11pm. The installation will consume only as much energy as a football game in a professional stadium and will be 50% fueled by bio diesel. On clear nights the ligth will be visible from 10 miles away. In Philly, head down to the Art Museum or the Parkway to see it live, or contribute your voice from anywhere.




Thursday, September 20, 2012

Into The Fall Wardrobe....New England's gem

Into The Wardrobe

The weather's getting crisp, and amongst the technicolor foliage of New England it's hard to deny the arrival of fall.  It's time for cozy scarves and layered looks.  We spent the afternoon recently with Providence style maven Megan Graham in her consignment boutique, Into the Wardrobe.  Take high-end fashion, quirky one-offs and a bit of whimsy (the nod to Gnarnia being just the first example) and you've got a delightful spot to play dress up. We styled a few looks here, to spark your creativity  as you prepare for the change of seasons.  Both Green Gatsby and Coco Gatsby love fashion resale and consignment shops.  Coco loves scoring designer pieces (some never even worn) at amazing prices, and Green adores reusing resources and reducing waste.  And all Gatsbys know the importance of defining a unique style--which is facilitated by digging deep into racks and discovering one-of-a-kind items. 

So if you're ever in Providence, seek out Into The Wardrobe (at the corner of Wickenden and Brook)….or just look for a consignment store in your area and embark on your own fashion adventure!




It's all in the details....










 ...so play with crocheted trims, delicate beading and embroidered touches

 Fall neutrals are luxe with suede and silk accessories...

...and cut-out and layered shapes

Asymmetrical and layered shapes add interest to solid pieces






 

Calvin Klein knows the classics 
(this LBD and the one above are both CK)

a little space styled by Maddy Andrews

Cat in the Hat (aka ITW owner Megan Graham)

wrapping and pinning a scarf gives it new life in a different form


take a sundress into fall with a flannel, scarf and boots


laced and leather


Hooded leather?  Yes, please!

Yummy warm lounge wear

Fine fine corduroy plus sequins? Feminine, with just the right weight and warmth


Hi, My Name Is....Street Art

PVD Street Art

Providence, Rhode Island is a small city, in the smallest state; but the culture here is gargantuan.  Universities, including the exceptional Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) pack the city and there are galleries, music venues and creative types everywhere you look.  A recent stroll down Wickenden Street (along with Thayer Street, one of the main "happening" boulevards in PVD)  revealed how art is everywhere in the bastion of self-expression.  We've put together a gallery of street art encountered on that walk.  While the city does play host to numerous large scale installations and murals (see the link above), ill fitting fashion, many of the tags we spotted on this jaunt were small scale, done on shipping labels or "hi, my name is" stickers.  These nuggets of creative identity are just the type of grimey creation we love here at GG.