Chris Widman John Simmons Justin Long Nate Manic Orchard Lounge Kate Simko Kid Color Sassmouth CHRIS WIDMAN abstractscience.net Chris Widman is a Chicago DJ that defies easy classification. Host of the weekly radio program Abstract Science since 1997 and a DJ since 1995, he is at the forefront of breaking new styles, crossing genres and re-introducing forgotten music. When DJing for the dancefloor, Widman practices his own form of crowd-pleasing sonic warfare: riding the razor's edge between over-the-top and falling off the deep end. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Widman started DJing straight out of high-school drum line. After hearing the frenetic percussion and massive bass of Jungle music at a local hip hop party, he bought his first 12" - Shy Fx's "Original Nuttah" - the next day and quickly expanded his scope to Chicago house, midwest techno, hip hop and acid jazz. Modeling his technique after the area's cultural vanguards - DJs Joc Max and Ray Velasquez, who both emphasized musical programming, tight mixing and playing great music - Widman starting DJing (as DJ Quest) and throwing raves in Kansas City with schoolmate Henry Self. In 1997, at the University of Missouri, Widman and Self first broadcast Abstract Science on KCOU 88.1FM. With the help of Luke Stokes, the show moved to WLUW 88.7FM Chicago with the Abstract Science crew in tow - joined by support members Colin Harris and Kim Schlechter. Widman quickly established his first Chicago residency at SmartBar (Abstract Sessions, 2001-2003) and has gone on to DJ and promote countless events in the city, and perform across the United States and Europe. Over the years, Widman has DJed with a diverse cast of luminaries including dubstep heavyweights Benga, Caspa, Kode9 and Skream, among many others. Widman also records and performs live with Colin Harris as Quadratic. Since their first EP release in 2008, the long-simmering collaboration has impressed Chicago crowds with dynamic live performances. With a batch of new songs, honed on-stage opening for Rukso, Hudson Mohawke, Daedelus, King Cannibal, and Kode9, Quadratic are set to break new ground in 2010. JUSTIN LONG www.myspace.com/dj_justinlong www.myspace.com/dotbleep www.dotbleep.com twitter.com/darthbleep Justin Long has been abusing sound systems as a DJ around the world for nearly two decades. Born in Chicago, July 8th, at 8:08 a.m. could possibly signify the reason he was drawn to the sound of the beats and bass at such an early age. He credits the Roland 808 drum machine as one of the most important tools in electronic music. Justin first came across the sounds of Chicago dance music when he was sitting shotgun in his mother’s car at an early age. Upon fiddling with the radio, he found himself paralyzed as "Can't Stop the House" flowed through the WBMX airwaves into his young ears... He did not realize at the time that this sound was actually a symbiotic organism that was bonding with him! Justin credits his earliest musical influences to television and his mother. Justin recalls being mesmerized, watching the Sex Pistol's Johnny Rotten belt out "Anarchy in the U.K." in addition to Adam Ant on a show about rock and roll. His mom then gave him her copies of the Sex Pistol’s Never Mind the Bollocks and The Clash’s London Calling. At that moment, a journey into the vortex of punk rock music was set for exploration! His later musical influences were drawn from Joy Division, Green Velvet, Derrick Carter, Talking Heads, Nitzer Ebb and anything else that defied the norm. Justin spent most of his childhood in Chicago's urban concrete jungle skateboarding, buying punk records, reading comic books and riding the trains around the city, admiring the once colorfully graffitied Chicago transit system. About the age of 14, Justin and his friends made Medussa's, the popular all ages juice bar, a weekly Saturday night pilgrimage, where a mixture of punk, new wave, industrial, acid house, hip house and techno was played. His growing thirst for electronic music was satiated by the decision to purchase a pair of belt drive turntables as there was no other venue to hear these sounds, unless he brought the party into his own home. Justin started exploring loft parties around the city and spending almost every day and every dollar at the famous Gramaphone Records, where he eventually found himself employed. Shortly after selling his own mix tapes, he was asked to DJ at underground parties, guest and resident club spots around Chicago and beyond, alongside DJs he had respected and befriended in the scene. Justin was the founding resident DJ on Q101 FM's Sonic Boom Radio and made regular guest appearances on Northwestern University’s WNUR FM. However, it was his performances at the Metro along the likes of Daft Punk, Carl Cox, Little Louie Vega and Dave Clark that caught the ear of Chicago music mogul, Joe Shanahan. This shortly led to his current exclusive residency at the legendary Smartbar, also birthplace of the .dotbleep laboratory! About 2002, a mysterious CD mix made its way to the home of Dave Beer of Back to Basics, in Leeds, England, by care of Back to Basics resident jock, DJ Huggy of 2020 Vision, whom Justin befriended through their love of the same music. Unable to decipher the way Justin tagged his name in graffiti on the cover, the CD was simply dubbed the Sunday CD, as it was regularly played at Dave’s home in company of friends on Sundays, after a long night out. Months lapsed and word traveled back to Dave that Justin was the maestro behind the mix. Dave requested Justin’s presence to perform at Back to Basics, home of acid house, where names as Derrick Carter, Sneak, Ralph Lawson and Andrew Weatheral were regular conductors behind the wheels of steel. The reactions were so mighty that he was summoned right back on a plane, across the ocean, to DJ at the Sub Club in Glasgow just three weeks later. Soon after, Justin returned to play most of the U.K.’s top venues including Fabric, Shindig, Circus, Scuba and Sankey’s Soap. Ralph Lawson of 2020 Vision had taken notice to Justin’s increasing popularity in the U.K., in addition to his bent ideals of house and techno. Several talks helped Justin birth his very own monstrous Frankenstein that is known today as .dotbleep! The label has released notorious names as Derrick Carter, Jacob London, Oliver $, No Ears Dub and Sawtooth Sucka, and has gained much support from DJs across the board of the musical spectrum. Justin’s past collaborations include working with Erik Sativa as the Beat Smugglers, as well as with Dan X under the moniker, No Assembly Firm which produced releases on Cajual, Classic, Junior Boys Own, Robsoul, and Luke Solomon & Derrick Carter’s Music for Freaks. Currently in the studio, Justin is working solo and alongside Mazi Namvar to create a new audio vision they call Wasted Chicago Youth (W.C.Y.) Established in 2008, W.C.Y. has already released and is soon set to release further projects on Fresh Meat, Tuning Spork and .dotbleep with multiple upcoming tracks on Farris Wheel. W.C.Y. has since been sighted causing organized chaos on 4 turntables at nightlife watering holes around the planet! Justin’s unique vibe behind the decks has likened him to a flailing live wire on the ground with exorbitant current pumping through it. His aggressive energy has been compared to Ian Curtis, Kurt Kobain and Joe Strummer. His first mix CD project for Tuning Spork is slated for Fall, 2009. You can catch him monthly at Smartbar Chicago’s .dotbleep or around the world with dates already set for Los Angeles, San Francisco, Canada, U.K., New Zealand and Australia. ORCHARD LOUNGE www.myspace.com/orchardlounge Downtempo, space disco, house, tech, b-boy era electro, hip hop, soul, and funk – if you can move, Orchard Lounge will back you up. Formed in Chicago in 2000, Orchard Lounge is the collective of Ben Silver, Spencer Lokken and Bethany Lokken. This versatile trio has enlightened dance floors nationwide with their eclectic mixes, from sunset chill-out to bass-dropping tech house, and an array of other futuristic sounds. Theirs is a democratic mission - to expose as many people as possible to the artists they admire and respect. Outside the booth, the members of Orchard Lounge continue making music. Spencer is a classically trained violinist and regularly plays with a trio in Chicago, and Ben has studied guitar for more than ten years, and continues to write and produce. What sets Orchard Lounge apart from other club DJs is the fact that you won’t always find them in the club. In recent years they’ve built a reputation as a hard-touring festival act and set-break crowd favorite, frequently supporting The Disco Biscuits, Sound Tribe Sector 9, The New Deal and Future Rock. They’ve also played alongside heavyweights like Bonobo, Lindstrøm, DJ T, Jamie Jones, Booka Shade, Metro Area, and Kevin Yost. As The Disco Biscuits’ de facto hype men (and woman), they’ve had the rare pleasure of performing for thousands at world famous venues like Red Rocks and the Hammerstein Ballroom, constantly keeping the crowd engaged with a unique mix of turntable and live-band improvisation. Despite their affinity for live music, OL's focus hasn't shifted since the group's inception almost a decade ago - to provide sophisticated and stylish DJ sets that are appropriate in a variety of settings, from the dance floor to the couch.

Want to be the first one of your friends to get news about Smart Bar? Sign up for our mailing list! You too can be one of the many lucky individuals to receive weekly show updates and other special announcements. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP! Smart Bar values your privacy. We never sell or share your contact info with anyone. If you wish to unsubscribe from the mailing list, please click here. JOHN SIMMONS www.facebook.com/djjohnsimmons John Simmons is a dynamic people mover with eighteen years experience on the turntables. Inspired in the early 90s by the House/electronic music that was being produced by mostly Chicago and New York artists that was spun by djs on the radio, he then began to cut his chops in Chicago's underground/rave scene. Among many others, John credits the djs of Chicago's Soul Foundation House Music collective as an important and ongoing source of musical inspiration. John has played at a countless number of events in Chicago, throughout the United States, and internationally. He has been able to further connect with and influence music enthusiasts through his work at local record shops Hot Jams, Supreme, and Wax Addict. John was able to gain some important international touring experience in the early 2000s while touring with dance/electronic producer/dj Traxx and other members of Soul Foundation, and also while working as road manager for dance/electronic music producer/dj Green Velvet. John has had many weekly residencies at nightclubs & lounges in Chicago, some of which have lasted for several years. With production partner Future Forward, John co-produced and performed vocals on the "Welcome 2 Chicago" EP, a Tech-Acid House prouduction that sounds fresh, while harkening back to the early days of Chicago House. John plays regularly in Chicago at Salud Tequila Lounge on Fridays, at Crocodile Lounge on 3rd Thursdays, and at People Tapas Lounge on 4th Saturdays, as well as many other guest spots. He also holds an honored position as one of the resident djs at Smartbar, one of Chicago's legendary dance music institutions. NATE MANIC djnatemanic.podomatic.com Nate Manic's presence on the Midwest dance scene can be described as nothing less than ubiquitous, with hundreds of appearances at the region's best venues and events over a career spanning over ten years. Always setting high goals and looking to the future, he continues to be a respected member of Chicago and the Midwest's history with significant contributions to it's dance community- most recently through his appointment to the position of Music Director for Smart Bar. It is his passion and ear for music that has also led to a minor celebrity status within the regional and national Burning Man contingent as well as invitations to play at these creative and individualistic events throughout the entire Midwest and nation. Able to play many different styles from Downtempo to Techno, he’s had the chance to be on the bill with a wide variety of artists, from Nouvelle Vague and the Dandy Warhols to Kaskade and Juan Atkins, just to name a few. He eagerly anticipates the chance to bring his sound and energy into one of Chicago’s most respected venues and, in the opinion of many, it’s foremost bastion of quality underground dance music. In 2010, Smart Bar’s resident lineup will be unparalleled as legacy resident DJs DJ Heather, Kaskade, Colette, Santiago and Justin Long continue to bring their supreme skills to the club every month, and the new residents bring the flavor of the future. With a tradition of only the strongest and best talent, plus the introduction of the new residents, Smart Bar is poised to continue to be the best dance club in Chicago. KATE SIMKO katesimko.com In a sometimes generic scene, where the emphasis can be on fitting into a mould, Kate Simko continues into 2011 as one of the most imaginative, captivating artists making electronic music today. A woman of many talents, the Chicago native continues to be one of the standout dance music producers in the United States, earning the respect of her peers and catapulting her career to international success. Cultivating her unique, genre-stepping sound, Kate has amassed notable releases on Spectral Sound, Ghostly International, Eklo, and now joins forces with lauded Berlin label Hello? Repeat. Kate’s forthcoming album ‘Lights Out,’ scheduled for April release on the aforementioned imprint, and her accompanying A/V live tour, which meshes music and a highly anticipated HD video display, promise to once again push Kate firmly out from the crowd. In a way ‘Lights Out’ brings Kate full circle, albeit with a twist. Her debut record was a full album - ‘Shapes of Summer’ (Traum, 2003). This collaboration between Kate and Andres Bucci was also produced in South America - Santiago to be precise. On her forthcoming debut solo album Kate goes out there with the experience of releases and an accomplished dj career, as well as an extensive background in classical music that has earned her film scoring work, as well a remix project with renowned minimalist composer Philip Glass. Kate’s unique path into music making has led to a distinct and innovative sound that has carved her niche in dance music’s avante garde. While she established her reputation as a performer with her killer live sets, she has increasingly gained notoriety for her DJ mixes. When DJing, her creative track selection and ability to adjust to the crowd make her a rare performer who can bring both depth and fun to the party. Among the numerous clubs and festivals Kate has played, a few of the highlight sets include Berghain (Berlin), Fabric (London), the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, MUTEK (Montreal), Eleven (Tokyo), and D-Edge (Sao Paulo). "Not only is Kate Simko a crack producer, continually evolving her unique style of pulsating, nuanced, and sensual house music. She’s also a killer DJ, the type often called a DJs’ DJ, with a wide range and an unfailing knack for finding the hidden thread between disparate tunes." – Philip Sherburne/ Beatportal SASSMOUTH www.myspace.com/sassmouthmusic Sassmouth settled in Chicago from San Francisco via New York City in 2000 where she rapidly reoriented her life to the weekly rhythm of electronic dance music culture. Using her musical training and diverse experience performing live as both a member of string quartets and punk bands, she aggressively attacked the techno question throughout the first decade of the millennium. Sam’s DJ sets reflect her love of dialectics, a tribute to her early explorations into musical yin and yang. Stripped down sounds mutate into jacking funky house, punchy techno, and beautiful sub bass lines and melodies. While living in Santiago, Chile, Sassmouth found a musical kinship with like-minded Chilean artists, an experience that inspired her musical explorations as well as collaborations with Chilean artists. Since returning to the U.S., she has performed regularly throughout the U.S., promoted a variety of underground and club events in her home town, built a friendly and supportive online home for the electronic dance music community with her website naughtybadfun.org, and returned often to Detroit to perform at club events and the Detroit Electronic Music Festival. Now working out of her creative base in London, she regularly contributes original tracks and remixes to projects for the Detroit-based label Hej Records while continuing to play dates in the Americas and Europe. Sassmouth, always the social being, is currently working on musical joint efforts with Jason Dunlap of Chicago, DJing back to back with the Punisher of Detroit, and as 'Pimpi Vampi' with Chilean partner in crime, Ivan Stipicic.