The Darkroom Demons/ Everyone is Famous Podcast!

Q101's Electra and Jaime Black

Last week we had the incredible pleasure of sitting next to Clayton Hauck and have a fire-less fireside chat into a couple of microphones with the extremely talented writer and Local 101 host, Jaime Black. Ever the purveyor of Chicago music and the lifestyle that surrounds it, Jaime runs a blog called Chicago Verse United which serves as a waypoint for his passions between his tireless efforts to unearth everything and everyone that is trying to make Chicago great. Clayton and I get down into the nitty gritty of who where what and why we do what we do.

CVU06 SCSSS03 EveryoneIsFamous/DarkRoomDemons Special - ChicagoverseuniteD

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We're Honored! Formatmag puts us amongst the creme de la creme in Vegas.

"A few weeks ago, Format flew down to MAGIC to exhibit the works of over 15 of the best event photographers throughout North America, in a show called OVEREXPOSED.

Exhibited on the main floor of MAGIC in the S.L.A.T.E. area, OVEREXPOSED featured the work of Annie Ray, Antwan Duncan, Christopher James, Clayton Hauck, Dance On Party, Darkroom Demons, Driven by Boredom, I Can’t Teach You How To Do It, KidRae254, Kid Paparazzi, Klicking and Screaming, Shark vs Bear, The Culture of Me, The Midnight Socialite, TONE, Tonedoc."

We were super excited to get involved with this projects, especially as we're in the crazy company of NYC's legendary Driven By Boredom and our Chicago homies Clayton Hauck and Sean Dorgan. Thanks to Daniel Ecker for keeping on us and making us feel like a couple of superstars!

Clickable Comics Return!!!

P(R)eview: KDM's B-Day bash for Ephraim as Just Desserts makes his RiNo debut

Hang in there Ephraim! If April Fool's was any indication, its gonna be a long birthday week. Kudos to DJ Just Desserts aka Clayton Hauck, who apparently has picked up some serato knowledge from all them DJs he runs across the country with. Great Job!

Now Playing at Darkroom Demons!

Click the poster to enlarge!

This week we have new galleries from KDM @ RiNo (which is playing now), Shiny Toy Guns secret show, Claychella @ Debonair and Much Much More! Be sure to catch a double feature on Friday afternoons when all our popcorn is guaranteed douche-free!

Also, Darkroom Demons has just gotten a facelift! Now you can clearly follow us on MySpace, Twitter, Facebook and subscribe to our RSS blog feed which keeps you in the know when our new galleries go up and our pop culture sensibilities are going crazy! Be sure to click the RSS so you can know exactly when the party we shot you at is up!

Note to our regular viewers: It seems many of you are having trouble taking pictures off the site. Here's a hint: Read the instructions below the picture. It tells you to "Right Click to Save the Image". I don't know what else to tell you. Ok, you're right: The font IS small and I understand you couldn't see it. Whatever.

Save the Date...Literally. Darkroom Demons are at SXSW!

Well, one demon that is... Sir Reeves is going to Texas for SXSW while I continue my medical sabbatical in Chicago. If you're planning on being in Austin in a few weeks, stop in at Opal Divine's on Thursday, March 19th and see some Chicago kids throw down (i.e. Flosstradamus, Sir Reeves). Our friends at Cornerstone throw the best parties ever, so I expect the photos to be an orgy of sweat and sound.

If you can't make it to Austin, stop by Claychella this Saturday March 7th at Debonair Social Club to catch Floss play "Happy Birthday to Clayton" 20 times in a row! We will be there subjecting ourselves to many a pint in honor of our fellow shooter.

My Release Date from my Hospital Prison is set.

Collaboration is king. Especially when you know peeps like Clayton Hauck and Ryan Mitchell. A fine example of a dope debaucherous time, all the while Mr. Hauck gets drunker and drunker as the music blares in honor of his aging process. I might even bring a little camera while Reeves hauls around the big Cannon! :)

Injured Reserve and the abridged Party Circuit

I have to apologize to our four readers for not updating in a week. I have a nasty day ahead tomorrow in which I will get a 10 gauge needle plummeted into my elbow in an effort to remedy my torn extender in my shooting arm. I would have understood this injury in my single days, but being married reduces your "alone time" considerably. The doc says it might be from a 15 lb. camera in my right hand 6 hours a day, but I don't believe him. I think its from hi-fiveing every drunk in town. I've been stuck in front of the computer hacking away at peoples hairlines as I prep the Chicago Suicide Club Fashion Triptych. You can see a sneak preview above. Kudos to our 30+ models, movers and shakers who made Oliver and I very happy that evening. Because God knows I'll never attempt a shoot in Crimson Lounge again for fear of lighting it. Be sure to check out the St. Pauli Girl boxes hanging over the paintings hiding our strobes. Just another "Strobist" solution to an otherwise impossible situation.

Reeves and I took a stroll into Wicker Park and shot plenty of Black Swan parties (Cheers to Clayton Hauck for pimping us all month). Be sure to ask Reeves about the He Say She Say and Holt events because I only shot the "Zipcar Anniversary". It was the first party I've seen where anyone could get a drink but the line for the buffet was 200 people long. When I went up to the "Top Chef" contestants who were preparing the food and told them their new codename was the "Lunch Ladies" I don't think they were so amused. Nothing like going from national cable TV to feverishly cutting baguettes for hungry car renters.

A few weeks earlier I had the displeasure of shooting Dave Navarro again. Something tells me that watching your father shoot your mother, battling heroin, and getting dumped by Carmen Electra for our friend Rob Patterson makes you a total douche. It drives me nuts to see this virtuoso turned low grade porn director because he was my hero in high school along with Perry Farrel (Who is always fucking awesome to hang around). Reeves and I took on the last night of "Outdanced" at Funky Buddha as well and had a fucking blast. I'm so unhip and was like a wide eyed school child upon seeing Pooper and Leslie and the Lys kill it on stage. "Ham Dance" rulez. Our friend Shaka 23 is back in town and always brings good mojo to the party.
Oh, and I shot the Michigan Avenue Launch party and stayed away from almost all the celebs since Jason Binn prefers to hire 4 people to shoot the same thing. It's just not my thing having to push and shove to get a shot. I enjoyed the night and took time to take care of their readers and clients instead of hounding Cindy Crawford, Verne Troyer, Terrance Howard and Michelle Williams. I heard it was a great party. I, however, had tunnel vision and couldn't wait to leave due to my elbo feeling like it was gonna burst.

I did however piss someone off by sneaking my way to the front of the stage while Mr. Binn and Mrs. Gerber did their version of "Who's on First" seen below....

Catching Lightning in a Bottle... Kanye West and the Demons

So Kanye has finally declared his War on the Paparazzi!!! How very exciting! I have to talk about this because I fucking love Kanye West. We link his blog, he is at the forefront of music and fashion and he is a total punk and dickwad. He has always been one of those guys that I just want to have ten minutes with and tell him about our site's love affair with music, nightlife and fashion but he's pretty skittish...And neurotic like any other true artist. Someone needs to stand up to them slimeballs, whether its considered strong arm battery or not.

I had my Paparazzi moment with Kanye earlier this summer when I spotted him and Don backstage at Saul Williams during Lollapalooza. I didn't get within 200 feet of him before he bee-lined it to the trailers. I felt sad but then I realized I had like, 3 cameras hanging off me and now?


Now I'm just glad he didn't fucking trash them mistaking me for TMZ. (Clayton ended up getting the coolest shot of the weekend after I had given up...even though it has Pete in it. Heh Heh.)



Make no mistake. We loathe the fucking Paparazzi. It's a line most of us party photobloggers have never crossed. Our bank statements prove it. But it still stings to see that camera get smashed in the video. Like watching a child get beaten. I just love that Kanye doesn't smash the flash until AFTER Don destroys the SLR. It's like he's not quite sure if they're gonna get away with it and waits for the cue to get angry. Cute Kanye. Still, major Kudos. I mean, who the fuck wants to be stalked while they're at LAX. Move back to Chitown bro. We'll protect your image.

Problem is, I think that the Paps are gonna hound him even more, knowing they can get Dennis Rodman money out of it if he assaults another one.