LIFE DURING WARTIME DANCE PARTY | Not Just a Homage to a Great Talking Heads Song
Life During Wartime started as an idea in the fall of 2002. Chris (DJ Bald Eagle orginally Disc Jockey CB), enraged by the government's turn to more conservative legislation and imperialistic entanglements, wanted to heighten people's political awareness here in Chicago. Bald Eagle also wanted to change the way music was currently being appreciated in the hipster circuit. The Chicago scene had become overrun with snobby scenesters who refused to dance and wouldn't like a band after they got popular. Whatever happened to getting down at a show and shaking your ass? Bald Eagle started djing at some shows around Chicago and then the wheels began to turn in his head.
political awareness + good music = dance party.
It was at this time that Chess (Mother Hubbard) was recruited by the Metro to spin for a few punk rock acoustic nights in Smartbar at the end of 2002 and the first couple months of 2003. Known for her fondness of beer, dancing, trash talking into the microphone, and general public display of making an ass of herself, Mother Hubbard found djing to be the exact outlet that she needed to have fun and play music she loved.
In January 2003, Bald Eagle approached Mother Hubbard with the idea of joining forces and Life During Wartime was born. A dance party with good music for people who love to dance, but don't like "dance" music or meat market nightclubs. To have people gather at a party and have fun, while at the same time promoting political awareness to a large group of young people who are hungry for a change. Bald Eagle brought the new wave, 80s, disco, and indie rock to the table and handled all the booking, while Mother Hubbard brought the electro, punk, IDM, and pop and handled all the design, merch, and web site production.
After a few months together, L.D.W. landed a monthly residency at the Hideout, one of Chicago's best kept secrets, and started building up a devoted following. The residency was and remains a success with most of the nights boasting a line out the door. In addition to the Hideout residency, Mother Hubbard and Bald Eagle started playing anywhere from one to four shows a month, either together or separately, hosting dance parties and/or showcases at a variety of venues, and opening for bands around Chicago.
2004 brought L.D.W. another monthly residency at Ukranian Village's hot spot, the darkroom. A hip club with elegant decor, a stage, and a large movie screen, darkroom became the perfect place for L.D.W. to host album listening parties, showcase bands, and put on various promotions in addition to having a dance party.
The end of 2004 marked DJ J2K officially joining the L.D.W. family. Having opened for several L.D.W. dance parties in the past, J2K proved he was a perfect fit. A turntablist and hiphop DJ, J2K filled in all the gaps and made L.D.W. a triple threat act. J2K had to leave L.D.W. dance party in 2006 when his duo Flosstradamus started touring consistently and he was unable to play the monthly residencies. Still an honorary member, J2K comes back and spins at L.D.W. shows when he can fit it into his superstar DJ schedule.
In 2007, both Bald Eagle and Mother Hubbard joined the En Prise artist roster and UR Chicago started sponsoring their successful long running residencies at Hideout and darkroom. The future holds a lot for L.D.W., especially as they gear up for the 2008 presidential election.
Some of the Artists L.D.W. Has Played with and/or Showcased:
The Flesh,
Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs,
The Rapture,
Pretty Girls Make Graves,
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists,
The Changes,
Codebreaker,
Mahjongg,
Watchers,
Troubled Hubble,
Sybris,
The Joggers,
Walter Meego,
The Gossip,
U.S.E.,
I Am the World Trade Center,
James Chance & the Fibbs,
Tommie Sunshine,
Electric Six,
Junior Senior,
Rainer Maria,
Travis Morrison (of Dismemberment Plan),
Tom Vek,
VHS or Beta,
Kid Sister,
Flosstradamus,
The Presets
