In Just 2 Clicks You Can Vote MODEL STRANGER for ARTIST OF THE MONTH!

Hey!

MODEL STRANGER has been nominated for Chicago artist of the month over at The Deli Chicago, a great Windy City scene resource!

We typically don't ask for things like this, but this one's a great opportunity for you to help MODEL STRANGER!

Vote for FREE (no signup or name required) for MODEL STRANGER as Chicago Artist of the Month HERE: http://chicago.thedelimagazine.com/snacks

It's FREE, you don't have to sign up for anything or input any personal information, two clicks and you're done!

If you have 30 seconds, this is a great way to show your support! Makes sure to leave MODEL STRANGER a shout out in the optional comments as well!

Thanks for helping out!

Stephen Francis

Kevin James

Vincent Joseph

Vote at http://chicago.thedelimagazine.com/snacks

Memories...I AM FEST....

NOTE: This blog was originally posted to Model Stranger's Official Facebook Page on Monday, June 14th.

One of the most memorable days of my experience as a musician came a year ago.... yesterday. This glorious day of achievement came on June 13th, 2009 when Chicago Noise Machine hosted the largest independent music festival held in Chicago at the Congress Theater.

In addition to procuring serious sponsorship, recruiting 25 bands, 25 artists and 8 short films "CNM" was able to bring in just over 2,800 people through the door to experience a 13
hour extravaganza of music, art, film and lifestyle vendors. It was a very special day for me and the dozens of people that assisted in making the event the success it was. The I AM FEST (Independent Art and Music Festival) was special due to the dedication of many interns, artists,
directors, musicians, technicians and mostly importantly the fans, whom all dedicated themselves to our cause.

If you aren't hip to it and are curious - just how do 9 bands from Chicago end up putting on a festival at the Congress Theater? The endeavor started as a local band collective which we self titled as "The Chicago Noise Machine". CNM was made up of a wide range of 9 musical acts whom had something other than a sound of music in common. Having grown bored with opportunities at each band's disposal this collective found unity in dedicating themselves to trying to put a shot of excitement into what they collectively felt was a tired scene. In a nutshell the concept was simple:

Success in a trying scene could be achieved through joint promotional efforts, collaboration on creative ideas, sharing of networks, and a serious DIY work ethic.

With these core values as our creed, the concept quickly became the agenda. Compilation CDs foreshadowed band collaborations both on and off the stage and within a few months we were a fully functioning machine.

On November 24th, 2008 Chicago Noise Machine hosted its first event. The results were impressive. This 9 band sold out showcase at the Cubby Bear proved our efforts and philosophy to be true. This small showcase was an exciting event for both fans and bands.

Following this one-off and very successful show CNM's ambitions were high and it was decided that we should go bigger for our next event. For the next 6 months CNM put their minds and time into building the I AM FEST, concept and format, from the ground up.

I AM FEST would feature "Lifestyle vendors, bands, artists and directors", primarily rooted in
Chicago. It was painstaking, frustrating, exhausting, educating, fun, exciting, surreal, impossible and brilliant experience. I made many special friends and built relationships that I still have until this day. Love.

As you may have noticed, the format for live and recorded music is continuing to change. Having played a significant role in the development of both the Chicago Noise Machine and the I AM FEST, I am happy to know that alongside many of my peers, we built and shared in something beautiful. To co-create something of this magnitude independently was rewarding and of worth more than words can describe. Our actions were a direct response to a changing business model and our success was in direct relation to our creative perspective, hunger, and work ethic.

As record labels and live music continue to flutter I am pleased to know our joint instinct was not in vain and that our timing was impeccable. I would hope that any individual involved in the development took the same lessons away from the experience. For those of you that were involved, my deepest gratitude goes out to you.

Here are some videos of performance clips and media from last year:
I AM FEST COMMERCIAL

I AM FEST 2009 DOCUMENTARY/HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

MODEL STRANGER AT I AM FEST

I AM very proud to announce that the I AM FEST will be happening again this year!


The date, format, and place have changed since its inception last year, but the philosophy lives on. When given the option to either let the I AM FEST go to the wayside or allow it to live on, the choice was simple.

There couldn't be a more worthy host who could have asked permission to carry the torch. This year's festivities will be hosted by The Elbo Room. It is going to be another great year.

Q: Where/When is MODEL STRANGER playing again? A: Read on, friend...

***NOTE, THIS BLOG POST IS BEST VIEWED AT MODELSTRANGER.COM. NOT ALL PICTURES/LINKS MAY SHOW UP CORRECTLY ON OTHER SITES***


Hello friends/fans/Strangers!

Today's a good day. It's Friday. Those exciting Blackhawks are ready for their revenge in Game 4. And Model Stranger is prepped for an exciting show tomorrow night at Chicago City Limits with our friends The Branded and My Morning Driver!

That's right!

Saturday, June 5th

MODEL STRANGER

THE BRANDED

MY MORNING DRIVER

Chicago City Limits

1712 Wise Rd. Schaumburg, IL

SHOW STARTS 9PM

SEE YOU THERE.

For those of you wondering where to find information about the show, and about all of Model Stranger's other upcoming shows, you can look for our ReverbNation "widgets" posted on Modelstranger.com and our Facebook and MySpace pages.

They look something like this:

ModelStranger.com - on the right hand side of the page in the first column, labeled "SHOWS":

Facebook.com/modelstranger - On the left hand column of the home page:

Or you can click the "MyBand" tab at the top of Model Stranger's Fan Page:

Or you can click the "Events" tab at the top of Model Stranger's Fan Page to see all upcoming events like this one:

On MySpace there's a nifty widget that even has a show map that look like this:

Now that you know how to find out about upcoming Model Stranger shows, we'll see you there!