Off the Rails with Station to Station, part IV: Union Station Happening

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Memoirs from the train… on Doug Aitken’s Station to Station tour.  Originally published via Art Nerd Chicago.

Tuesday, September 10th

Chicago Union Station 

It was hot in Chicago – a typical humid, Midwestern scorcher.  We loaded up on green juice and got settled into the production office.

Setting up at Union Station
Setting up at Union Station
Best stage plot... ever = Caught on Tape
Best stage plot… ever = Caught on Tape
 White Mystery and The Black Monks of Mississippi joined us at the Chicago Happening along with Caught on Tape (Thurston Moore/John Moloney) who traveled with us from the east coast, and Mavis Staples.  Legend.
Moore/Moloney sound check nerd-out moment
Moore/Moloney sound check nerd-out moment
Mavis slays us
Mavis slays us

Chicago also became the place where our producers started an Urs Fischer Yurt tradition: the impromptu, acoustic guitar bed-in performances.  You never knew when one of the STS artists might end up in the white yurt with a guitar.  Ariel Pink, Tim Koh and Eleanor Friedberger all enjoyed some Urs Fischer time.

Urs Fischer Yurt. Site of several impromptu, acoustic guitar bed-in performances.
Urs Fischer Yurt. Site of several impromptu, acoustic guitar bed-in performances.

Published by Fresh Condiments

I spent my early career years riding in vans with bands and working at the best independent record labels in Chicago: Touch and Go and Wax Trax. Music has been my lifeblood, but fashion and art have become equal obsessions. I've lived in New York, LA, Chicago, Yucca Valley and London. I have run marketing departments for major record labels, and worked with Doug Aitken’s Station to Station, Beastie Boys, Joni Mitchell, David Lynch/Twin Peaks, Damien Hirst; and ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood, the home of the iconic Cinerama Dome.​ When I visit a new city, there are three things that are essential: the best coffee and baked goods on offer, and a list of places to see local art. I will drive out of my way for a bag of fresh coffee beans or the perfect baguette.

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