Jessica Herman

An exploding star-shaped screen anchored high up between two balconies projects a moving image at its nucleus. Though the swirling, rainbow-colored design's stylistically psychedelic, the technology it reflects--the iTunes visualizer--is far from retro.

Inside the Loop's W hotel, hipsters and businessmen cool in a neon blue light, sipping apple iTinis and barely gyrating to DJ Chris Walsh's homemade beat. The DJ's upstairs, shifting smoothly between the record and CD players, mixing board and lone white iPod. Ws in San Francisco and New York are also doing it tonight, mixing business and pleasure with Apple by featuring DJs who use iPods for their first Tuesday of the month performance.

"We're Apple fanatics," says one guest who heard about iTunes Day at Michigan Avenue's Apple hub. "The whole thing about this whole setup is you could literally mix the entire event, go play it and say, 'Hey, what's up?' Some people say it's complete bastardization, but you're part of the music when you make it."

Between the lobby and the second-floor lounge, there's an equal ratio of Powerbooks to cell phones flipped open. No one seems to notice the cocktail waitresses taking orders in black miniskirts and high-heel go-go boots. A techie's wet dream, Wonderland (as the W advertises itself) swims with images projected on the hotel walls--sky and flower landscapes floating around the phrase "Where everything becomes possible."

Walsh positions himself behind the second-floor balcony, where he can gauge and guide the vibe of the party. He leans over a buffet of mixing material, a white screen forming a loose cape around his back so he fits into the aesthetic scenery.

"The only thing is there's no pitch shifter on it," he says, commenting on the outlook of iPods in the future of spinning. "If you're at a house party, you could hook up your iPod and ten minutes later you could be playing some guys track from London. It's a good tool... but I don't know if it'll wipe out this," he says, pointing to the decks.

Mac employees station themselves at the raffle table with an iPod poster ad on an easel. There'll be two winners tonight going home with an iPod or Powerbook. Hundreds of others get three free downloads. One of several flitting Applebees leans in to listen to Michael Jackson's barely audible "Rock with you" playing at an Powerbook on a podium and shows a guest how to download from the iTunes store.

The beat goes on, but DJ Chris slips away to talk up the techies. Sidling up to their raffle booth, he says something like, "Hey, what's up?"

(2004-07-13)

Also by Jessica Herman

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How we rank in "America's Best Cities For Singles"
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An adolescent boy points to a line drawing of George W. dressed as a cheerleader...
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It's surprising to walk into Gramaphone Records on a ninety-degree Wednesday evening and not feel suffocated
(2004-06-16)

The Vintage Life
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Shopping around
(2004-05-18)

The cool hunt is on
(2004-05-12)

Fraying and finishing
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War zone
(2004-04-27)

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