An Office Party At Biograph
Chicago Public Radio host Tony Sarabia, of “Radio M,” debuted CPR’s soon-to-be monthly “CPR Presents” event series at the newly-remodeled (read: finally, finally clean and comfortable) Victory Gardens Biograph this past week. Their inaugural engagement? An in-depth historical account of, question/answer session with, and acoustic/electric performance by Chicago’s own Office. “Oh, yes, it was beautiful…”
SKS, RaeRae, TL and I gazed at the works of art that defined Scott Masson’s initial Office offering as an artistic endeavor, and not a band, at its outset in 2000 at Goldsmiths University of London (no joke, TL); took note of personal details shared by the Office staff; listened intently to wicked-good tracks from Office’s first commercial release, A Night at the Ritz; and, finally, wondered quietly “where, oh where, could Alissa be?” Hmm…
Update: January 22nd, 2008
Seems Alissa Noonan (Hacker) parted ways with Office in late, late 2007 to “pursue her personal life and career as a photography stylist.” Best of luck, Alissa!
Update: March 16th, 2008
Oh My! It now looks like we’ll also be missing our favorite “kindergarten music section” musician, J (Jessica Gonyea), at future shows… as she now “works full time as a DJ throughout Chicago.” We’ll make sure to catch a set or two soon!
“Flash forward to here and now…”
We’d wished that it would have been easy to video tape digitize Office last night… but it just wasn’t meant to be. Fair is fair when the Biograph staff is on you about the ol’ Berkcam®. However, Berkcam’s® mic struck back, getting some audio and deciding to create an “Office Collage” for each track, using our stills.
Wound Up at Victory Gardens Biograph on Thursday, January 10, 2008.
Oh My at Victory Gardens Biograph on Thursday, January 10, 2008.
Q&A at Victory Gardens Biograph on Thursday, January 10, 2008.
And if you’d been wondering for yourself about Office’s artistic beginnings (how does a store called Office Shoes play into its history, anyway?)… never fear:
Scott Masson’s “Office Orientation, Pt. 1” at Victory Gardens Biograph on Thursday, January 10, 2008.
Scott Masson’s “Office Orientation, Pt. 2” at Victory Gardens Biograph on Thursday, January 10, 2008.