Muse - Friday, November 28th

TODAY IS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28th 2008.
WELCOME TO SHOWCASE!













Norman Rockwell, step aside. Illustrator extraordinaire DEANNA STAFFO is here. Not only did she take our favorite 1980's movie stars and turn them into a pack of trading cards [view Misfits of 80's Cinema here], but her illustrations are something so characteristically fresh that we haven't been this artistically excited since The Boy with Baby Carriage cover of The Saturday Evening Post in 1916!

Riiiiight...

Our pick is collection "Charcoal Island" in the Fine Art menu of Staffo's website. This is what Big Fish should have been. Staffo has an amazing ability to capture the personalities of all she draws with a whimsical characaturist style and a sense of humor nothing short of honest.

For more on Miss Staffo and to view her work, click here.



If you're living in NORTH AMERICA, TODAY is BUY NOTHING DAY! [except for Deanna Staffo's prints. You can buy those.]
Buy Nothing Day is celebrated INTERNATIONALLY tomorrow.
Take your empty wallet out for a jolly jaunt and let those mothballs fly!

Short on cash for the holiday? The Clever Trevors at Adbusters are issuing everyone with their very own Holiday Gift Exemption Voucher to help celebrate Buy Nothing Christmas. To download yours, click here.



For more on Buy Nothing Day, click here.



It's the last Friday for MOVEMBER and them streets are looking burly!
For all your Movember info, click here.


HAPPY FRIDAY TO YOU WITH LOVE FROM TATTOO.

Muse - Wednesday, November 26th

TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26th 2008.
WELCOME TO THE NEEDLE!


Needing some sun in your November? EL GUINCHO is playing at EL MOCAMBO tomorrow night [November 27th]. Like Manu Chao? Try El Guincho! Guaranteed to put a smile on your face!

For more on El Guincho, click here.
For directions to El Mocambo, click here.


If you happen to be out and about in LONDON, ENGLAND this week, be sure to stop by 12 Acklam Road on Thursday, November 27th at 8PM [Doors open at 6:30 PM for you eager beavers]...
BOOK SLAM is the world's answer to poetry in motion. The first "literary nightclub", BS combines fine beats with fine reads... Zadie Smith, Nick Hornby and Adele have all been special guest stars amongst the breakthrough independents, and this week they're holding their early bird Christmas Party.

Performing this month - ROGER ROBINSON and MALIKA BOOKER. Tickets are £6 in advance / £8 on the door.

For more info on Bookslam, click here.
For further info, tickets and directions, click here.

Not in the UK?
Listen to Roger Robinson here.
More on Malika Booker here.



Keeping with the British theme, this week's PLAY ME is 4 piece band MAGISTRATES from Essex...
Is this the revival of the Mini Pops from when they covered Culture Club's Karma Chameleon?


Is the lead singer in pain?
Or is it the best damn thing you've ever heard?
You decide...

Listen here.
Buy the 7" of Make This Work here.
Minipops image from this link.


HAPPY WEDNESDAYS TO YOU WITH LOVE FROM TATTOO.

Muse - Monday, November 24th

TODAY IS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24th
GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO thINK!




People blow my mind! This is a recreation of the photoshop interface using actual object. Feel free to check out the process and details at this Flickr photoset.







This week's inkSPIRATION gives us a bit of unintentional comic relief at the expense of others. When he starts off saying "This is a one of a kind piece, there is no other one like this particular one in the world," you just know it's going to end in disaster. Don't let your Monday end like this, stay away from any and all rarities. Let this be your warning.




Extra Extra! Here's some news about our world:

Not only are you broke, but you'll feel guilty about it
EVIL: 10 Worst Corporations of 2008

MUSE is on Hiatus

New York taxis courtesy of FreeFoto.com

Muse - Wednesday, November 19th

TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19th 2008.
WELCOME TO THE NEEDLE!

They describe their sound as "your ear cells dying" [in a good way]. This week's PLAY ME pick is Toronto based LIONESS. Listen to them here and let your ears pass away...
If you're in Montreal this weekend, be sure to check them out at the M for Montreal festival on Thursday, November 20th. For line up info, click here.
For more on M for Montreal, click here.





THE MIDWAY STATE is playing at TATTOO ROCK PARLOUR tomorrow night [November 20th]. Check out their video for "Never Again", co-directed by Frank Borin:




M83 is at the OPERA HOUSE. You don't want to miss this one. For all the concert details, click here.

For more on M83, click here.
For more on The Midway State, click here.

HAPPY WEDNESDAY TO YOU WITH LOVE FROM TATTOO.

Muse - Monday, November 17th

TODAY IS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17th 2008.
WELCOME TO thINK!

Step into my...


tape deck?!

PHOTO OF THE WEEK from woohome.com's Cassette Tape Closet. View it in full glory here.




This week's inkSPIRATION comes from ERIN LOECHNER, the creator of DESIGN FOR MANKIND, an inspirational blogspace featuring great design and illustration.
If blogs were fairytales, Design For Mankind's story would make even Cinderella jealous.
What began as a means to spark creative juices is now both Loechner's living and livelihood; her passion for design and her encouragement towards the artistic community is something so authentic to her character and integral to DFM's success. As stated in the About section of the DFM site, Loechner writes, “Because beauty lies in the details of design. In the pencil shavings, in the blueberry waffles. The vintage dress, framed portrait, old postcard.”

The Cinderella-blog also produces Mankind Mag - which you can download for FREE, purchase in print, or donate to for further issues. Issue 5 - The Handmade Issue - is out now.

Download it here for FREE.



Yo weekend, you so fine!
What went down in industry town:

AGO OPENS TO RECORD NUMBERS - LINE UP CIRCLES AROUND GRANGE ROAD - MORE INFO ON OPENING HOURS HERE
CRISPIN PORTER + BOGUSKY ADDS MICROSOFT'S ZUNE






And your inkSPIRATION. To submit photos, videos or just cool stuff, please contact us at heather@ta2music.com with "thINK!" in the subjectline.

HAPPY MONDAYS TO YOU WITH LOVE FROM TATTOO!

Muse - Friday, November 14th

TODAY IS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14th 2008.
WELCOME TO SHOWCASE!


We're halfway through MOVEMBER & envious of those who can grow beards.
The rest of us have to wear scarves.



Image courtesy of Gehry International, Architects, Inc.


Erm...
We sort of thought the photo would explain that bit.


It's been 2 years since I originally saw the blueprints from Gehry International revealing Toronto-born Frank Gehry's new designs for the AGO. Finally the day to see the design in practice is HERE. TODAY!
If you're in Toronto this weekend, you've got the luck of the draw. The AGO is offering free entry to anyone passing through its doors from November 14th - 16th.
Today is the first day for free public entry - go now!
All the details can be accessed here.

MacLaren McCann Toronto handled the promotional campaign.
For more on MacLaren, click here.
For more on Frank Gehry, click here


Toronto, you so lucky!!
Not only do you get to witness the grand opening of an worldwide architectural gem for FREE, but it's the final weekend for the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
[Contain the joy]

We have to congratulate ZIG Toronto for making this event somewhat exciting:



For more on the Fair, click here.
For more on Zig, click here.

HAPPY FRIDAY TO YOU WITH LOVE FROM TATTOO!

ADCC Awards

Behold - the Magic Book of the ADCC Awards:


[Angelic choir sings]

Last night's ADCC awards kicked off at 6:30 at the MacMillan Theatre, Toronto, followed by a banging after party at The ROM.

Congratulations to Saatchi & Saatchi Toronto's VP and Creative Director Daniel Charron who won a Merit award for our TA2 relaunch and design. The TA2 can be viewed on page 79 in The Book of GRAPHIC DESIGN section.
We love it:

Félicitations, Daniel! Without you, we'd have no TA-2.


More congratulations are in order for Steve Mykolyn [CD], Nathan Monteith [AD], Dave Luxton [AD] and Stefan Wegner [CW] at TAXI Toronto for winning a GOLD in the Business to Consumer category for the Aviva Microsite campaign.

TATTOO did the Music & Sound Design for this GOLD winning project.


The AVIVA campaign can be found on page 134 in The Book of INTERACTIVE DESIGN section.


Daniel Charron was featured in Marketing Magazine's "Plus ça Change" issue [October 27, 2008]. Read more here.
For more on the ADCC Awards and Organization, click here.

Muse - Wednesday, November 12th

TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12th 2008.
WELCOME TO THE NEEDLE!




For those of you who missed Styrofoam Ones' 7" Release Party on Saturday, fear not.
The Toronto based duo are still banging out tunes that will make you feel like you're dancing through Zelda. We love them.
Listen here!

For full gig action, please click on the calendar.



TONIGHT:
Be sure to check out Girltalk at KOOLHAUS and get your dance on.
Deer Hunter is at LEE'S PALACE - catch 'em quick before they tour the west coast.

HAPPY WEDNESDAY TO YOU WITH LOVE FROM TATTOO