Looks like NYC-based artist Rucyl Mills and I have a lot in common. We both love music and hacked M-Audio equipment for MIDI purposes. It’s wearable, it’s ugly and it’s ready to rock.

I built the elektro-07 so I could control the sonic and visual parameters of my live performances without having to look deep into the eye of my laptop, hunched over in computer music stance. I’m still learning how to play it.. Software wise, it runs a maxMSP/Jitter patch smoothly, connected to my laptop by a long usb cable. Major thanks to Luke DuBois. Originally it was named the Chakakhantroller after Chaka Khan… but you wouldn’t believe how many people don’t get the reference.. so I changed it to Elektro-07 after my newly launched label, Elektrocardio. Next version will be wireless, and yes… it’s made of black leather and snakeskin.

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For those of you who will be in New York during the second week of September, we suggest you come out and visit us at the Minitek Electronic Music Festival. It’ll feature a handful of different electronic performing artists, music, art, technology and more. It takes place September 12th through the 14th and will feature both an indoor and outdoor location in case it rains on all those Arduinos being set up. Rumor has it that attendees will receive an RFID-enabled wristband. This is starting to sound like The Last HOPE and less like a music festival!

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The Opto-Isolator asks the question: “What if art could view us?” This strange installation was on display at the Bitforms Gallery in NYC stirring all kinds of emotions as it mimicked the human eye. It’ll focus on any one person staring at it for too long. In addition, it’ll follow the person viewing it as well as blink along to their blinks.

The creators, Golan Levin and Greg Baltus, must’ve lost many nights of sleep working on this because I can’t imagine having this thing staring at me while it’s guts are laying all over a work bench. This device kind of reminds me of the gatekeeper droid that guarded the entrance to Jabba’s palace in Return of the Jedi. I wonder if the Opto-Isolator could be my personal gatekeeper to make sure no solicitors enter my house.

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If you go to Mets games frequently enough (season tickets, weekly plan, etc.), then you’ll be happy to know you’re entitled to purchase an authentic set of seats from Shea Stadium. It’s an exciting opportunity that will cost you $869 for a pair of seats but worth much more to the true baseball fan. Green, red, blue and orange seating will be available as of today. If you don’t catch the Mets frequently but still want to plunk down your hard-earned cash for some seats, don’t fret: August 25th at 9 AM is when you get your shot. Too expensive? Skip the seats and settle for shoes.

All proceeds will go to the Mets Foundation, a charity that funds and promotes “a variety of charitable causes, including educational, social and athletic programs for young people in the community.”

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Designed by fellow New Yorker and Brooklyn-based artist William Lamson, this lifehack is probably the easiest way to eliminate a public security camera. First, you’ll need a helium-filled balloon and some string. A weight won’t hurt either. Get the balloon full of static electricity and then raise it up to the camera.

As it sticks, tie the string to the weight and enjoy your new found privacy. I’d imagine that many a shitty graffiti artist will be using this method in weeks to come. Running low on static? Use duct tape.

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Reebok and the MLB have teamed up to create a limited edition set of shoes that will have any true New Yorker screaming “Gimme those fuckin’ shoes, jerkoff!”

The two shoes available feature either Yankee Stadium or Shea Stadium coloring and artwork. Only 150 pairs of each shoe will be produced, with the number printed on the inside of the shoe. You can pump it up like it’s 1992 with Reebok’s proprietary Pump gimmick or just rock them with your stylin’ outfit. Check out the back of each shoe after the jump. It features a picture of the respective stadium and a set of dates. It’s a bittersweet tribute to the two legendary stadiums NYC will be losing this year.

Available at five special boutiques around NYC. Get ‘em while they’re hot!
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Happen to be in the New York City area? Then check out the robots on display at the City Foundry, 365 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. These robot sculptures were created by Gordon Bennett out of a mixture of random objects found which are both old and new. These aren’t robotic bartenders trying to get you drunk so they can take advantage of you. No, they’re more on par with the felt robots, they just sit there and look pretty.

Bennett is even willing to sell some of the robot sculptures, if you give him an offer he can’t refuse. The sculptures are going from anywhere between $750 to $6000. That’s a lot for an old battery tester with legs.

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Hey readers, listen up! Ryan and I will be covering The Last HOPE (Hackers On Planet Earth) conference here in New York City all weekend. We’ll be doing it up big to bring you coverage of one of the best events to ever hit the USA. So as we set up today and get over to the conference around 10:30AM, stay tuned for elaborate coverage of LEGOs, events, speakers and so much more. See you in a bit.

-Vincent Veneziani, Managing Editor

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If you live in NYC and are into the whole art/graffiti/urban-look/Japan thing, you might wanna stop by Premium Laces in Soho. Why? The store is selling a limited edition set of Nike apparel done in collaboration with Nitro Microphone Underground and Nitraid. You’ll find Air Force 1s, a New Era 59Fifty hat and a Nitraid t-shirt, all with a pixel camouflage design.

If you’re busy rocking that Pixel Posey necklace, you should pick some of this stuff up to complete the look.

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We already liveblogged the launch today, so be sure to take the time to check out pics of the madness from this morning. A line that wraps around an entire New York square block? Insane!

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