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Ting Tings Strut for Chicago’s Fashionistas

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Fresh on the heels of SXSW, Manchester’s newest Columbia signees the Ting Tings were all spunk-cheer last night (March 20) during a gig for budding fashion entrepreneurs in Chicago’s warehouse district. As videos illustrating select designers’ garments rolled, the Ting Tings commandeered an evening of brand-name chic and beat-infused networking.

Mouthpiece Katie White maintained a high level of energy throughout the six-tune gig, grinding along to breakout single “Great DJ” (stream it here) cuing sticksman Jules De Martino into the beat and chorus with her every move. With wide-eyes and smiles, the crowd was relatively tame during the set of tracks off forthcoming debut We Started Nothing, save a drum-less rendition of “Traffic Light,” which saw De Martino lash out at a pocket of chatterers: “Oi! Shut the fuck up!We’ve got someone singing here.” From there, however, the Ting Tings reclaimed the helm, White rambunctiously smacking the cowbell on sass-rap closer “That’s Not My Name,” rattling the band’s duct tape insignia off the bass drum on to the floor.No worries White, we’ll remember your name.

We asked: The packaging for the Ting Tings’ first single embodies DIY ethics, utilizing Gaffer’s tape and handwritten labels, and is a cheap and inventive yet functional attention grabber. If you were to put out an album, and construct the packing yourself, what would you package it in?


Drummer Jules de Martino / Photo by Laura Gray


The Ting Tings / Photo by Laura Gray


Katie White of the Ting Tings / Photo by Laura Gray