by RAF KATIGBAK

After over a decade in the DJ game, countless weekly residencies and several Montreal DMC championship titles, DJ Mana has decided to impart his knowledge to the masses. This Friday, Mana’s newly-founded Soul Mechanics DJ School will be open for business in a proper new commercial St-Denis location. With 13 years of DJ experience and five years of teaching, Mana sees Soul Mechanics as the next logical step in the local nightlife evolution. “People are still getting used to the idea of a DJ school,” says Mana, “but I want to show that it’s more than just a gimmick, that there’s a real art to DJing, to give people the real-deal Holyfield, y’know?”

With both group and private lessons available, students will learn everything from music time signatures and song structures to DJ equipment setup, beat mixing and scratching. “Some DJs come to learn and advance themselves, and then there’s 12-year-old kids who are just starting and 30-year-old men who just want to pick up something fresh.” Putting an emphasis on variety and diversity, Mana seeks to enlighten his students and expose them to a full spectrum of sonic flavours. “What always fascinated me about DJing was that it’s multifaceted. There are so many different points of view in terms of styles and techniques. Even the variations of it in different music cultures is amazing.

“I learned a lot from other people. Every time I’d see something fresh, I’d change up my style. If you want to find your self-expression in DJing like in any art, to really discover your true self, you first have to know everything else.” Mana launches Soul Mechanics at the Tableturns night this Sunday, May 8, at Le Swimming (no cover). Find out more at www.soulmechanics-dj.com.

If you’re looking for fine DJing tonight, Thursday, May 5, you’re in luck—Saphir’s Mix Thursdays continue their bid for the title of “spot most likely to be rocked.” Scratch DJ Rain Force and Murdock will bring some crazy breaks action, Golgo 13 will dose the D&B, discophile DJ Slyde won’t fake the funk and Kikit will robotically rock it with electro. No cover before midnight!

Saturday night, it’s a deadly double bill with Miss Kittin at the SAT and Green Velvet at Aria. Don’t forget to pick up pre-sale combo tix for both those events for a paltry $40 at the SAT, Terminal Records or MEM Records.

Of course, if you’re hankerin’ to roll a few on Saturday, the magazine Warrior will be throwing a Big Lebowski party at the Aylwin bowling alley in the East End (1415 Aylwin, corner Ste-Catherine E., Joliette metro). On hand will be various musical acts, including the galactic funk of Tony Ezzy and DJs Slutsky, Matte Silver, Miss Matches and the 1000 Teenage Girl Posse. Doors are at 9 p.m., $5 with costume, $6 without. Expect an evening of White Russians, free bowling (after midnight) and whatnot. All dudes must abide.

SOMETIMES YOU EAT THE BAR AND SOMETIMES THE BAR EATS YOU. Diskoakimbo@sympatico.ca

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