by RAF KATIGBAK

Well, slap my ass and call me Charlie, it's the Fête du Dollard! I'm sure you all remember Dollard des Ormeaux from your Quebec history lessons, right? Well, before he became the name of a Montreal suburb, in 1660, Dollard rounded up a posse of 16 volunteers to ambush an Iroquois attack on what became Montreal. Gaining high ground and the element of surprise, DDO thought he had shit locked down. Of course, when he saw the 700 Iroquois roll up, he basically dropped a rather sizeable fudge nugget in his knickerbockers. Rather than retreat, homey stuck it out for a week and managed to quell the oncoming attack despite getting wiped the fuck out. How's that for a Heritage Moment?!

Whether you believe he was one of Canada's original badasses or a naïve opportunist seeking only the spoils of war, it's easy to understand what he felt. This long weekend, Montreal is about to get seriously outnumbered by all the crazy all-night parties and club-crawling one-offs.

Local promoters and DJ massive Level 4 are hosting their annual ring-in-the-spring fest Good Vibrations over at Ecube (215 Murray). Burlington, Vermont's Adrenalin and Las Vegas's Sotto are the headline guests, but my money will be on the breakbeat battle between the Broken Crew and the UK514 crew for "set most likely to blow people's socks off." Of course, if that weren't enough, DJ Philgood, Parabolic, Clown, Tipsy T, Dave O'Brien and more will be there too. Five dollars at the door.

One of the wisest and most down-to-earth house legends I've ever had the pleasure of interviewing, Frankie Knuckles hits Stereo on Saturday for an excursion into the deep and soulful side of club music. Also on hand will be DJ partner and re-edit genius Steve Travolta, who has torn it up with Knuckles in New York on several occasions.

If you're looking for house heroes, all sorts of Sanchezes will be in town on Sunday (Roger Sanchez at MP3, Junior Sanchez at Parking, and "Dirty Sanchez" on your you-know-where...), while wailing vocalism will surely overrun Stereo as Peter Rauhofer takes to the decks.

Beyond the massive circuit parties on Sunday (Swirl, Hot & Dry), the cannot-miss, most-highly-anticipated double bill of the season is, of course, the M.I.A./LCD Soundsystem show at La Tulipe. But even if you're not lucky enough to nab tix for the show, the after party with M.I.A. remixer/Hollertronix DJ Diplo and the U.K.'s Trash club resident Rory Philips dropping the freshest sounds in punk, funk, no wave, rock 'n' roll, fucked up house, sleazy electro and mutant disco at a super-secret undisclosed underground location (look out for flyers at the show) should be enough to blow your dome. Also on the sort-of-secret tip, there's a $5, all-night loft party on Sunday with funky house DJs Lexis, Mighty Kat and Miss Molly at 4232 St-Laurent, 3rd floor. Shhhhh...

Tell 'em Disko sent ya! Diskoakimbo@sympatico.ca

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