by RAF KATIGBAK

I love concept parties. As far as I'm concerned,

anything that gives a party a unifying theme and pulls people out of their normal club-going routine while forcing them to get creative is ace in my book. Of course, there are some exceptions. If there's one thing that always makes me think twice about a party theme, it's nostalgia. Don't get me wrong, I love most nostalgia. Hell, I've got a novelty mini-Beverly Hillbillies television set that lights up and plays the theme song when you push a button. But often I think that some things - like rave nostalgia or MacGyver, for instance - should just be left alone, consumed by the ravages of time.

Maybe it's because techno, by its very definition, is a futuristic music meant to continually progress, or maybe it's the fact that seeing a 45-year-old balding dude do a glowstick light show for me at an afterhours really scares the crap out of me, but there's something about reliving the glory days of raves that always makes me a little uneasy. Unlike a fine wine, fun fur doesn't get better with age (in fact it just gets all matted and stanky, as I'm sure you all know).

Then again, you can't blame DJ/promoter Frankie Kore for wanting to do a rewind to Montreal's mid-'90s party scene - after all, they were good times. This Saturday, August 20, the I Love Montreal party just might change my mind as it gets set to turn back the clock with a who's who of local talent. Ten DJs who were party goers or party throwers back in the day will share Kore's love for the local scene: Mateo Murphy, DJ Mini, Nivoc, Maüs, Yaz, Laflèche, Luc Raymond, Indica, Iznogood and Mad. Frankie Kore's approach is less "cashing in on the past" than "giving it back to the scene that so truly inspired him," a move that wins him extra points in my book. Call 201-5003 or hit www.ilovemontreal.com for details. This party will be huge.

Also on Saturday, the Euphoric Taste and Drunken Midget crew throw a party with a theme that I can really get with. Tribute to Booty will feature booty house, ghetto tech, Wet 'n' Hard and funky rump shakin' house by DJs Sebastian Prelar vs. Basman, Tipsy T, Phil Atio, and B. Weiser. You know you like to slap that shit right? Well come on down and put some funk in your trunk for a measly 10 spot!

Finally, tonight, Thursday, August 18, get some seriously deep sounds at Stereo Bar's Soultek night with special guest Vincent Lemieux as he joins DJ Uzi and host Natacha for some Nu Dub, Detroit, minimal techno, Chicago deep house and other urban abstract beats. Free before midnight, five bones after.

IT'S TIME FOR THE PERCULATOR... Diskoakimbo@sympatico.ca

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