by JACK OATMON

Starting with my older brother’s collection of Black Flag, Bad Brains, Ramones, Sex Pistols and early Beastie Boys records, I was a mouthy, politicized, leather-clad skateboard punk from the get-go. That, and a diehard Trekkie. When I was 14, along came Daft Punk’s Homework. A year later, I got a call from my brother, who was in B.C., preemptively warning me that an army of soother-sucking hippies with patchwork pants and neon plastic wallet chains would soon beset my humble little beach town. They would be called “ravers.” Yeah right, I said.

To my mirth and astonishment, another year and 17 hair colours later, there they were in all their idiotic glory, dancing, chewing their fingernails, stealing K from the vet and providing me and my crew with ample fodder for teen rivalry and bad practical jokes. I got a raver girlfriend that summer, and actually went to a rave with her, just to see for myself what I’d been making fun of. Fast forward through high school, a season in Whistler, then cycling across Canada, and throw me into the U.K., at 19. I ended up living in Bristol’s Jamaican ghetto, sharing the block with neighbours like Afrika Bambaataa and Massive Attack, listening to Lee Perry records, and getting turned on to burgeoning British talents like Roots Manuva, Goldfrapp and the Streets. From there, all I needed was a solid stint of hitchhiking, trains and buses around Europe and Morocco, followed by an extended vacation at the legendary El Retiro Lodge, deep in the jungles of northern Guatemala, to arrive at my current obsession with esoteric electronica.

Thus, we arrive in Montreal, which leads me to this week. Looks like Academy is a hotspot, with some pre-Pride boogiein’ slotted for both Friday and Saturday nights. Dizzy Tuesdays has Bruno Pronsato coming in on August 1 to hook you up with a slice of minimal groove, along with local Vincent Lemieux.

Mix Thursdays at Saphir goes two-floors this week. It’s about time. For some solid trip hop by Intercom and a bit of experimental sampling laid out over clanking breaks from NYC’s Denim Venom, alongside Needle Landscape, go to la Sala Rossa on Friday, July 28. On Sunday, July 30, I strongly advise you to catch Canadian funk/rap/jam-band phenomenon Moses Mayes at Boodha Bar.

I often neglect mention of certain weekend weeklies because they’re staples, but for the uninitiated, Saturday night at Korova is clutch, with a selection of classic funk and rock that warms the cockles of the heart as well as the loins. If you get bored with that, you can always hit Blizzarts’ Plateau Saturdays for the best in current electro and hip hop. Also, the wise might note that this Sunday will be the July installment of Arsenique, also at the Blizz, with an all-out musical mash-up, fashion and guest artists to boot. Furthermore, Flaky Disco Fridays at Zoobizarre is a priceless place to hear obscure, heavy, rockin’ dance tracks.

KRANG: BEEBOP, ROCKSTEADY! TO THE TECHNODROME! jack.oatmon@gmail.com

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