Barney!

by SCOTT C
Earlier this week, I was talking to Dave One (see Chromeo, p. 31), and we ended up reminiscing about the good ol’ days, back when Brass Knuckles Fridays were still in effect at Blizzarts. Not to take anything away from Connect the Dots Fridays with Kobal, Lexis and Jonah, which is in full swing every week, but it had been a long time since I’d actually thought about how much fun we used to have on a Friday night.

In some strange twist of fate, today, my nephew Calvin sent me a roll of pics he took at Blizzarts on a disposable camera circa 2001. This reminded me of something we used to call the Barney Rubble. With four DJs playing every week, there was a lot of music getting dropped in the course of one night. Between Simahlak, Simon B, Andy Williams and myself, there were all manner of sounds to be heard, with the occasional stinky selection of course. If someone played a bum track, or a blatant play to the McGill brats in front of the DJ booth, we would pull out a little wind-up Barney Rubble toy and let it walk across the mixer or the other turntable. This was the universal signal for “I can’t believe you’re playing this” or “Take this off right now, you fool.” Sometimes, the person playing wouldn’t even realize that Barney was walking across the decks until he went to put the next record on, when we would all explode with laughter. I think we all know somebody who gets the Barney Rubble award for lazy selection, but next time you have the chance, please let them know, for everyone’s sake.

This week marks the return of Sneaks, Beats and Life, as Toddy Flores and Kelly Nunes work the room at the W Hotel’s Wunderbar with a brand new weekly Thursday night. Playing ’70s funk, soul, old school, ’90s hip hop, ’80s electro, dancehall, reggae and R&B, why would you need to go anywhere else? This Thursday, they’ll be celebrating Toddy’s birthday, so head on down. And just so you know, there’s no cover and no dress code. Have a drink on me, Toddy!

Global NTT continues its weekly strategy of local artist performances featured at Jello Bar with Plug ’n’ Play. On April 17, they welcome West Island hip hop duo Karma & Lotus, with Mr. Good Vibes and AOT. DJs Sarcastic and Navcan hold it down on the decks for the night. The show starts at 10 p.m., and cover is $6.

Seven reasons Facebook gets the bozac:
1. Chromeo Fancy Footwork (Turbo)
2. Specifics “Don’t Get It Twist” (CDR)
3. Hearin’ Aid “Pedigree” ft. Leafnuts (Raw Fusion)
4. Mogwai Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait Soundtrack (Wall of Sound)
5. Redman “Get Em” ft. Saukrates & Icadon (Def Jam)
6. Flying Lotus ft. Dreya “Tea Leaf Dancers” (RBMA)
7. Flying Lotus ft. Oddisee, Tor & Phonte “All Because She’s Gone” (RBMA)

The big black cat won’t hurt you... fathead@videotron.ca