Party paradise people

Hard to believe that it’s been 17 years that CKUT 90.3FM’s Utopia’s Paradise radio show has been bringing the sounds of deep house, garage and underground disco to Montreal and beyond. This weekend, they celebrate with a big jam over at Club Cherry to launch their new Web site and kick off CKUT’s annual funding-drive blitz. All the big cats will be in the house, with Tony Desypris, Peter Lightburn and Claude “the Bossman” Dabbas manning the decks, but you’re also in store for a bunch of guests, with Freddy Sanon (Club Shelter, NYC) set to do his thing, as well as Ritho, Thomas “IDP” Gregorski and Alex T in the back room. Montreal disco legend Geraldine Hunt will also perform the loft classic “Can’t Fake the Feeling” while everybody is getting down. Round that out with performances from Jack Fresno’s Jack-O-Lution house dance phenomenon, and you’ve got yourself a party. Did I mention that things start early with cocktails and finger food for the early birds at 7 p.m., but continue on right until 3 a.m., with a $10 cover in full effect? Try to reach, you won’t regret it.

Local hip hop heads looking for another outlet to showcase their wares might want to check out Nick Laroche’s Internet radio show The Midas Touch, airing Mondays at 8 p.m. on www.hh4u.ca. Laroche started broadcasting to shed a little bit of light on the lesser known hip hop artists and productions not represented on commercial radio, and he’s looking for musical submissions as well as in-studio guests. Over at his blog, themidastouchradio.blogspot.com, you can find archives of past shows as well as playlists. If you’re interested in making an on-air appearance to play some beats, or want to join in the live freestyle cipher, hit Laroche at nickmontreal@hotmail.com and he’ll sort you out. I met Nick when he used to submit his own productions at the old Turf Builder beat showcase, and he’s still making music.

Shouts to everyone that came out to the Red Bull Music Academy info-session with A-Trak last Saturday at Jello. If you didn’t make it, be sure to download the application at redbullmusicacademy.com because you’ve only got until May 5 to apply. If you already make music, you’ve got nothing to lose, and two music-filled weeks in Barcelona, Spain to gain. Check it out.

Seven reasons Uncle Horsley is coming to town:
1. The Roots “Get Busy” feat. Dice Raw, Peedi Crack & DJ Jazzy Jeff (Def Jam)
2. KenLo Craqnuqes Bleu (CDR)
3. Samiyam “Rough Copy” (CDR)
4. 100%CC “Crescent Street Girls” (Uncle Horsley)
5. Ghostface Killah feat. Wu-Tang Clan “Watch Your Mouth”(Starks)
6. Nicole Willis & the Soul Investigators “Soul Investigators Theme” Heralds of Change remix (Above the Clouds)
7. Soil & Pimp Sessions “A.I.E.” Cobblestone Jazz remix(Brownswood)

EVERYTHING IS FAIR WHEN YOU’RE LIVIN’ IN THE CITY…fathead@videotron.ca