Local yokels by RAF KATIGBAK It seems like new electronic music nights are popping up faster than mushrooms at a Vancouver Phish concert, so, seeing as there’s so much ground to cover (plus the fact that this heat is making me sweat like a pregnant nun on Youth Day), I’m going to dispense with the witty banter and jump straight into the low-down. Local organic house label Bombay is set to launch their new weekly party at Illume this Friday, Aug. 16. I say if you can’t beat the heat, then join it with a dose of deep and funky tropical house with your guides Nav Bhinder and Patrick Dream. For a double dose of funky beats, drop by Saphir tonight where, on the second floor, Sase One hosts a new drum& bass night alongside residents Krinjah and Corey K and, on the first floor, the Kops crew hold it down on the hip hop and reggae tip. Insane drink specials all night and free for tha ladies before midnight. Bileedat! Speaking of funky beats, drop by Step to This every Tuesday at Blue Dog where DJs Lexis, Rockit, Matt and MC Ted take over the decks for a night of two-step and U.K. garage debauchery. Sassy! Despite a last minute location change, some technical difficulties (an electro tent sans electricity thanks to a blown generator) and the uncivilized lack of adequate water-refill stations, it seems that Arrival 2002 went off without a hitch. Headliner Thomas Krome pounded out an insane set and DJ Philgood heated up the techno tent so much that he had to stop (his records were, quite literally, melting). If your appetite for “communing with nature” hasn’t yet been satiated by Arrival, this Friday, Aug. 16, check out Hostyn 2002, a three-day outdoor event taking place in a beautiful forested valley in the Laurentians, at a Czech children’s camp (!?). Sarcastic, Simmetrik, Simon G and a host of other DJs (who don’t all start with S) will rock the funky beats in what sounds like one of the most beautiful party locations ever. Boasting free parking, camping space, running water and showers, this is sure to be a great little shindig! That’s $15 in advance, $25 at the door. Check www.eraproject.com for details. When you get back from Hostyn 2002 this Sunday, drop by Tiffany-the bar on Mont-Royal, corner St-Laurent, not the carrot-topped pop princess turned recent Playboy poser-for a new night of downtempo/dub/ambient/ethno/atmospheric drum & bass known as Passion. Hosted by the crew behind the In Da Jungle party series (D-Joos, Axionfigga, Galaksy and Jada), the night also features regular guests like this week’s (Aug. 18) Ninjistic duo Luv and Wig. Things kick off at 4 p.m. (post tam-tam fun) to 2 a.m. and, like all the best things in life, it has shisha (of yeah, it’s free too). : Your vocab skills are as bad as, like, whatever. ... >> Music Listings