by RAF KATIGBAK

Hey DJs, don't be surprised if you find yourself dusting off those old KC Flight and Fast Eddie records because there's no doubt that hip-house is coming back in a big way. Tonight, it's a May Day surprise as the boys at Blizzarts' the Grill night welcome special guest and local producer DJ Aerosol performing a set of his own original, breakbeat-based hip-house choons (with a live bassist!). Cover is a measly three bucks, so give it up!

Live house music seems to be a-running tonight as Jello Bar's ever-deep Therapy night welcomes live NYC soulful house trio Tortured Soul. Check out www.torturedsoulmusic.com for more info and samples of these guys.

Also tonight, check out Amnesia (1421 Bishop) for what will certainly be a night to remember. Bleep is the word as Clonk and Level 4 Productions are double-teaming it again. This time naw and Sarcastic have enlisted the help of a couple of Montreal's finest. DJ Stephen Beaupré may be best known as half of Crackhaus, the minimal techno duo that's been slowly destroying dancefloors locally and south of the border (they're fresh off gigs in Baltimore and NYC), but his solo shit and DJing is so funky, it puts your crusty old gym socks to shame. Also, the name DJ Fishead may not be that familiar to most of you now, but soon this Midwest transplant will most likely be rocking your world. Trust me, I've witnessed a set of his at Flexout and this guy is proper sick, juggling old-school '80s jams with experimental drum & bass. Four at the door.

Speaking of local talent, the organizers at Mutek have just released a detailed run-down of this year's festivities (kicking off end of May) and let me tell ya, it's shaping up to be one of their best yet! Expect a return performance from Pole, Luciano, Thomas Koener and Monolake as well as very special engagements with Señor Coconut (with full band), Coil, Richie Hawtin, Pita, T. Raumschmiere and a shitload of other local and international talent. Hooo-weee! It's gonna be a pumpin' minimalist hoe-down, so grab dem chins and starts strokin'!

Friday, May 2, join the Musique Risquée crew as they throw another Soirée Risquée, this time featuring DJ Wince the Prince (Vincent Lemieux) and a live set by the incomparable Mike Shannon. Cover is five dolly-ollars. Be there!

Finally, Disko Akimbo wishes local DJ/producer Bettina Costanzo a happy birthday this weekend. Costanzo (aka Bougie Soliterre) has been making waves at home and abroad with her jazz-inspired house music for the last several years, with releases on Germany's Compost, West London's People, USA's Sfere and her own Flipside imprint while remixing for the likes of Sony and France's Yellow Productions. She'll be rocking out this Saturday, May 3, at Exit's Go Deep night, tag-teaming with Christian Pronovost. So get your groove on and big-up the lady already!

You in my hut now… Diskoakimbo@sympatico.ca

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