by RAF KATIGBAK

Some of you may have noticed the unusual number of U-Hauls barrelling through the downtown core recently, signalling the beginning of that wonderful time of the year known as moving season. But not all moving experiences have to be the hellish torture of carrying your friend's oversized, smelly couch up a skinny spiral staircase, or the awkward and unsettling moment you discover your hairy, plumber-butted mover sniffing your lacy undergarments in the truck. Before they settle into their new digs on lower St-Laurent, the SAT show space will be throwing a moving party this Saturday, May 10, at their current location, 305 Ste-Catherine W. On board are DJs Soulsista, Christelle and Pfreud, and a live, five-guitarist set by Champion. Visuals for the night will be provided by the SAT Mix Sessions All-Stars (Kproject, Jocool and Johnny Ranger). The show starts at 9 p.m. and it's $10 at the door.

I want to give hardcore big-ups to the group of local avant Mutek-ers who returned triumphantly from NYC last week. Montrealers will be happy to know that the three minimal tech ambassadors we sent down (Akufen, Crackhaus and Deadbeat) were not snuffed out like some expendable Star Trek crew member, but instead showed the beyond-capacity crowd at the trendy Manhattan APT club how to rock a party, Montreal style. This follows Montreal's already solid reputation in the German techno scene the question - must be asked, what happens after we take Manhattan and Berlin?

Big ups are also due to the peeps who came out to Charlie Company's Flying Fortress party last weekend. It's great to see support for the up-and-comers on the scene who are just trying to throw quality, fun parties. Just a friendly reminder to all you fledgling promoters out there - make sure you drop me e-mails about your events, no matter how small, and keep up the good work!

On to this weekend's festivities. Saturday seems to be the night to hit the streets with your Reebok Pumps fully inflated and ready to dance. At Stereobar, host DJs Rob Brown and Ibra will be closing the book on their "sort-of-semi-monthly" Thomp events with one last she-bang. Thomp may soon be over but Brown and Ibra will be back as soon as next week with a new and mysterious funky house weekly at Stereobar. More details to come.

Over at O Patro Vys, it's the Asphalt Vibrator edition (ouch!) of DJ Tok's Toxik series of events. Billed as a night of "the sights and sounds of Brit-electro-glam-rock," expect your usual assortment of '80s retro, punk casualties and fauxhawked fashionistas ready to get down to the electro sound. Work it!

This Sunday, don't forget to take a trip down hazy-memory lane as the Vitamin DJ Team gets old-school on our asses for RaveVival '93. Celebrating 10 years of techno, this triple-DJ threat (and I mean threat) will be taking you back to the old days of their now legendary Dimanches Techno nights at Foufs. Expect an eclectic mix of the old-school and new-school as DJ Thunderbold (aka Martin Dumais), Cozmik Kay (aka Sylvain Ferland), Vitamine S (aka Sylvain Houde) and two VJs - founding members of the Synergy collective Yves Labelle and Jimmy Lakatos - are reunited for this unique event. Don't miss it!

I hate to move it, move it! Diskoakimbo@sympatico.ca

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