by RAF KATIGBAK

Calling all bedroom producers! Okay, so you've got your laptop, your vintage synth, your drum machine, your black turtleneck, and you've practised all your choreographed dance moves - you're rocking stir-the-soup like you were born to do it. Now you've got everything you need to be a techno star. All that's left is for those damn CTV execs to green-light your idea for Canadian Idol: The Techno Edition and you'll be all set to start flying around the world, playing to thousands of adoring, sweaty fans and doing rails of coke off strippers' butts in your golden stretch Hummer.

Well the wait is over, sort of. While the Dig Your Roots project isn't quite Canadian Idol (a good thing?) it does give emerging artists the opportunity to get their shit heard. The National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA/ANREC) is now looking for submissions by independent, electronic dance acts and spoken word artists to be featured on their Web site, www.DigYourRoots.ca. There's also a chance at a spot on a CD compilation, to be released in the spring of 2004, and a series of concerts broadcast live over radio from coast to coast. So what are ya waiting for? Deadline is Friday, September 26, so check the Web site already!

Did somebody say free shows? The SAT has some great stuff going on this week that you simply must check out. Tonight, Thursday, August 14, is the second installment of the tri.phonic series of evening electronic events. From 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., catch local minimal music producers naw, Colin the Mole, and Mitchell Akiyama as they rock the house with solo performances and then join forces, Emerson Lake & Palmer-style. Remember, the show starts at 5 p.m., so no, "I've gotta wake up early for my job at the horse factory"-type excuses.

Friday, August 15, the SAT hosts another big free 5@SAT event: Son Pixel. With four (count 'em, four!) live acts (Db, Synthesthesia, Moodsaver and Euterke), two DJ sets (Baya and Db) and three VJs (Euterke, Les Passagers, Pillow), Son Pixel is shaping up to be the perfect way to kick-start your weekend. And yes… it's free! Doors are at 5 p.m. and shows start at 7 p.m., so make sure to come out!

Continue your frugal festivities Friday night with DJ Maüs and Leo Cruz on the top floor of B'bops as they present their new, booty-bumping weekly, Rüm. With a $3 cover before midnight, it's almost a giveaway!

For more tech-house action on Friday, drop by O Patro Vys, where DJ/producer extraordinaire Mateo Murphy and Ascend Recordings' Nivoc will be manning the decks for Smiles Ahead. Cover is $7 at the door (a steal considering the talent) and $5 for OPV members.

Saturday, August 16, marks the return of Robot Rock, which you may remember (at Jingxi, a few years back) as one of the best places to hear an eclectic mix of underground beats and rare classics. Now DJ Luv has resurrected the night at Saphir with a new partner in crime, Ram Dac (of Flexout fame) for your dancing enjoyment. Alls I gots to say is: sweeeeet!

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto! Diskoakimbo@sympatico.ca

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