Afro’s, vampires, yachts, star djs, birthday celebrations, and “rock meets the charleston” all abound at a hip venue near you this weekend, so hold on to your howls of joy for the moment, and take a look at what’s on offer…
Thursday, Sept 2nd
Fresh from the Scissor Sisters live gig in town tonight, founding member, and diehard DJ supremo Sammy Jo will be at the Berlin after 10pm laying down some grooves with the resident spinners here at west Belmont Avenue. $5 gets you in for this rare, and special event. http://www.berlinchicago.com/
At Evil Olive you can all get freaky at the Let’s Get Weird party with local heroes Zebo, and Disco Death Threat, plus special guest for the night Double Dutch from Palms Out Sound who will be adding some house, indie remixes, dubstep, and garage to the all-out vibe. 11pm, $5 gets you in to west Division Street. http://www.evil-olive.com/
Friday, Sept 3rd
If you thought the festival season was over…wrong! It’s still in full swing, and no less so than with African Festival of the Arts which has been doing its thing around town this week. And that extends right into the club scene too with many top Afro influenced house-music DJs stepping up to the stage/pavilion at Washington Park. Sets worh checking out come from Craif Alexander, David Sabat, DJ Lady Di, Lil’ John, Gene Hunt, Julius the Mad Thinker, Mwelma Musamabacine, Ron Ttrent, Stacy Kidd, and Vic Lavender, to name but a few. Friday-Monday from 10am, and it’s free!
Meanwhile over at Union Park, there’s more festivities with clubland tinges to be enjoyed during the North Coast Music Festival. According to festival organisers, it’s “Summer’s Last Stand”, and if so, they are certainly going out with a bang as megastars Chemical Brothers are headlining the event tonight, with more great beats coming from Pretty Lights, Paul van Dyk, Paul Kalkbrenner, and Orchard Lounge.
On Saturday things get blurry with New Mastersounds, Benga, Jay Electronica, De La Soul, Boys Noize, and Umphreys McGee, and on Sunday Damian Marley and the Disco Biscuits + Nas headline, with other acts including Maps & Atlases, Holy Ghiest!, Flying Lotus, Mayer Hawthorne, and Lupe Fiasco.
It’s $85 for a three day pass, $40 per day. All ages. Starts 4pm Friday, Sat/Sun from Noon.
If you want to extend the Friday night festival party feeling by going on somewhere else, you could do a lot worse than Smart Bar where the prolific Tom Middleton is appearing with Brad Owen. Middleton has been a formidable part of the Global Communication and Jedi Knights ambient/house music productions, and as a remixer has been involved with everyone you can think of including Kylie, and Prince. $13, $10 before midnight. From 10pm, North Clark Street. http://www.smartbarchicago.com/
Saturday, Sept 4th
It’s kind of “beauty and the beast” at Beauty Bar tonight when they host Baio’s Vampire Weekend DJ Set! Baio was there when it all began at Beauty Bar six months ago, and is back for an evening of stylish, and multifarious indie dance before the band’s show in Aragon on Sunday. $5 gets you in, west Chicago Avenue, from 10pm.
http://www.beautybar.com
The official North Coast Music Fest after-show spills out onto the party floor at the Bottom Lounge from 10pm with German electro-tech superstar Boys Noize (he of the red-hot remixes of Feist, and Bloc Party), being ably accompanied by Kissy Sell Out (a regular on BBC Radio1), and his unique brand of indie/electro. Auto Body, and local prodigy Midnight Conspiracy get things gyrating. But that’s not all – if you want to get eclectic, you can check out the two other DJ rooms at Bottom to get some other red-hot dance action. $20 gets you in at west Lake Street – but you must have a North Coast Music Fest wristband! http://www.bottomlounge.com/
Now you know I mentioned yachts earlier, well here’s the thing – it all gets very AM at the Columbia Yacht Club with their Stay Smooth XIV: On A Boat rock-themed night featuring a rock-steady, “don’t rock the boat” evening of everything from 70s smoothies, to 80s light rockers Feist/Phoenix. STV SLV of Hood Internet, and Bald E of Only Children keep things on an even keel at the helm decks, while there is also a live set from Quadraphonica of Hall & Oates cover bad Haulin’ Boats. Yacht-rock attire is a must. From 7pm, $50 at the porthole, $40 in advance. Columbia Yacht Club is at north Lake Shore Drive. http://www.columbiayachtclub.com
Sunday, Sept 5th
And it’s full steam ahead at Transit from 10pm with Chicago dance-music innovator Green Velvet (minus the neon green Mohawk), reaching into his back-catalog that got the 90s scene off to a flier, as well as current electro grooves. Joining him is Claude VonStroke (tech-house from San Fran), with Santiago, and Bushido opening. There’s also side-room sessions from Jason Patrick, Dino G, Just Joey, and Dani Deahl. $20, or $12 in advance. West Lake Street. http://www.transitnightclubchicago.com
And then it’s birthday party time at Neo tonight, where they will be celebrating their 31st Anniversary! Whooah! And they’re still going strong for black-clad ravers who have enjoyed the thrills, and spills over the years from new wave, to goth, to electro, and techno. A whole host of fave resident DJs will be making this a party to remember for the next 31 years! $5 to enter, north Clark Street, from 8pm.
http://www.neo-chicago.com
And finally, it’s time to mention “rock meets the charleston” at new club Fedora Lounge which opened on August 26th and promises to be an entertaining, and zestful place to hang your hat of an evening in the River North area with it’s 1920s décor, evocative purple lighting, risque pictures, murals, tattooed staff, and plenty of imported beers, staple Jameson’s, and tasty ‘Hangover Burgers,’ from the late night kitchen. The Fedora prides itself on its signature martini’s, not to mention the rhythmical mix of music that will rock you off your seats from 10pm seven nights a week. Fedora Lounge is situated in north Clark Street, Mondays-Fridays: 3.00pm-2.00am, Saturdays: 11.30am-3.00am, and Sundays: 11.30am-2.00am.
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