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Music

Kaleidoscope kool kuts

Rating: NNNNN


some may blame austin powersfor the unexpected rise of Toronto’s swingin’ 60s soirees, but the films have come and gone and the crowds keep coming to the Mod Club, Blow Up, the monthly Soul Clan all-nighters and the ever-fab Kaleidoscope rave-up. It’s more likely that such seeming ly anachronistic events are suddenly popular for the same reasons the Movement Collective has been so successful spinning jazz, funk and latin joints from the 60s and 70s. People are looking for a hot and sweaty analog alternative to the cold, synthetic predictability of the digital-age club experience.

You won’t hear today’s popular canned club hits at Movement or Kaleidoscope, but, rather, the obscenely obscure records diligently dug up by the DJs. That contrary programming philosophy is the edge.

So while the psychedelic blobs of light ooze over the walls and caged go-go birds shake their tail feathers at Kaleidoscope, it’s going to be distorted scorchers from the likes of Wimple Winch, Rupert’s People and Les Miserables that get the Cuban heels clicking.

“When I started doing these nights almost four years ago,” recalls CIUT-FM personality Christian Hamilton, “I was worried that I might alienate people by playing stuff that was too obscure. But to my surprise, I found that every time I put on a really rare song ­– something that had never been reissued ­– people would go absolutely crazy!

“That’s a testament to the quality of this music. The kick I get is exposing people to all these amazing but overlooked groups who might’ve recorded only one single between 1965 and 69. It’s not hard to get people into this stuff ­– you just have to put it on.”

Hamilton has also daringly tried to expand the Kaleidoscope happening concept to include live performances by such like-minded garage bands as the Satisfaction and Les Incapables, with limited success. Toronto clubbers just prefer to dance to recorded music.

However, Montreal’s yummiest yé-yé party stompers, Les Séquelles, are determined to remedy the situation.

If Les Séquelles have their way, la belle province will be known for more than Celine Dion. They’ll begin their bid for world conquest by presenting the raunchy sound of their forthcoming full-length debut at Rancho Relaxo Saturday (January 20).

With the addition of former Les Incapables Rickenbacker-cracker Daniel Fiocco, Les Séquelles have a flashy flair for Gallic garage groovers, as their choice covers of Serge Gainsbourg’s Roller Girl and Dick Rivers’ Oh Oui! amply demonstrate on their self-titled debut EP. What does it matter if all their lyrics are sung in French? Their songs are in the international language of garage rock.

“I’ve got so many great records from places like Czechoslovakia, Italy, Holland and Germany,” enthuses Fiocco from his Montreal home. “I can’t understand what the hell they’re singing about, but as long as the riffs are catchy and the beat is solid, it all sounds good to me.

“Like everyone else, I grew up listening to the Beatles and the Stones, but eventually I discovered that Quebec had a very lively music scene in the 60s.

“Hearing Les Lutins for the first time was amazing. It was so raw and they were singing in this really square-sounding Quebecois French ­– I couldn’t believe it! For me, Les Lutins are every bit as good as the Beatles. No, wait ­– they’re better.”LES SEQUELLES performing as part of KALEIDOSCOPE with DJ CHRISTIAN HAMILTON, at Rancho Relaxo (300 College), Saturday (January 20). $5. 416-920-0366.The Churchills

Open Your Eyes

The Bumps

Hey Girl

The Rites of Spring

Baby Doesn’t Know

The Other Half

Flight Of The Dragon Lady

The Rayders

Working Man

The Jeans

In My Own Time

Les Miserables

Miserables Votre

Electric Banana

It’ll Never Be Me

The Skeptics

Bit O’ Honey

Q65

It Came To MeBlow Up

Saturdays upstairs at the El Mocambo (464 Spadina)

The Mod Club

Wednesdays at Lava (507 College)

The Soul Clan

www.soulclan.com

The Churchills

Open Your Eyes

The Bumps

Hey Girl

The Rites of Spring

Baby Doesn’t Know

The Other Half

Flight Of The Dragon Lady

The Rayders

Working Man

The Jeans

In My Own Time

Les Miserables

Miserables Votre

Electric Banana

It’ll Never Be Me

The Skeptics

Bit O’ Honey

Q65

It Came To Me

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