Rating: NNNNN
Tangerine gets juiced
Bump N’ Hustle , the funk, soul and hiphop party thrown by Hot Stepper Productions , is now going to be a monthly event at Tangerine (the bar Hot Stepper recently bought), featuring residents Paul E. Lopes and Mike Tull . If Saturday’s stellar opening-night bash is any indication of what’s in store, this will be one of the better monthlies for some time to come. Walking into the club, you could immediately tell that Lopes and Tull had been ripping it up just by the way the ceiling was dripping and the entire place was moving – even people up in the lounge area were dancing. Every cut got the dance floor’s hands in the air, and many partiers were singing along with the tracks. The place was still pretty full when Lopes dropped Stevie Wonder ‘s Sir Duke as a closer. Watch out for the next edition next month. It should be rocking.
Electro-popping
Non Doctor , of popular local electro crew Electric Workers , threw a one-off Sunday afternoon/evening party last weekend at the Chelsea Room that featured a large number of local DJs known for their love of electro and new wave. The intermittent rain put a bit of a damper on the patio, but a decent number of people came out nevertheless. Caught sets by Chase23 , Freakdrvr and Gerald (among others) in addition to Non Doctor during the afternoon, all spinning a mixture of old and new material, some of it punk-inspired and some rooted in synth pop. Though not much dancing went on, there was still a positive vibe. Hopefully the crew’ll consider making this a monthly shindig.
Hot Times buzzin’
The Hot Times monthly party returned Friday to its original home at 56 Kensington , packing the basement club full of cool kids dancing to an eclectic mixture of underground and mainstream music. We must be living in strange times when even the hipsters have to admit that Missy Elliott and Sean Paul are at least as interesting as anything showcased at the record nerd stores. It’s hard to define, but there’s definitely something going on with this night and others like it, with no DJs listed on the posters, minimal press support, little focus on DJ technique, no genre restrictions and no international guests needed to attract a crowd. A couple of years ago you’d assume the night would bomb, but instead there’s a significant buzz on the street and a lineup on the street of people who can’t get in.
The feeling inside is great, very friendly, and very few people stand on the sidelines. If you want to check out the next one, get there early – it will quickly reach capacity. benjaminb@nowtoronto.com
