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Beba’s cozy Back Tracks

Dino & Terry ‘s Friday-night deep house party, Back Tracks , moved a few weeks ago from Alto Basso down the street to Beba . On the one hand, the move to a smaller club with a much inferior sound system is a bit disappointing. On the other, Beba’s smaller capacity makes the night seem much more like a party, and the layout is cozy and inviting.

Dan Vieira opens up the night each week with some smooth and funky house sounds as the place fills up and the partiers start to get their drink on. Sometime after midnight, Dino & Terry arrive with their crates of records, crank up the volume and do their best to get that dance floor rocking. These days it seems Dino does most of the actual DJing while his brother Terry stands behind him in the booth occasionally adjusting a knob.

By the time we arrived, the party was hopping. The club’s resident drummer, THC , played his electronic kit over top of the DJs, a gimmick that’s much more effective than it sounds on paper. Since it’s not acoustic, he can adjust his volume to the level of the music and change his sounds to match the style of the track being played.

The party’s been reaching capacity regularly for this new night, so arrive early if you want to be sure to get in. So far, the vibe is great, more like a miniature club than a chi-chi martini lounge. They just need to get a licence for the back patio and beef up that sound system before Dino & Terry blow the speakers.

Week of no-shows

Detroit techno legend Carl Craig was slated to play at after-hours juice bar Boa-Redux Friday, but according to the letter from his agent posted at the door, his wife had a baby this week so he had to cancel. Kenny Larkin was flown in to take his place, but the crowd was thin since word had spread that Craig was a no-show.

Boa’s been experimenting with its Friday nights, alternating between techno events like this and progressive house events. The Saturday nights are pretty solid, but it’s clear that Fridays are a work-in-progress. Lots of people want the night, but the club needs someone who can pull in a significant late-night crowd that will pay cover and won’t mind the lack of booze.

Craig wasn’t the only big-name DJ to cancel at the last minute this weekend. Across town on Saturday night, Junior Vasquez also neglected to show up for his gig at System Soundbar , but no public explanation was given.

On the way home from Boa, a bad influence dragged me into the infamous Comfort Zone for a peek that somehow lasted hours. It may not boast big-name guest DJs and the vibe is more than a little sketchy, but it’s a truly unique institution, something every partier should experience at least once.

Shacking up

Thursday night at the Queen’s Head Pub (see Spotlight, page 96), Mikey Apples and Jaime Sin run Shack Up , an eclectic little night, spinning indie, punk, electro, hiphop and anything else that crosses their minds. They bring in weekly guests whose identity is usually a surprise. It’s a cute space, and the night now draws a regular crowd of hipsters, scenesters and record nerds sipping pints and arguing about music.

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