Kind of a low-key weekend, by New York City standards, but holy crap did we add a lot of events for April and May. Spring is most definitely in the air – can you feel it???

FRIDAY, MARCH 29

GHE20G0TH1K: Venus X, $hayne, Mike Q, Jubilee, Rizzla, more at Santos Party House [10PM/$15]
Everyone’s favorite impossible to describe party takes over both floors of Santos. Always a top pick, but the special guests tonight really put this one over the top: Ballroom diety Mike Q, tropical bass and grime expert Jubilee, and certified badman / hyperriddim specialist Rizzla. Get there early if you’re going, because the line will probably be around the block. Presales are available online right up until the party.
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FREETECH: M.E.S.H., Physical Therapy, Gobby, New_York_City at 45 Mott St [10PM/?]
Dark Techno in a moderately sketchy chinatown basement karaoke spot – could be just what you’re looking for. Not a lot of info on this one but everyone on the lineup is seriously talented and weird.
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SATURDAY, MARCH 30

The Dog & Pony Show + TURRBOTAX® Present: Rolando (Osgut Ton) plus Paul Raffaele, Contakt at Output [10PM/$20]
Detroit’s Latin house legend Rolando takes over Output, bringing to bear almost two decades of innovative releases on legendary labels like Osgut Ton and Underground Resistance. With supporting DJs (and hopefully the excellent crowds as well!) from two of our favorite parties, Turrbotax and Dog & Pony Show.
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PLANT MUSIC PRESENTS: Ben Mono, Soul 2 Seoul, Gavin Walker at Cameo Gallery [12AM/$10]
Ben Mono is everywhere, stylistically. His latest EP on Plant Music is a joyful take on funky, muscular house, but I’ve heard productions by him that have slayed as electro-soul, disco house, and his latest mixes are more UK Bass oriented. While a cynic could cry bandwagon, the reality is some producers just thrive on variety; and Ben Mono excels at it.
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SUNDAY, MARCH 31

HUSH: DJ Eko, Jerry Jones at The Flat [10PM/FREE]
DJ Eko has a unique sound – she calls it Soultronica (peep the mixes) – and it’s basically the sexiest music you’ve ever heard. Or as the flyer says, “where future bass and future soul make out”. You’d be forgiven for thinking she’s just updating the lovestep formula, but Eko has been honing her sound for over a decade. Also spinning, Jerry Jones from East Village Radio.
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Friday, March 15

Elgato (Hessle Audio) plus Arjun, The Vly House, [12AM/$10wRSVP]
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Saturday, March 16

MISTER SATURDAY NIGHT: Dark Sky (UK), Alex Burkat, plus Justin Carter & Eamon Harkin at House of Yes [10PM-6AM/$10]

Mister Saturday Night has been one of the best respected underground parties in NYC for some time – but their record label is relatively new, and quickly carving out a similarly sterling reputation. Saturday, they feature two tremendous talents who represent their 4th and 5th releases on the label – NYC’s own Alex Burkat, and the UK trio Dark Sky.

Dark Sky is a very exciting trio of DJ/producers from the UK, known for their dark, funky, and heavily swung take on the techhouse/futuregarage/ukbass sound. Their productions are just incredible, but they also have a tremendous range, as they are comprised of 3 music heads. The stuff I included below represents their “core” sound but check out their other mixes for a sense of their vast musical scope. Alex Burkat you might know from his heavy bass moniker Rx, but under his birth name he brings a cinematic disco and house vibe. Really nice stuff! And of course, the residents, Justin and Eamon, will hold it down from start to finish.
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Dub-Stuy presents ECHO CHAMBER: Tour De Force (ft. Ranking Joe) Dub Gabriel, Ticklah, True Nature at The Paper Box [10PM/$15]
We’re BIG supporters of Dub-Stuy – they’re a pillar of soundsystem culture in NYC. Not only does their custom-built 12,000 watt soundsystem look and sound GORGEOUS, but their events are always expertly curated. Check out the interview we did with the founder, Q, on the eve of their launch event

Saturday, they have another killer lineup. Tour De Force is the roots-oriented dubstep project of Dub-Stuy’s founders, Q and Double Tiger, featuring a rotating cast of emcees. It’s exactly what I want to hear on that system. This time out, they have legendary toaster Ranking Joe, who has been an integral part of soundsystem culture since the 70s.

Dub Gabriel has an epic resume, but what really matters is that he fits right in with the Dub-Stuy sound – his 4th LP, Raggabass Resistance, fuses a heavy dub aesthetic with incredibly tasteful digital production and an allstar cast of dub vocalists (Jahdan, Juakali, The Spaceape, Warrior Queen, Brother Culture, MC Zulu, etc).

We’ll be treated to a roots reggae set from Ticklah, producer and keys for the Easy Star Allstars (of Dub Side of The Moon and Radiodread fame). He’s also a founding member of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings AND Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra. Man knows dub. Rounding out this monstrous lineup is True Nature, resident at RECONSTRVCT and a true master of the opening slot – that’s a huge compliment, by the way.
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DIRECT DRIVE: Goldie, Udachi, Raw Q, Dhundee, Lord Kimchi, Dave Shichman at Public Assembly [10PM/$20]
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Monday, March 18

DEEP SPACE 10 YEAR: Scuba, Francois K at Cielo [10PM/$15]
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MEANRED presents BLACK BUTTER: Rudimental, Bondax, Kidnap Kid at Santos Party Haus [10PM/$15]
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Once again, Outlook Festival’s official recap/highlight reel is here, right on time to start getting you hyped for summertime vibes in Croatia. Get ready for goosebumps (and start saving your sheckels):

FRIDAY, MARCH 1

VITAMIN B: DJ Zinc plus DJ Shakey, Barney Iller, Tektite, Tim the Enchanter at House of Yes [10PM/$10]
There aren’t many DJs who have been producing for 20 years and are still relevant, aside from DJ Zinc (ok, maybe Zed Bias?). From his early days as a junglist, producing genre-defining tunes like “super sharp shooter”, to recent hits with A-Trak and Miss Dynamite, he’s is still smashing it up worldwide. Zinc’s unique brand of “crack house”, fusing grime, breaks and electro into an undeniably danceable blend. Get there early or buy advance tickets, because House of Yes fills up fast.      
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ASTRO NAUTICO: HXDB, Archie Pelago plus Obey City, Michael Jukeson, The Range at FREE CANDY [10PM/$5wRSVP]
I know we gush about Archie Pelago quite a bit, but I mean, can you blame us? Have you SEEN them? If not, then it’s your lucky day – they’re headlining tonight at everyone’s favorite psychadelic parking garage/art gallery, Free Candy. Sharing the bill is their collaborator, HxdB (pronounced Hexadecibel), who has been producing exquisite, deep, genre-spanning bass music out of Vancouver for years now. RSVP for $5 admission instead of 10!     
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MUTUAL DREAMING: DJ Dez Andrés, Anthony Naples, Magic Touch at 285 Kent [10PM/$12]
Andres is one of the best DJs I’ve ever seen. Period. Recently I heard him described as “if DIlla made played house”. Expect a lot of soul, dusty grooves, and impeccable taste. A one of a kind artist who could have only come from Detroit, Dez was  formerly the turntablist for Slum Village, and also has a lengthy discography of house tunes and edits.  Mutual Dreaming throws a great party too – they’ll be transforming 285 Kent with reinforced sound and a parachute ceiling for extra vibe absorption.
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LOW: Matt Shadetek, Nate Mars, Lusta, Tyeze at Happy Ending [10PM/FREE]
A great choice if you’re looking for something a little more intimate and unexpected. Shadetek has been rolling with the Dutty Artz crew for years, making all manner of global bass – that’s horribly oversimplifying the man’s talents, but they’re broad. Nate Mars is a dubspot affiliate, with excellent production chops ranging from dubstep to digital cumbia. Lusta takes a grab-bag approach to bass, but keeps it dark and driving, while Tyeze seems to have more of a wompy west-coast take on the low end.
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SATURDAY, MARCH 2

CAPRICORN: Tim Sweeney, Mike Simonetti, Dust at Bossa Nova Social Club [10PM/FREE]
Tim Sweeney’s long-running Beats In Space radio show has always been a source of phenomenal music, both new and old, as well as host to an incredible spectrum of guests. Apparently his live sets are pretty phenomenal too. Mike Simonetti has also been killing dancefloors for decades with an adventurous mix of italo, house, and disco. Plus Bossa Nova Social Club is one of the best new spots – far enough out to keep the crowd dedicated, but also boasting a gorgeous custom soundsystem and plenty of space to dance.
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Built By MeanRed: Daedalus, Salva, Samo Soundboy, Ryan Hemsworth at LPR [11PM/$15]
MeanRed once again has brought together a massive lineup of sonic experimentalists. Daedalus is still one of the most creative DJs I’ve heard in ages (beach boys over hard house? balkan brass over techno? and it works!)  and has a really unique and compelling lighting rig. Salva has experienced meteoric success this year, between a slot on the BBC and his trap edit of Mercy. But he has been making killer 808 beats for years before it became trendy (check his 2011 release, Complex Housing). Samo Soundboy will be bringing the heavy bass, and Ryan Hemsworth has been killing the future-rnb thing lately. 
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100% Silk: Octo Octa, Maria Minerva, Magic Touch, Pharaohs at 285 Kent [12AM/$10]
A showcase of the lo-fi, hi-fun house label, with a nice blend of both live and electronic stuff. Octo Octa will be doing some live house and techno on all hardware (definitely worth checking out), while Maria Minerva sings and Pharaohs are a 4 piece boogie machine. Magic Touch DJs.
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SKATALITES, Subatomic Sound System, Van Gordon Martin Band at Brooklyn Bowl [8PM/$10]
Without dub, there’d be no dance music as we know it. The Skatalites are a LEGENDARY dub outfit, more or less inventing the sound of rocksteady/first wave ska. Officially forming in Kingston Jamaica in 1964, the original members had been jamming together since the mid-50s. While the cast has switched up a bit, the soul and history is still there. Support from Brooklyn’s finest dubwise electronic label, Subatomic Sound System, is a natural fit.   
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SUNDAY, MARCH 3

Mouse on Mars at Santos Party Haus [7PM/$15]
A great reason to get out on a Sunday – Mouse on Mars have been making bizarre, charming, intricate IDM since the 90s, Relentlessly experimental without sacrificing accessibility, Mouse on Mars is equally stimulating to the brain and the booty. Fans of Modeselektor or Matmos will be thrilled.
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