Groove Line

Sundays: God Rested So We Could Party
I was all ready to write about how Sunday's new hot spot for dancing and general merriment was the L.A.M.B. party at Wet Nightclub. Well, things change quickly here in Chicago and L.A.M.B. is now being held at Sound-Bar. DJs Chris Eterno and Luis M are still guiding the music, so it's a safe bet that you'll still be able to get your end-of-the-weekend groove on. I'll check out the newest edition of L.A.M.B. in the very near future and report back.

Maybe Not So Pure
Chicago nightlife might be going through some significant changes in the near future as a result of the recent arrests of three Pure Entertainment Group executives for theft. The Group's Purefuture business unit is the city's leading nightclub promoter, often booking big-name DJs at venues such as Vision, Crobar, Congress Theater, and the Riviera. Acting as middlemen, the three execs are accused of negotiating with booking agents to pay DJs to perform at Chicago venues, then forging contracts for a higher amount with the venues, and finally skimming and pocketing the difference.

Of course all of these charges have only been alleged and there have been no convictions or admittance of guilt. However, regardless of the disposition of the cases, there is bound to be a major shake-up in Chicago's nightclubbing scene as Purefuture has been one of the dominant and most influential promoters in the city. Additionally, Pure Group also owns UR Magazine and so it will be interesting to see if, and how, these arrests affect that monthly publication. Stay tuned as this story could prove to "have legs" as they say.

Pop Diva: New-School
One of the newest American Idol alumnus, Katharine McPhee, is out with her eponymous debut album: an R&B-tinged 12-tracker released by RCA Records/19 Recordings. Showcasing a style that some have described as "Christina Aguilera-meets-Beyoncé-and-Mariah," the album gets off to a great start with the funky and soulful "Love Story" and maintains a high quality throughout. While McPhee may have lost out to Taylor Hicks for the AI title last season, odds are that she'll prove to be the real star.

"He's Super!"
Star 69 Records has just released domestically the latest continuous mixed compilation effort from Superchumbo (real name: Tom Stephan), a 2-CD set called LET'S GO CHUMBO. Stephan, a native New Yorker, presents his signature dark and dirty electro-tribal house sound with dramatic flair, expertly showcasing tracks by the likes of Pet Shop Boys, DJ Pierre, Ralph Falcon, and Nitzer Ebb. As far from fluff as you can get, high-octane twisted beats are the driving force behind this excellent mix.

Pop Diva: Old-School
Belinda Carlisle, the 1980's pop diva and former lead singer of the Go-Go's, has just released her latest solo album. Paying tribute to the classic French chansons and pop music of the ‘40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s, this new effort is called VOILA (Rykodisc Records), and it's sung entirely in French. Carlisle's long investigation into Gallic music inspired this artistic creation and she succeeds in demonstrating that good songs are universal no matter the language in which they are sung.