Groove Line

“Less Filling and Not Tasting So Great” – Halsted Street
There’s not quite as much to do on Halsted Street these days. Circuit Nightclub - Rehab recently announced that it is closing temporarily in order to complete its renovations. Circuit’s co-owner, Mike Macharello, sent out an email announcing the closing, which seemingly caught most in the community off guard, and listing the various improvements that will be completed. The email said that the closing had nothing to do with Circuit’s on-going feud with some of the residents in the Dakota building. While this may be true, there is speculation that something is seriously amiss with this situation. Circuit has been a vital part of gay Hispanic nightlife in the city with several very successful promotions and the club was supposed to host a Black & Blue Festival Pre-Party with Montreal DJ Mark Anthony over Labor Day Weekend. When, where, and even if these events still take place during the closing has yet to be determined. Let’s hope for a quick return of Circuit.
Related: Circuit Temporarily Closes
Editor's Note: Felt was closed temporarily by the State of Illinois earlier this month, but has since re-opened for business.

“Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?”
No, Boy George is not back to singing – either solo or with Culture Club – but he is continuing his second musical career as a DJ. George will be spinning at Sound-Bar on Friday, August 27, along with Miami’s own Oscar G. This should be quite the interesting night both on the dance floor and in the DJ booth.

Forward Calendar: Labor Day Weekend – Friday
The weekend gets off to an interesting start with an appearance and live performance by the group Infusion (left) at Sound-Bar. This Australian trio, not just content with recording tracks for DJs to play, actually present their take on dance music live in a club (or outdoors for festivals).. During 2004, Infusion has released two successful singles – “Girls Can Be Cruel” and “Do To You (In ’82)” – on Dave Seaman’s Audio Therapy label, re-writing the club music rulebook with a genre-defying style that incorporates horn and string arrangements and guitars. Currently on a global tour that has included dates at some of the Europe’s most famous clubs (Renaissance and Fabric) and festivals (Creamfields and Roskilde), Infusion is now poised to conquer U.S. dance floors and our electronic dance music scene.

NYC, iPods, UTADA
In my current review column, I talk about the new Japanese singing sensation Utada and her new dance single “Devil Inside Me.” Well, here’s your chance to win either a free trip to NYC to hear here in concert, a new Apple iPod, or other prizes. Go to www.utadaexodus.com/flylifeinc to register and enter the contest. It’s that simple.

Forward Calendar: Labor Day Weekend – Sunday
It doesn’t get much better than this: DJ Eddie X at Sound-Bar!!!!! Resident DJ of the famed South Beach after-hours outpost, Pump, Mr. X musically assaults the dance floor with a steady thirst-quenching diet of rhythm and beats. This will be a perfect end to the summer.

“Less Filling and Not Tasting So Great” – Sunday Nights????
Could it be that Crobar is giving up on its gay-targeted Sunday nights. Rumors, scuttlebutt, and no GLEE Club on a holiday weekend are leading many to believe it so. While DJ Tom McBride will be spinning the tunes this coming Sunday, August 29, the following Sunday during Labor Day weekend has Teri Bristol and Psycho-Bitch back in the saddle for a six turntable, hard house music extravaganza. The style of music will be decidedly harder-edged and more techno-tinged than what many of the tandem’s gay fans are used to, as this is a night geared toward the old Saturday night Crobar crowd - before the remodel. Anyway, the fact that Crobar is abandoning GLEE Club during Labor Dar weekend, a weekend that would probably bring in a decent sized crowd, does not bode well for the future.

Forward Calendar: Labor Day Weekend on Lake Michigan
Michigan Edition – In Saugatuck, guest DJs Tom McBride and Wendy Hunt will join resident DJ Mark Valeese at the Dunes Resort throughout the weekend while Chicagoan Greg Drescher and Michigan fave John Olson spin the Farm Parties on Saturday and Sunday nights, respectively.

Wisconsin Edition – PUMP! in Milwaukee at Three Nightclub continues to be THE place to be on Sunday nights for musical merriment and cool libations. Resident DJs John Murges and Rob Winter share the booth for a Labor Day Cheese-head Extravaganza.

Big Thank You!!
Thanks to all of you who stopped by the Kafka Wine Co. booth and store at the intersection of Halsted and Buckingham during Market Days weekend to say hello to me while I was DJing. We had a great musical vibe going on both Saturday and Sunday with folks dancing and grooving, enjoying the fantastic weather, and spying all the delicious eye candy. I’ll be back in the Kafka “DJ booth” during their anniversary weekend at the end of October. See you then.

Editor's Note: Happy Birthday, DJ Plez! Come down to celebrate DJPlez for his birthday bash, and of course his DJing also. - Sunday, August 29th - Pump! at Three Nightclub in Milwaukee.