It has been a busy week in DC on the guest dj front. On Wednesday, Geologist from Animal Collective was spinning tunes at Saint Ex while on Thursday, Berlin-based minimalist techno DJ Marc Houle was at Muse Lounge. In addition to Friday’s Red Lounge event highlighted earlier, this weekend brings three more impressive wheels of steel happenings.
Muse Lounge continues on its techno theme Friday night with Detroit electronic music pioneer Derrick May. May, along with fellow Midwesterners Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson, helped push programmed club beats forward in the 1980s. Describing his music as “George Clinton meeting Kraftwerk in an elevator,” May, under the moniker Rhythim Is Rhythim, combined the aforementioned approach with his love of lavish R&B-rooted house music. Largely silent in the ‘90s, May has since made music for video games and continues to DJ around the world.
For R&B music rooted in an earlier time, head over to Dahlak for Moneytown, DJ Nitekrawler’s first Friday soul and funk music event. Nitekrawler is Kevin Coombes, the guy who runs a website that spotlights long-forgotten soul, funk and R&B platters. Nitekrawler will be spinning for free with Mr. Fine Wine, the WFMU out of New Jersey wax twirler who also fills dancefloors worldwide with obscure ‘60s R&B should-be-classics. I have heard Mr. Fine Wine’s radio program on many a Friday night trip to NYC and he is worth hearing and dancing to.
Then make sure your legs are ready for Saturday night when veteran house DJ Timothy Regisford, from New York’s legendary The Shelter joins Chris Burns at the Trinidad & Tobago Association for a late-night dance till you drop event. Regisford will reportedly be spinning five hours worth of his favorites—so expect gospel-rooted vocals, pounding disco beats, and lots of jazzy and Latin accents.
Friday 2-6 Derrick May at Muse Lounge, 717 6th St. NW
Friday 2-6 Moneytown with Nitekrawler and Mr. Fine Wine at Dahlak, 1771 U. St NW
Sat. 2-7 Timmy Regisford, Chris Burns, and Fatback from 10 p.m. until at the Trinidad and Tobago Association, 5123 Georgia Ave. Nw (1 mile from Petworth metro station)