NO BRA @ VAZOWEEN
With DJ Will Munro. Fri, Oct 31. Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor W. $10 with costume,
$20 without. Limited advance tickets at Rotate This.
Munro’s Vazoween is a party that people plan for — queers, after all, are the masters of dress-up. No doubt there’ll be stiff competition in both the costume and “bobbing for butt plugs” contests hosted by Mary Messhausen. Further eye candy comes courtesy of go-go dancers Cock Wolf and CoCo La Crème, visuals created by Kids on TV’s Roxanne and a special live performance by German-born, London-based musician Susanne Oberbeck a.k.a. No Bra. As androgynous as she is clever and dry, Oberbeck crafted the 2006 album Dance and Walk with mate Dale Cornish, spawning the satirical single “Munchausen.” No Bra has been called everything from “disturbing” to “pornographic,” making her a perfect fit for Vazoween.
THUNDERHEIST @ HOLLYWEEN
With AutoErotique (formerly VND/LSM), MANSION, DJ Barbi, Bitchin’, more. Fri, Oct 31. CiRCA, 126 John. $15 advance tickets at Rotate This, Play De Record, Soundscapes, Ticketweb.ca, Wantickets.ca.
Fresh from their third European tour, hometown heroes Thunderheist, bless ’em, make things go boom at this Halloween edition of Randomland. Thunderheist — for those not already lost in the deliciousness of their basstastic boom-bap — are the duo of MC extraordinaire Isis and versatile DJ/producer Grahm Zilla. Their two official singles, “Bubblegum” and “Jerk It,” regularly result in dancefloor mayhem, with an album soon to follow. Fast-rising local duos AutoErotique and MANSION also shake the main room while west-coast DJ duo Bitchin’ headline Pink Mafia’s iPod Battle in the Skyy Cinema.
JIMMY EDGAR @ HOW TO AVOID A ZOMBIE ATTACK!
With Maetrik, Eric Downer, Intrepid Traveller, evolve. Fri, Oct 31. Temperance Gallery. $20 advance tickets at Moog Audio.
For a fully immersive, zombie-themed techno event complete with costume contest, check this breakandenter production featuring the dark, driving electronics of Detroit’s Jimmy Edgar. The multi-instrumentalist was performing at raves by 15, signed to Warp Records in 2004 and has released numerous EPs as well as his brilliant 2006 album, Color Strip. Edgar is also an in-demand fashion photographer and graphic designer, and helms electro-funk act Her Bad Habit, among other projects. He’s set to release Deeper, a new album of brooding beats, shortly and performs here alongside Dallas DJ/producer Maetrik. Join the mailing list at http://breakandenter.net/list for venue details.
MARCUS VISIONARY @ NIGHTMARE AT ELMO
With DJs Maniak, Saigon, Frankie Gunns, P Dot Ill, Clarity, Bronwyn, Blind Find, MC JD. Fri, Oct 31. El Mocambo (upstairs), 464 Spadina. $10 advance tickets at Play De Record, Shanti Baba, Numb.
For 13 years, Toronto DJ/producer Marcus Visionary has (alongside DJ Prime) hosted North America’s longest-running drum ‘n’ bass radio show, The Prophecy, on CIUT. He’s also been one of our best-loved and most versatile D&B DJs. Blessed with a great ear for hooks, vocals and bass, he and Visionary production partner Dave “Nemesis” Whalen have released on more than a dozen respected D&B labels, including Flex, Hustlin’ Beats and Digital Soundboy. Here, Visionary headlines an event raising funds for the El Mo’s Serving Charity initiative (servingcharity.com).
TONY ROHR @ GRINDHOUSE HALLOWEEN
With Alexi Delano, Dietrich Schoenemann, Jamie Kidd vs Hali, Terence Kissner, Mike Gibbs. Fri, Oct 31. The Opera House, 735 Queen E. $23 advance tickets at Moog Audio, $25 at door before midnight.
For their third annual Halloween event, the Platform crew host Grindhouse and encourage attendees to think along the lines of zombies, vampires, leather-clad miscreants or “anything gritty.” Alongside some of this city’s finest techno and house DJs, Platform hosts a trio of New York-based techno producers — Tony Rohr, Alexi Delano and Dietrich Schoenemann — who have all collaborated on a variety of projects. Rohr is considered to have one of the strongest live PAs in techno today, so be sure to catch his set. P.S. The official after-party runs 4am-10am at The Basement (659 Queen W.).