CROOKERS
With VND/LSM, Nasty Nav. Sat, June 28. Wrongbar, 1279 Queen W. $18.50 at Rotate This, Play De Record, Wantickets.com.
When it comes to the twisted, agitated electro affectionately known as fidget house, Crookers is the name on every DJ’s tongue. The Italian duo of Phra and Bot came together in 2003, having produced hip-hop in their respective prior projects. As Crookers, they’re rooted in house, but have turned that sound upside down through a steady stream of original tracks as well as remixes for the likes of Chemical Brothers, Bonde Do Role, Bumblebeez and Chromeo. A new EP of Crookers’ synthetic swagger and dirty, crooked beats drops soon, followed later this year by their debut album.

DJ X @ LIVE AT THE BBQ: THE REUNION
With MCs Frankenstein, Thrust, Nasty Howie, Bishop Brigante, DJs Mastermind, Power, Scam, Agile, Starting From Scratch, Fase, P-Plus, more. Sun, June 29. The Drake, 1150 Queen W. $7 before 10pm, $15 after.
In the early through mid-‘90s, Adrian King a.k.a. DJ X was the host and producer of this city’s most vibrant and popular hip-hop radio show, The Power Move. Heard Saturdays on CKLN, the program was a community hub where local artists were given plenty of shine. X also produced the now legendary event series Live at the BBQ. At this reunion — the first of three slated for this summer — he’ll be joined by some of T.O.’s most influential hip-hop talent, with the BBQ starting at 3pm on the Drake’s rooftop and moving to the Underground at 10pm.

OSUNLADE & THE YORUBA SOUL ORCHESTRA @ SOUL LIVE
With Djinji Brown, Andy Roberts. Mon, June 30. The Mod Club Theatre, 722 College. $30 at Play De Record, Cosmos, Wantickets.com, Milkaudio.com.
Mixed Signals, Boogie Inc. and Lateknights follow up last year’s SoulLive concert featuring Blaze with this huge house music event headlined by multi-platinum selling producer Osunlade, the man behind Yoruba Records. Osunlade will first perform with his Yoruba Soul Orchestra — a 10-piece band featuring musicians from Greece, Italy and the US — and will later spin a set of spiritually infused Afro-Latin deep house alongside Yoruba’s Djinji Brown and T.O.’s own Andy Roberts.

JEREMY P. CAULFIELD @ CANADA DAY BEATDOWN
With Tractile (live), DJs Jamie Kidd, Ian Guthrie. Mon, June 30. Footwork, 425 Adelaide W. $10 before 11:30, $15 after.
The Fukhouse, Tempo and Platform crews team up this Canada Day holiday to host a night of homegrown techno, appropriately enough. It’s also a homecoming for Jeremy P. Caulfield and Tractile, both currently based in Berlin. Caulfield, an original Fukhouse resident and the force behind the Dumb-Unit label, is in the midst of a North and South American tour. Tractile — Adam Young and Joel Boychuk — will perform a live set of their sparse yet driving cinematic techno. Check their recent Silent Movie EP on M_nus for a sampling.

STEVE LAWLER @ LIGHTS OUT
With DJs Dubfire, Mark Oliver, Nic Fanciulli, Shy FX, DJ Hype, T Power, Marcus Visionary, Saigon, Frankie Gunns, L.A. Riots, Nasty Nav, Fierce Helder, Laidback Luke, Deko-ze, Tim Patrick, Sydney Blu, more. Mon, June 30. The Guvernment, 132 Queens Quay E. $40 from Ticketmaster.
Britain’s Steve Lawler is a big-room house DJ/producer with massively successful residencies in London and Ibiza and an equally popular mix CD series titled Viva. Lawler’s brand-new Viva Toronto, on Renaissance, is a double-CD set recorded at The Guvernment, with the “Inside” mix captured in the club while the more chilled “Outside” blend was heard on the rooftop patio in the wee hours. Lawler celebrates its release with this return to the Guv, and will again play different sets in the two settings.

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