Mission Mission

All I needed to hear was that you get in for free by wearing a tracksuit.  Ch-check it out here.

Tonight the Mission’s only dance nite devoted to dark dirges and subaltern urges returns to Sub-mission. Here’s what they’ve got to say -

“For our April edition, Warm Leatherette is firing up its body machinery for an all-DJ night of recorded synth bedlam. Your Warm Leatherette Resident Selectors will present mixes of the finest minimal electronics and synth punk, while inviting you to gaze long and hard into the inky depths with a guest DJ set from BIXU, Chief Curator at kindred spirit party H O LES.”

Rsvp or something if you want right here.

It’s for a song called “1988 Girls” by a band called Futurecop! and it’s as fun as the song title and band name suggest:

There’s never a dull moment at DJ Purple’s Dance Karaoke parties, but some scenes really get imprinted on your brain. Like when Rapper John takes the stage and totally nails fast-paced club hits like “Party Rock Anthem” and “Gangnam Style.” He’s a somewhat older gentleman, so there’s always a sea of Mission youngsters double-taking in unison as he launches into one of his signature jams.

I asked DJ Purple to tell me what he knows about the guy:

I saw Rapper John singing Rapper’s Delight at Roger Niner’s show a few years ago, and realized what a perfect match he would be for my show. I was really happy when he finally showed up a few weeks later to check out my show. It was fabulous, and he’s been a regular ever since.

I only know a little of Rapper John’s history, mostly stories from other KJ’s. They say he’s been a legend in the Bay Area and Las Vegas karaoke scenes for years, always picking the perfect crowd-pleasing songs and wowing everyone with his lyrical prowess.

Last year, I laid down a special challenge for him to learn a new song. When Gangnam Style came out, I knew immediately that he was the perfect man for that song, but was afraid rapping in Korean might be too much for even Rapper John. He took it on, and that song was indeed almost too much for him, but Rapper John triumphed in the end – he found a hilarious English phonetic translation parody of Gangnam Style by Chad Wild Clay and used that to conquer the Korean pronunciation. Since then, “Condom Style” with Rapper John has been a regular feature at my shows, to the delight of the dancing audiences…

Delight is right. People go NUTS. Lucky for us, DJ Purple put us in touch with the man himself. After the jump, the official Mission Mission Rapper John interview, followed by a video of Rapper John doing “Party Rock” at Singin’ & Pingin’ 2 last December.

And do try to catch Rapper John and DJ Purple in action this Friday night at Singin’ & Pingin’ 3 at the Verdi Club!

[Photo by Jess Kelso / American Tripps]

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The original Singin’ & Pingin’ at Z Space last summer drew a crowd of almost 700, and it was probably the mot epic party I’ve ever seen. The holiday edition at Rickshaw Stop (Singin’ & Pingin’ 2) wasn’t quite as packed, but it was nearly as epic. Turns out singing and pinging go together like drinking and dancing. Who knew?

Here’s the official invite to Singin’ & Pingin’ 3:

Everywhere we go, people ask, “WHEN IS THE NEXT SINGIN’ & PINGIN’???” Well, the next SINGIN’ & PINGIN’ is here, folks! And it’s gonna be at the world-famous VERDI CLUB in San Francisco’s Mission District!

DJ Purple’s DANCE KARAOKE mission is going strong at venues around the city and the region, but it’s gonna be an outright SPECTACLE thanks to the big stage — and huge dance floor — at Verdi. Start perusing the songbook (http://djpurple.com/) now, so you’re good and ready when the time comes!

Add to that a couple of ping pong tables and a couple crates of paddles — plus a full bar and the best group of partygoers in town — and we’re in business!

RSVP and invite your friends!

I say it every month: Haçeteria is the best. Tonight’s edition includes the following special guests:

Haceteria is excited to have a very special dj set from the legendary and prolific electronic experimentalist Kit Clayton. With releases on Soul Jazz, Carpark, Orthlorng, & many more (we have to mention the Wire Magazine mix CD), Kit will surely dazzle the dancefloor with his impressive knowledge of choice cuts from past and present. Kit also is enmeshed in video and 3d graphics with his work in developing software platforms which expand upon the visual programming environment which alongside with his music aim to “explore communication, speculation, value, directive, and the space between artist and audience.”

https://soundcloud.com/kitclayton

We could think of no better way to celebrate the month when Earth Day takes place than by having a special live set from Earthman, an Oakland-based up and coming terrestrial trailblazer. With tracks ranging from ambient house and austere dubby minimalism, to undulating subaquatic grooves and downtempo electro, Earthman spans the seven continents of electronic dance music terroir.

https://soundcloud.com/earth_to_dude

Can’t wait! (I’ll be there as soon as Thee Oh Sees are done.) RSVP and invite your friends!

Everybody always talks about how DJ Purple‘s saxophone solos really make the show, about how that added punch of serious musicianship make his dance karaoke parties so much more fun and entertaining than just about every other karaoke experience in the world. Well, he’s upped the ante once again, by bringing along a FULL DRUM SET.

He debuted it over the weekend at his new Saturday night show at Polo Grounds down by the ballpark, and it was quite a spectacle! He managed to run the show just like normal, while still inserting sax and harmonica solos like usual, AND adding in various drum solos (and expertly placed cymbal flourishes) throughout the evening. He even drummed along to “Live While We’re Young” by One Direction in its entirety, and it was siiiiiiiick! Dance karaoke will never be the same.

Look forward to many more drum (and sax) solos in the Mission every Thursday night at Slate Bar (and Friday, April 12, at Singin’ & Pingin’ 3).

It’s named after a Strokes song and LCD Soundsystem is featured in the poster art. Last Nite sounds like a winner to me! Here’s what the about page says:

2000′s Indie Dance Party. Opening night, Friday, April 12th at the Elbo Room!

Post Punk, Dance Punk, Freak Folk, Synth Pop, Nu Rave, Chillwave and Garage with DJs Jamie Jams and Emdee.

Can’t wait! RSVP and invite your friends!

Toubin and his New York Night Train empire are a pret-ty big deal, so it’s gonna be lovely to have it all here at Rickshaw Stop for a night:

GET DOWN all night long to the extra-exceptional, explosive, and exquisite 1960s soul 45s of globe-trotting New York DJ MR JONATHAN TOUBIN! New York Night Train’s Soul Clap and Dance-Off is North America’s most popular soul party − by far playing to more people in more places and generating more capital than any of its contemporaries. The concept is simple – all night dancing to the wild soul 45s of subterranean superstar NYC DJ Mr. Jonathan Toubin and, in the middle, a $100 CASH PRIZE dance contest judged by a panel of local celebrities.

RSVP and invite your friends!

Here’s a pic I took of Wam Bam Ashleyanne winning the dance-off last time Soul Clap was in town:

Top that!

(Oh and she and I are on the judging panel this time, so be sure to address us as “Your Honor” if you see us. Starting now. Thanx.)