SATURDAY JUNE 12



HALO

The international DJ circuit is a lot like an old-boys' network or secret society. Jocks breaking into it can be assured back-breaking stacks of great white labels (test pressings of vinyl that won't hit retail for weeks or months), choice gigs worldwide, Andes mountains of blow, and, for the really connected, free cartridges. San Diego-via-Chicago's Halo belongs to this elite club, working with the excellent Hipp-e as H-Foundation (see their fine mix CD for the respected Fabric series) and placing tracks on Darren Emerson's Global Underground 015--Uruguay, Mark Farina's Connect, and Miguel Migs' In the House comps. Halo plumbs the soulful depths heard in sets by Farina and Derrick Carter (those influential guys again), reaffirming the timeless, funk-bumpin' verities of Windy City house. With Wesley Holmes, Ken Wallace, Jon Lee, and DJ Ryno. Chop Suey, 1325 E Madison St, 324-8000, 9 pm-2 am, 21+, $7 before 11 pm, $10 after.

SUNDAY JUNE 13



TITONTON DUVANTE

Damn, even Titonton Duvante's name sounds like a wicked percussion break. This Columbus, Ohio, DJ/producer's one of the few Americans excelling at the tricky broken-beat genre that burst out of West London and infected a few metropolises globally. (Duvante also releases melodic techno and drum 'n' bass tracks; no, he doesn't sleep much.) His vibrantly polyrhythmic music's both texturally tantalizing and intricately funky, making it undanceable to all but the savviest, supplest rug-cutters. Of all the broken-beat artists I've heard, Duvante is the most challenging, right up there with Domu. See his 2001 album Selections for Intercourse (Residual) for proof. This ain't coffee-table music--unless your coffee table was designed by Salvador Dali. Baltic Room, 1207 Pine St, 625-4444, 9 pm-2 am, 21+, $6.