FIRST THURSDAY: PLAN B VS. PARS KID
Plan B (James van Leuven, and a host of talented friends) is Seattle's answer to DJs Shadow and Vadim: Hiphop's merely the launching pad for him to veer off on jazzy, post-rock-y, or cinematic tangents. At this fundraiser for the Seattle Art Museum, Plan B gets ambitious, enlisting cellist Brent Arnold (Modest Mouse, Eyvind Kang), violinist Jen Kozel (Quasi, Elliott Smith), vocalist Krista Warden, and Circle of Fire dancers/MCs Dufon and Lateef to form a mini orchestra. He's also asked graffiti artist Pars Kid to demonstrate his marker skills in real time during the concert, and display other art works. With DJ K.O. 562, 562 First Ave S, 11 pm-12 am.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8
JULIUS PAPP
Julius Papp, a San Jose, California DJ, has been spinning since 1987, so he knows how to move crowds like riot police do. Part of England's renowned Paper Recordings stable and new papa of his own imprint, Neo Disco, Papp says, "When I DJ... I don't like to stay in one groove for too long. I definitely like to keep the flow nice and smooth." Papp promises to bring that warm, organic house sound that's as soothing as Cali sunshine (hear his acclaimed 2002 mix CD Loveslapped for proof). With Wesley Holmes and Ken Wallace. Chop Suey, 1325 E Madison St, 324-8000, 9 pm-2 am, 21+, $7 before 11 pm, $10 after, free for drag queens.
I * SHIVA
Start your Saturday night with some absurdly lush, melodramatic Bollywood cinema, and then shake the kitsch out of your head with a vindaloo-hot mix of bhangra and other Indian-flavored electronica from resident DJs Peter Madril and Manpreet, with Singh on dhol (a double-headed, barrel-shaped wooden drum played with two sticks, it produces some of the coolest percussive sounds ever). Baltic Room, 1207 Pine St, 625-4444, 21+, 9 pm-2 am, $7/$10.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 12
SAMPLE
DJs spin classic old-school and nu-school hiphop tracks in between totally smoking live sets by a live group playing... classic old-school and nu-school hiphop tracks. And so on, until the joint is so damn funky, it smells like James Brown's socks after his 1963 show at the Apollo. Drummer John Wicks, bassist Carlos Tuloss, and keyboardist Joe Doria lay down miser-tight grooves while guest MCs casually step to the mic to rap, toast, or belt out a soul number. Baltic Room, 1207 Pine St, 625-4444, 21+, 9 pm-2 am, $5.
