FRIDAY DECEMBER 9

LAPTOP BATTLEThe national championship occurs tonight, with Seattle's Danger Dave and m.O., Portland's Rrine and Let's Go Outside, Philadelphia's Starkey, Vancouver's Humdinger and Square Root of Evil, and Salt Lake City's DJ Knucklez competing for ultimate PowerBook glory. These battles always spark brief bursts of fascinating, pressurized creativity, as the players distill their talents into their most potent expressions. There'll also be bonuses aplenty with visuals by Opticlash victor Killing Frenzy, a showcase performance by two-time Laptop-Battle champ Kris Moon, and between-sets DJing from skillful Fourthcity dub/hiphop maven Introcut. More info at www.laptopbattle.org. Chop Suey, 1325 E Madison St, 324-8000, 9 pm–2 am, $8 adv/$10 DOS, 21+.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 10

KRAKT/JERRY ABSTRACT"Techno with Teeth" is Krakt's current slogan, and the monthly event never fails to make deep incisions in your gray matter. Tonight Technics hellion Jerry Abstract unleashes the harder DJ tools in his bulging box of delights, allowing you to experience the delightful sensation of sweating blood. Mr. Abstract's also a helluva designer who could use a quality day job. Because he's racked up much good karma with me, I'm just sayin' you should peep his site at www.fixelplix.com and consider using his artistic talents. With Kristina Childs and Paul Edwards. Re-Bar, 1114 Howell St, 233-9873, 9 pm–2 am, $3, 21+.

NEW PRODUCER ALERT: TRUETYPE/PACEPALAfter not seeing him for months, I recently ran into Seattle producer TrueType (AKA Jon McMillion and PacePal) at Wall of Sound record store, where he gave me a 10-track CD-R. By this evidence, McMillan's been fruitfully woodshedding in his studio. The music here springs into ultra-vivid life as if hatched from the brain of some avant-hot laptop-jockey from Montreal, Köln, or Santiago. McMillion's style is playful, strange, kinetic, and provocative—which makes it similar to the texturally outré yet danceable output of Seattle's Bruno Pronsato. So it isn't surprising to hear that local experimental-techno imprint Orac (one of many companies issuing Bruno's work) will be releasing some McMillion productions in 2006. Germany's respected Onitor Records also has expressed interest. Take note: A techno star is busy being born.