John Tejada has become known for two things over the course of his career: a refusal to be pigeonholed into one genre (tackling house, techno, hiphop, and even postrock) and extraordinary attention to detail within his tracks and mixes. A favorite among both house and techno audiences because of his melodic productions, Tejada left the laptop behind on his current tour and took off from L.A. strictly hardware based. Instead of audiences being forced to watch yet another digital DJ move between laptop and turntables, this tour’s performances should lend themselves to a looser, more improvisational feel, with Tejada given more flexibility to mix, remix, and reconstruct tracks than is possible with just records.
“I chose to bring very small and portable hardware devices, which have some limitations but also offer a great amount of expressive sound control,” Tejada says. “In a perfect world I would be able to tour with large amounts of gear, but I always fear for my gear when taking it out of the house, so I just try to keep it small and portable.”
Tejada had previously espoused his love for the spontaneity of DJing as his preference over live-PA performance; now that the pendulum has swung the other way, he insists the switch to drum machines, sequencers, and effects boxes is more technical than creative.
“I’m in no way trying to make any type of statement,” he says. “It’s just the difference of choosing what gear I want to use. I’m sure I’ll do computer sets again and vice versa. For me it’s the desire to have an expressive set. It just comes down to enjoying pattern-based live playing with instruments that I can change in a creative way.”
With Tejada’s range, that means listeners are as likely to hear reminders of classic Detroit techno along with more-minimal fare, the common thread being Tejada’s penchant for soulful melodies, most recently showcased on his latest full-length, Cleaning Sounds Is a Filthy Business. This new approach should please gear heads eyeing every knob twiddle as well as dancers who know what to expect from a Tejada set.
Ultimately, the move to a hardware-centric performance seems a natural extension of the changes Tejada has made in the studio. “I’ve gone back to producing entirely with hardware instruments and sequencers for the past three years, using a computer as more of a multitrack tape recorder,” he says. “This is just my preference at the moment. I feel more comfortable with knobs and wires all around me.”
THURSDAY APRIL 12
Uberzone, KJ Sawka
Open House Thursday blurs the boundaries between the rave and club worlds, acting as a gateway experience for those transitioning from the former to the latter. For this night they’re bringing out breaks hero Uberzone, who’s been doing his thing since just before “electronica” was “the next big thing.” Remember big beat? Uberzone certainly does. Also on the bill is KJ Sawka, a drumming John Henry able to match even a drum machine’s most hyperkinetic beats snare for snare. Last Supper Club, 124 S Washington St, 748-9975, free before 11 pm, $10 after, 21+.
FRIDAY APRIL 13
Lost Boys
Both Gene Lee and Sean Majors of the duo Lost Boys are respected in their own right as DJs and producers. Together, they bring deep crates and an impeccable dance-floor sensibility, creating tracks and playing sets that embrace house music’s disco roots without sounding stale (or cheesy). They recently released the Lost Boys EP, which sees their “Love Boot” (a redub of First Choice’s “Love Thang”) receiving more than just white-label treatment. The night’s being advertised as a benefit for cancer research, so the good times support a good cause. ToST, 513 N 36th St, 547-0240, 9 pm, $7, 21+.
SATURDAY APRIL 14
[a]pendics.shuffle
Filling in for the evening after the unfortunate cancellation of Luke Vibert’s North American tour is [a]pendics.shuffle, one of Kenneth James Gibson’s many aliases. While intricate minimal would seem to run counter to the Krakt monthly’s harder techno leanings, Gibson’s production variety and tendency toward crunchy elements should please the crowd. Local production shape-shifters Jacob London open with a live set, sure to be worth the price of admission alone. Re-bar, 1114 Howell St, 233-9873, 10 pm, $5, 21+.
TUESDAY APRIL 17
Joris Kamma
After blowing minds at a Decibel afterparty, the Netherlands’ DJ Phaedrus (Joris Kamma) returns to show Seattle how dark and dirty the Dutch like their techno. Past mixes from Kamma have exhibited extraordinary breadth, with constantly shifting minimal minutes away from abrasive, loop-centric bangers. This time around he’ll be taking the stage at the Oscillate weekly, playing a live set. Baltic Room, 1207 Pine St, 625-4444, 21+.