Usually the beginning of the year is a wasteland, with promoters and
clubgoers taking a few weeks to recover from NYE and time with family.
Not so this year, as 2008 maintains the momentum with which 2007
closed.
The cover to Egyptian Lover‘s 1984 album, On the Nile,
features the Lover himself standing in front of a sphinxlike statue,
hands on his hips, in an unbuttoned shirt and leather jacket, with a
glorious Jheri curl. His look has (thankfully) changed in the
decades since, but Egyptian Lover still tours with his original
old-school electro partner in crime Jamie Jupiter, making his first
trip to Seattle in ages for the 10th Broken Disco. The sound is
decidedly retro—think Breakin’ 2: Electric
Boogaloo–esque hybrids of electronics and
hiphop—but this isn’t some kind of revival; testimonials from
his visits to Portland reveal that Egyptian Lover’s music and
performance acumen have stood the test of time. The hiphop bebop don’t
stop.
Moving to future music, Saturday, January 12, marks the return of
Alland Byallo, resident DJ at San Francisco techno monthly
Kontrol. Byallo was last in town performing live to a sparse Decibel
crowd, but this time he’ll be manning the decks for his second visit to
Krakt. When he played there in late 2006, he was with two other
Kontrol DJs, tag-teaming with the Krakt residents for the duration of
the evening. The track selection was excellent, but the constant
swapping left little room for anyone to build momentum. This visit
should be less of a hodgepodge, with Byallo revealing more of his
individual tastes. Hopefully he’ll drop some of the material set to
arrive on his debut LP, due later this year.
For the househeads, Saturday is also the return of Mark
Farina. I’ve spewed a lot of vitriol in Farina’s direction the last
few times he’s come to town, and while I stand by every word, it’s a
new year, and it’s time to let old grudges die. Farina’s a
perennial Seattle favorite and has no shortage of DJ cred, with
billions of frequent-flier miles, a well-selling discography, and a big
heap of the responsibility for the West Coast house scene. Perhaps it’s
best to focus on that legacy and hopes that he’s regained the spark
that causes a clubber’s eyes to light up when they think of their best
“Farina moment.” If he doesn’t deliver with this first visit of 2008,
the vitriol will be back; having a legacy doesn’t mean you’re allowed
to rest on your laurels.
Speaking of never resting, it’s also time for this month’s edition
of Konkrete Jungle. This newish night has been bringing the heat
for its first few months, this month bringing in the UK’s Remarc, “king
of the Amen break.” The ragga jungle veteran influenced later breakcore
with his beat de/reconstruction, and despite rising to fame in the
early ’90s is only now making his first tour stateside. 
Egyptian Lover and Jamie Jupiter play Fri Jan 11 at Broken Disco
at Chop Suey, 9 pm–2 am, $12 adv, 18+.
Alland Byallo plays Sat Jan 12 at Krakt at Rebar, 10 pm–2
am, $8, 21+.
Mark Farina plays Sat Jan 12 at Neumo’s,
9 pm–2 am,
$15 adv, 21+.
Remarc plays Wed Jan 16 at Konkrete Jungle at CHAC, 9 pm–2
am, $8 before
11 pm/$10 after, 16+.