Summer is coming early to Seattle; house superstar Miguel Migs is
making a return appearance. And regardless of the weather outside, he’s
bringing the sunshine with him, along with a full band.
Miguel Migs is a brand as much as a name, synonymous with smooth,
uplifting house that’s perfect for summer beach parties—let’s
call it “margarita house.” There’s a formula to his track selection and
sound, but people want to feel good and his recipe certainly gets the
job done. However, consistency is just a fine line away from boring, so
for this tour Migs is switching things up by bringing his full band,
Petalpusher. Even if you’ve seen Migs before, it likely wasn’t
like this.
Petalpusher is already established as a Migs production alias, but
its current touring incarnation is an eight-piece band featuring Migs
on guitar, long-time collaborator Lisa Shaw on vocals, and a group of
funketeers who have played and recorded with the likes of Prince and
P-Funk rounding things out. In some ways, the group’s output is an
homage to house music’s predecessors, with disco and funk playing as
big a role as house’s steady 4/4 rhythm. It’s all smile-inducing dance
music. And don’t worry, if the live-band aesthetic isn’t your thing,
you’ll be happy to know that Migs will be closing the night behind the
decks, balancing the new with the familiar.
Migs’s appearance will be the polar opposite of Friday’s visit from
San Francisco bass enthusiast Djunya. As with many dubstep
artists, he started as a drum-and-bass DJ before making his transition
to dubstep. He’s in town as one of the remixers on 303 Sumatra‘s
No Disco EP, the latest release from local label
Insectmind. A resident for SF monthly 50.Hz Theory, Djunya’s
already got himself a reputation as a competent producer with a
spectrum of influences that spans from dub reggae to two-step. That
breadth should give the night a welcome dose of sonic
diversity.
Lastly, as you might recall, a couple of months ago in this space I
introduced Peloton Musique, a local boutique label that had just
completed its first release, a compilation of techno tracks based on
bike-related audio samples. Bonkers! is allowing Peloton to take
over the Re-bar this Thursday night, and the label is stacking the
showcase with over half a dozen artists, led by Portland’s Let’s Go
Outside. The Peloton roster includes the finest the area has on
offer, and this lineup is just a small first taste. 
Peloton Musique goes Bonkers! at Re-bar on Thurs May 15, 9
pm–2 am, $5, 21+.
Djunya plays Heaven (172 S Washington St) on Fri May 16, 9
pm–2 am, $7 before 11 pm/$10 after, 21+.
Petalpusher (with Miguel Migs) play Chop Suey on Sat May 17, 9
pm–2 am, $15, 21+.