House of Techno Highlights May 2007

Glasgow

Turn off your mobile, tell your partner you're working late and tell everyone else it's your grandmother's funeral on Friday the 11th, because Lory D (Reflex/SNS) plays live alongside French electro-funk king Automat at the Wireblock launch party (Blackfriars, 11pm-3am, £8, see preview for full details). Don't miss this one, it should be excellent. Do try to survive the madness, 'cos there's two essential parties happening at the same time the next night. Inner City Acid presents Radioactive Man live at the Soundhaus on 12 May, 11pm-4am, £9/£11. With a 4am license, that's a whole extra hour of Radioactivity! Meanwhile, somewhere across town, Ghislain Poirier (Chocolate Industries/Intr_version) makes knotty, clunking dancehall at Doublespeak (Blackfriars, 11pm-3am, £8, 12 May). Not going out is blasphemy, plumping for another night is not an option, and splitting down the middle is just plain weird. Do what my mate did in Prague, just crash out in the club and you'll be speaking double for sure. If you're after more head-nodding funky grooves, Droido (Urbantorque/Silver Network) plays the Brunswick on 24 May, 11pm-late, £tbc. Also worth checking out is the recently launched Vibrations at Classic Grand, every Friday at 11pm-3am, £6/4. With the first lady of Glaswegian Trash, Mingo-go, and DJs from the ever-popular Ariels, this is prime time Friday night sleaze.

Edinburgh

Trouble sinks its teeth into the Cab on the 4 May with The Scottish Freestylers Association. Made up of some of the choicest local promoters, including Kinky Afro and Plastic Soul, this is a great way to catch some of the best locals in one go. Love it (11pm-3am, £6/£5). If you like your electro with a touch of pumping indie, the drop dead gorgeous remix king/queen, Le Castle Vania brings disco-punk flavours to the Cab on 16 May with We Are… Electric (11pm-3am, £tbc). Both of these are damn near institutions, but the new noise in Edinburgh is Wobby, a collision of crusty drill'n'bass, hardcore techno and casualty-trance from the likes of Tekamine and Helicopter-face. Details tbc, but the last one was free entry and £1.50 drinks at Studio 24 (24 May, 11pm-3am). Guaranteed to get messier than a grenade in a blender. Staying on the heavy techno side with Studio 24 is Jak-N with guest Bas Mooy, the Rotterdam-based producer/DJ, playing a live p.a (11 May, 10.30pm-3am, £6/£7). For something a little bit different; south of techno, west of house, and in the centre of world music, there's Departure Lounge's Finland Special with Dalind'o (live), and DJ sets from Matti Nives, Astroboy & Jimenez (their newest resident DJ!), plus percussion from Cammy and friends. Dalind'o are a live club jazz band here to bring lighter textures to the mix, so check it out (The Caves, 10pm-3am, £8/6)! [Liam Arnold]