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The Vinyl Word

It was a miserably cold Saturday night last weekend, which kept some people home, but things were hot at Eden for DJ @llen's monthly Love Groove party.

When we turned up, the local modeling agency had apparently long ago dropped off its charges for a little rest and relaxation and there was a well-lubricated vibe on. One punter pulled The Vinyl Word aside to say @llen had been dropping some wild Latin house that "you would never hear in other clubs." A compliment, we presume.

Nina grabbed the baton and kept running with the party by playing a set of driving, funky tracks and the later it got the more the more castaways from other clubs began showing up.

Things weren't quite so auspicious over at Chocolate and Love, where the cops showed up three times to do what they do best: screw up a good party. With the music set to background-noise level, all that was left to do was to watch New Zealander VJ Freeform's visuals cast against screens draped across the ceiling. Interesting visuals, but the setting may not have done them justice.

In a first this weekend, the theme restaurant J-Pop Cafe -- in the same building as Eden -- will be host to a one-off party. With DJs Saucey, Coffey, Marcus Aurelius and the reggae dub crew called the O-Brothaz Sound System, it promises to be a raucous good time. For once, the restaurant's sound system won't be wasted on insipid J-Pop. Entrance tomorrow night is NT$300, which also buys you one drink.

If not, the breakbeats and nu-break sounds of Edmund and the passionate concoctions of Jimmy Chen can be experienced nearby the same night at Eden, with the A-One Party. In keeping with the more diverse scene that is starting to settle over the city, the DJing duo will be laying down soulful house and a touch of funk, with twisted electro added. Otherwise, head over to Party Room where the UK's DJ Hyper will drop what is certain to be a pipe-hitting set of driving breaks.

And the lights are burning brighter in Taichung these days, with a couple of quality parties this weekend. Tonight, Sparc nightclub (3F, 173, Hueijhong Rd, Nantun District, Taichung (台中市173惠中路3段3摟) is hosting Cut & Blo for a night of electrotherapy. Declan, Coffey and Blueman will be in control of the decks, along with Hooker, who said the musical cocktail for the night would be various types of electro music blended in with house. It starts midnight and goes on till 7am. Entrance is NT$350 and includes a drink.

Tomorrow in Taichung is the Mix Master DJ Battle at Penthouse lounge-club. Competing for the title of champ will be Wamp, Malfunktion, Alex D, Revevolution, Pierre, Beat Symposium, Declan, D'Jones, Chi Funk, Han and Poverty. You get free drinks for voting, according to the promoters, who have clearly grasped the essentials of democracy.

Tuesday night at The Wall's newly inaugurated Laptop Lounge -- a free, weekly open mic night for motherboard musicians -- sounded like an ideal early weeknight on the town. But it never happened.

Though we received an e-mail about it on Monday afternoon, it was cancelled by the time we arrived the next evening. Instead there was a metal band and a cover charge. The management wasn't letting anyone in without first buying a ticket.

When we showed the guy at the door The Wall's own flyer advertising the night as "no door charge," he shrugged. When we asked if that wasn't false advertising he shot us the kind of look you might expect from the doorman at a heavy metal club.

If you decide to plug in to Laptop Lounge next Tuesday when, management says, it will return to its regularly scheduled time, drop a line and let us know if its worth checking out. You might want to call ahead, though.

Send your events and news to vinylword@taipeitimes.com.

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