Ocelopotamus

Here’s another very fun event on the horizon: What are you doing next Saturday night? Feel like going New Wave dancing with some of the most flamboyant and fabulous Earthlings in Chicago, at a groovy new location? Here’s what I’m talking about:

Some of you know that over the last eight years I’ve been heavily involved in both online and print promotions for Planet Earth Chicago, our city’s best, most popular, and longest-running New Wave dance club night.

DJ’s Dave Roberts and Kristine have been packing the floor with their patented mix of vintage New Wave, old school punk & ska, New Romantic, and synthpop dance music since 1994. (Dave and Kristine also taught me to DJ, letting me spin a few guest sets at Planet Earth over the years, and eventually hooking me up with my own night at Club Foot — “New Toys for Glow Dogs” on Sunday nights, circa 2003-2004.)

The story of how I got involved with Planet Earth is mentioned toward the end of this interview, and a fictionalized version of Planet Earth is one of the main settings for my short story “Love The Shirt,” which was published in the Summer 2004 issue of Blithe House Quarterly.

Earlier this year Planet Earth moved on from the little nightclub in Lincoln Park where it had been since relocating from Club 950 eight years ago, and is now starting the next chapter in its history with a special “Brave New World” kick-off party at a brand new location: Subterranean in Wicker Park.

Dave & Kristine picked the Saturday night of Memorial Day weekend for the grand regeneration of Planet Earth, so we loyal Earthlings can start the summer in style. Here are the specs:

DJ Dave Roberts + Kristine present:
Planet Earth Chicago: Brave New World

Saturday, May 24th, 2008
at Subterranean
2011 W. North Avenue, Chicago

Doors open at 10 pm
21 + with ID

Tickets $5 in advance, $10 day of show
Buy advance tickets online at:
http://www.subt.net
(quick and easy TicketWeb interface)

In addition to the usual music and glamour, Dave & Kristine are promising alien dancers, roaming paparazzi, and other surprises — and the fine folks from Laurie’s Planet of Sound will be hawking tons of New Wave 45’s, records, CDs, t-shirts, buttons, and other goodies.

So, if you like dancing to New Wave and punky music from the late 70s and early 80s, come join me and my fellow Earthlings next Saturday night. In addition to this old New Waver, I have it on fairly good authority that you’ll spot at least a couple of my colleagues from The Neo-Futurists, The Partly Dave Show, and even a Schadenfreudian in the crowd.

Oh, and a word of advice: There will be a line out the door for this thing, so if you’re coming, you should snap up an advance ticket ASAP, so you can breeze past the line like the rock star you are.