Band to play Go!Zilla birthday

Hugely popular underground club Go!Zilla celebrate their third birthday this Saturday 26th July at London's Cargo, and to make the party swing in fine style, they've invited the live incarnation of Andy Meecham's Emperor Machine project to play.

Previously a studio only enterprise, Meecham has constructed a three-piece band to take his cosmic, spaced-out punk-funk grooves into the live arena. Most known for his part in dancefloor damagers Chicken Lips, he's saved his most esoteric, spaced out ideas for Emperor Machine, albums 'Aimee Tallulah is Hypnotized' and 'Vertical Tones and Horizontal Noise' becoming instant cult classics. Using live guitar, bass and obscure,'70s analogue synths, he merges elements of Krautrock, disco punk, house and the peculiar electronic soundtracks of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop to mesmeric effect. On the eve of the release of their third album, this live performance should be a defining moment.

As well as Mr. Meecham's gang, Go!Zilla regular James Priestley (secretsundaze) will be spinning, fresh from his work with Will Saul's pioneering Simple Records, and there are more DJs and acts to be confirmed. Tickets are £6 before 11pm, £12 after, with NUS concessions £10. Advance tickets can be purchased from www.cargo-london.com.

Ben murphy

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MUCHOS TURNTABLES
NUMBER OF MICROPHONES UNKNOWN

As it celebrates 20 years of chronicling U.S. DJ Culture, DJ Times magazine kicked off its 2008 America's Best DJ contest on March 25th at Miami's Winter Music Conference by announcing this year's top 100 nominees.

Now entering its third year, America's Best DJ (ABDJ) stands to solidify itself as the pre-eminent DJ & nightlife culture-branding event in the nation. Inaugurated in 2006, this exciting prize-packed promotion supports the growth of US DJ & nightlife culture by encouraging dance music fans to get involved and promote their favourite US-based DJ. Previous ABDJ winners include New York club king Jonathan Peters (2006) and Miami trance master George Acosta (2007). A tour, which will culminate with a closing ceremony in Las Vegas, will include 40 events that will entertain over 100,000 dance music fans throughout the United States.

Over the past two summers, participating fans chose from a panel of America's Top 100 DJs (nominated by the staff of DJ Times), casting votes both online at www.americasbestdj.net and in-person at the 40 tour stops featuring showcased nominees at some of America's top club venues.

"We believe that America's Best DJ - the contest and the tour - will continue to bring visibility for DJ culture and strengthen its lasting foundation in the US," says DJ Times Editor, Jim Tremayne.

For the full list of 2008 America's Best DJ nominees and more information on the America's Best DJ 2008 Summer Tour including tour cities dates and participating nominees, log on to www.americasbestdj.net. Voting for the 2008 contest begins May 1.

America's Best DJ 2008 Summer Tour
April 30 - Philadelphia, PA - Fluid - Josh Wink
May 10 - Tampa, FL - Hyde Park Cafe - Adultnapper
May 10 - Columbus, OH - BoMa (Bar Of Modern Art) - Filo & Peri
May 17 - Atlantic City, NJ - The Mixx/Borgata Hotel & Casino - Roonie G
May 24 - Detroit, MI - Detroit Electronic Music Festival - Moby
May 25 - Columbus, OH - BoMa (Bar Of Modern Art - Micro
May 25 - Detroit, MI - Detroit Electronic Music Festival - Carl Craig
May 26 - Detroit, MI - Detroit Electronic Music Festival - Dubfire
May 31 - Boston, MA - Underbar - Joe Bermudez
June 5 - New York, NY - S.O.B.'s - DJ Rekha
June 14 - Los Angeles, CA - Avalon - Miguel Migs
June 20 - Austin, TX - Sky Lounge - Chris Fortier
July 4 - Las Vegas, NV - The Palms Hotel & Casino - DJ Skribble
July 5 - Las Vegas, NV - Empire Ballroom - Sandra Collins
July 12 - New York, NY - Sullivan Room - Steve Porter
July 12 - Atlantic City, NJ - Harrah's Hotel & Casino - Dennis Ferrer
July 19 - Hampton Bays, NY - Neptune's Beach Club - DJ Theo
September 6 - Las Vegas, NV - Empire Ballroom - Closing party (tba)

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Paul Van Dyk, The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy and 197 more sign on for the Gatecrasher Summer Soundsystem.

After a six year break, the fest will once again take place May Bank Holiday weekend at Turweston Aerodrome in Northamptonshire, this time under the banner of celebrating 20 years of acid house. The six-year interlude perhaps shows what has changed in dance with lots of names in electro/dance rock top of the bill (CSS, The Whip, Simian Mobile Disco, New Young Pony Club, Digitalism, a Bloc Party DJ set, Tiga, Soulwax Nite Versions).

Other genres represented among the initial names are trance (Paul Van Dyk), grime (Dizzee Rascal), house (Pete Tong, Axwell & Ingrosso), drum n bass (Roni Size, DJ Marky), turntablism (DJ Yoda) as well as the big names in electronica (The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers), but with 200 DJs, twenty arenas and twenty live bands, expect most genres to represent as more names are announced.

60,000 people are expected to attend the festival.

May 24 Gatecrasher Summer Soundsystem 2008 – Day 1, Turweston
May 25 Gatecrasher Summer Soundsystem 2008 – Day 2, Turweston

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After a no-show in 2007, UK house and garage label Defected will be back to party at the Winter Music Conference this March.

Defected skipped last year's conference after their 2005 poolside party at the National Hotel got rained out and torrential rain and hurricane winds threw an even bigger dampener on their bash on Nikki Beach in 2006. And while the label has signed on for this year's WMC, they aren't taking any chances, moving indoors to the lavish (and waterproof) club Set.

Thirteen acts will line-up behind the decks at the six hour event on the opening night of conference week including DJs from the label's In The House mix series (DJ Gregory, Joey Negro, Junior Jack & Kid Creme, Copyright) as well as studio boffins ATFC, Hardsoul and DJ Yass. Dutch house producer Funkerman from Fedde Le Grand's Flamingo imprint also makes his debut for the label with live percussion from Shovell throughout the night.

Mar 25 Defected In The House, Set, Miami

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