Memorial Day Weekend: The Other Options --
What else is going on in Chicago besides IML events? Well, for those looking to "shake their groove thangs" to music from the disco era of the 1970s and 1980s, then Mary's Attic at Hamburger Mary's is the place to be on Saturday, May 26. DJ Jason Royce of Washington, DC brings his Retro Party to our fair city for what promises to be a very fun night. Royce has been guiding the weekly Retro soiree at DC's Cobalt Nightclub each Tuesday night for the last 5 years and now he's taking his show on the road with this Chicago playdate.

For those looking for a bit more contemporary dance music, then you might want to head over to Hydrate as DJ Paulo (LA), a personal favorite of mine, will be delivering his scorching tribal beats and soaring vocal anthems to what is sure to be a very appreciative crowd. Later on that night if you're in the mood for an after-hours gathering, Steamworks has DJ DeMarko (NYC) providing the soundscape for the SKIN XIII: THE FINAL CHAPTER "play party." This should be wickedly fun.

On Sunday, May 27, you can check out the new home of the L.A.M.B. party at Club 720 (it's located downtown at the corner of Wells & Superior or for you old-timers, the former Cairo space). DJs Chris Eterno and Luis continue the musical stewardship of this weekly event.

OUT! Music --
The second edition of Ultra's OUT. ANTHEMS has recently been released and is again mixed by NYC's DJ Ricardo! [No, the exclamation mark is not meant to show excitement on my part. It's actually part of his DJing moniker. Go figure.] This continuous mixed CD, which is gay-themed, is also hosted by Johnny McGovern, The Gay Pimp. Ok, let's hope they don't do the host thing again because I found it annoying with Johnny periodically bantering in-between songs. What's not annoying is the tracklisting with its wide range of dance music from the likes of David Guetta, Victor Calderone, Axwell, and Outwork. OUT. ANTHEMS 2 adeptly captures the diversity that's the hallmark of today's gay club music scene.

Recommendations ­
ELEMENTS OF LIFE ­ DJ Tiësto (Ultra Records). An artist album with 12 unmixed dance tracks by the #1 DJ in the world (at least that's what the influential DJ Mag says about him). There's some really good music on this CD including "Carpe Noctum" and the global hit "Dance4Life." Tiësto proves he's more than just a trance DJ; he truly is an artist.

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE WORLD ­ Erasure (Mute). This British duo ­ Andy Bell and Vince Clark ­ has sold more than 20 millions albums worldwide throughout their enduring career and are set to add to that number with this "back to basics" Erasure sounding long-player.

NEW YORK CLUB ANTHEMS: VOL.2 - Various Artists (Star 69). This fantastic continuously mixed CD by Hector Fonseca features that driving tribalectric sound that's been rocking Gotham of late. It's filled with playful and imminently danceable beats that are tough, funky, and groovy all at once.

Mil-Town Pride ­
Wow! Our neighbors to the north are set to throw one hell of a weekend long Pride celebration next month. Pridefest in Milwaukee take place June 8 ­ 10 along their lakefront at the Summerfest Grounds and it arguably features the best entertainment line-up of any Pride celebration in the country. Headliners include Kathy Griffin, Chaka Khan, The Benassi Brothers, Joan Jett, Nicki French, and Cascada. Chicago will be well represented at this year's Pridefest as Miss Foozie hosts the Main Stage on Friday, June 8 while DJ Nate Manic and yours truly provide rhythm and beats at the Dance Pavillion on Saturday, June 9. For more info: www.Pridefest.com .