Gay Games Wind Down Well, we are in the homestretch of the 2006 Gay Games here in Chicago and hopefully all has gone well and that all of you visitors have had a fabulous time. It's been great to have the Games back in the U.S. again and quite special for all of us Chicagoans to have it here in the city that we are so proud to live, work, and play in. I hope that during your visit to the Windy City you've gotten a chance to truly experience the many wonderful aspects of Chicago, including the wonderfully fun and diverse nightlife that exists. As the serious athletic competitions wind down and folks start to focus on celebrating their accomplishments, there will be ample opportunities to dance and party the nights away on this Closing weekend of the Games. Chix Mix will be ably taking care of the women at Circuit Nightclub on Friday and Metro/Smart Bar on Saturday while DJ Manny Lehman will be at the Aragon on Saturday night for a large-scale circuit party that will serve as the Official Men's Closing Party. For those looking to hang out in a more intimate club setting, highlights of the coming weekend include the legendary DJ Susan Morabito at Hydrate on Friday and DJ Paulo, the West Coast tribal master, at Circuit on Saturday. And finally to cap off the weekend, Tony Moran and Matthew Harvat will be holding court at Crobar on Sunday. The Ministers of House While the Gay Games has provided plenty of opportunities in Boystown and nearby to hear music that has come to be defined as current day "gay dance music," if you want a verifiable Chicago house music experience, down on Northerly Island near Soldier Field is the place to be this coming weekend (July 22- 23) for the first ever International House Music Festival. DJs Danny Tenaglia, Derrick Carter and Ralphi Rosario and performers Dajae and Barbara Tucker headline Saturday's program. Chicago's own Frankie Knuckles is the big name on tap for Sunday along with Jocelyn Brown and DJs David Morales, Steve "Silk" Hurley, and Andre Hatchett. Christina Watch In my last column I mentioned Christina Aguilera's upcoming album and that new single of hers, "Ain't No Other Man," that has been getting lots of press and airplay. While the radio version of "ANOM" is stunningly good, the remixes should be hitting the dance floors soon as the likes of Junior Vasquez, Scotty K, Freemasons got tabbed to do the honors. Music Reviews You Can Use Fundamental ­ Pet Shop Boys (Rhino) The Boys are back with their ninth album and have reunited with legendary producer Trevor Horn (he worked with them on "Left To My Own Devices" in 1988) on this 12-track long-player. Filled with infectiously likable tunes, this CD serves as continuing proof that PSB are masters of the dance-pop genre. Four Play Music ­ mixed by DJ Andrew Emil (Forever Soul / EsNtion Records) This continuous dance music compilation is a tremendous effort filled with soulful sophisticated tracks that will surely make you move and groove. The programming of the CD - with touches of jazz, periodic jack house quirks, and well-timed smoothed out vocals ­ results in a mix that steady pushes on, simmering along and while never getting boring. This is a must have CD for the discerning house music aficionado.   DJ Plez is the Music Editor of ChicagoPride.com and BOI. He's a resident DJ at Cesar's as well as at PUMP! in Milwaukee, WI.

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