RU Black & Blue-ing? The annual Black & Blue Festival in Montreal is upon us (during our Columbus Day weekend), but this year my passport will sadly go unstamped, missing out on Main Event DJs Antoine Clamaran (of Queen Nightclub in Paris), Mark Anthony (Montreal), and Chus & Ceballos (the Spanish duo and Star 69 All-Stars). Superstars Junior Vasquez and Victor Calderone will also be on hand for the international contingent of party people that makes B&B unique and so much fun. Chicago is typically well-represented amongst the large crowds and so to those of you headed north of the border, I hope you have a grand time. Since I won't be in Montreal this time around, I'm forced to take solace with these Top 5 musical memories from previous B&B Festivals that I've attended: 5. "Echekeboom" by Little Eric (Kaos Records) ­ This proggy tribal classic was performed live by Little Eric himself, a native of Montreal, in 2000 and kicked that year's Main Event into high gear. 4. "Spanish Hustler" by Tom de Neef (Stealth) ­ Played by DJ David Knapp, this super sexy song, with its erotic saxophone track, seemed to reverberate directly in the groins and hips of all at the 2005 Leather Ball. 3. "Don't Want Another Man" by Dynamix (Star 69) ­ The Recovery Party at Metropolis in 2000 saw Manny Lehman absolutely electrify the dance floor with this song. The scandalous scene my friends (the Tacomaboys and Chad "the Butt") and I were creating also helped feed the dance floor frenzy. ("Oh, what memories!") 2. "Strings Of Life" by Soul Central (WhistleBump)­ DJ Tedd Patterson began his 2003 Main Event set with this remake of the Detroit techno classic. Being the old-school house-head that I am, hearing this track with its DEEP low-end bass made me lose my mind! 1. "Someone To Hold" by Veronica (H.O.L.A.)­ This all-time circuit classic was performed live at the 1999 Main Event. I remember telling a friend on the dance floor at the time that they could play that song on a continuous loop and we'd all be just as happy. The Passing of A Legend: Willi Ninja After the documentary "Paris Is Burning" was released in the early 1990s, the name and face of Willi Ninja - who died recently - became synonymous with the "ballroom" and "vogue-ing" sub-cultures of NYC. He starred in that documentary and inspired Madonna's "Vogue" video, leading clubbers the world over to strike model-esque poses to the beat of the music while on the dance floor. While Willi's legendary kindness and gentle spirit will be missed, his iconic influences within the intersection of fashion, dance music, and gay culture - both in NYC and worldwide - will long be remembered. Lately I've been GROOVIN' on .. the Peter Rauhofer Reconstruction mix of "Turn It Up" by Paris Hilton (Warner Bros.). I so did not want to like this song, but Rauhofer has hit a home run with this very strong progressive tribal effort that is tearing up dance floors around the world. the super smooth house track by Grant Nelson called "Spellbound" (Swing City). The song has no vocals but plenty of piano house energy to rock any and all dance music aficionados. this great boutique over in Little Italy (at 1142 W. Taylor Street) called Capri Dolce. Featuring unique men's and women's clothing, shoes, and accessories, Capri Dolce has fabulous threads by the likes of Hugo Boss, DKNY, Gaultier, and of course D&G. This is THE place to go as you put together your fall and winter wardrobes. For more info: www.myspace.com/capridolce