Beats Per Week

Portland's Best Dance Music Options, Feb. 20-26

Tags: zakmatic, magic fades, dam-funk, djtj, club crooks, cassow

Zakmatic plays Thursday, Feb. 20 at the Rose with Magic Fades, Commune and SPF666.

In this column, WW music calendar and contributing writer Mitch Lillie helps the discerning club-goer put together their weekly calendar by compiling Portland's best dance-music options for the next seven days. Turn up, tune in, drop the bass.

— If you missed Mykki Blanco last year, shame on you. You can still redeem yourself by catching Blanco’s touring DJ Zakmatic at Club Chemtrail at the Rose on Thursday. “Traphouse” is what Zakmatic uses to describe his sound, and the fusion of those two genres leads to one big, big sound, even before you throw in wildcards like reggaeton and breaks. B-boy avatars Magic Fades will croon and swoon their way to your hearts in a live set as well. (10 pm, $5, 21+)

— Let It Whip, a new-ish R&B and funk night at Holocene, has pretty much struck gold in landing Dam-Funk on Thursday night. The neo-funk and soul producer is in the highest of demand, and though this appearance will only be a DJ set, I say all the better. Let It Whip is all-vinyl, and I can’t wait to see what’s in the bottom of Dam-Funk’s crate. (10 pm, $10, 21+)

— Silent discos allow for a subtlety of sound normally lost on most club systems. On Friday, you can catch one of Portland’s most delicate and intricate trap producers, DJTJ, at Rontoms. That is, if you haven’t slummed through TJ’s free monthlies at Chinatown’s groadiest for free, and don’t mind paying $10 for one DJ and a gimmick. (8 pm, $10, 21+)

— After a few hours of crunkin’ trap and jersey club from hosts DJ Izm and Mr. Marcus, rapper Cassow makes a special appearance at the fifth anniversary of Club Crooks Saturday at Holocene. Though Beatrox member and deep house aficionado Danny Merkury is technically the special guest, it’s Cassow’s fiery rhymes—backed by longtime collaborator Trox’s hyped-up beats—that make this anniversary truly special. (9 pm, $5 before 11, $8 after, 21+)