Photo by Dave Eckblad

Promoter/DJ Woody McBride at BG5

​ To those of us who know what a Bassgasm looks and feels like (OK, now that just sounds dirty), the thought of six of them might seem exhausting. It's a good thing they're spread out over a year --  two annually at First Avenue since Woody McBride launched them in the winter of 2010.

Well, now is not the time for fatigue, friends. The pseudo-rave planning must begin soon. We have 7 pair of tickets to give away in what will be two big giveaways until take-off on March 23.
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Photo by Dave Eckblad

Woody McBride DJing at Bassgasm 5

​Like an unstoppable comet fueled by glowstick fluid, Bassgasm 6 is sprinting through time and will be here soon on March 23. Since the inaugural event in February 2010, this is the sixth installment of the rave-in-a-club evening at First Avenue, and our own Midwest techno legend ESP Woody McBride is at the helm.

As we have the last five parties, City Pages is sponsoring the giant neon gala and we're happy to announce the lineup now. Once again it merges electronic artists from varied points of dance music history, but this time gives a bigger nod to those who McBride thinks are making waves today.
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DJ Shortee keeping things raw

​The other day we were hipped to a pretty shameless new campaign MTV and Dove created where they're exploiti--er, promoting 'fresh' new female DJ talent around the country. One look at the hilarious "Look! I'm a lady DJ!" poses by the inductees on the site and it's painfully clear someone's in need of a reality check. Perhaps they should have had DJ Shortee on their committee.

Gritty and raw with real talent behind the DJ booth over the last 15 years, Shortee is lauded as the world's premier female DJ, an awesome feat we'd like to imagine leaves a trail of glitter, fishnet, furry boots, fake tits, bad mixes and other such club carnage behind in her wake. 

Paired up with DJ Faust back when a rave was actually a rave, the duo called Faust & Shortee ripped through the '00s with their drum n' bass sounds complete with turntablism tricks. Now re-booted as Urban Assault, the pair are coming to Minneapolis to refresh us with that back-in-the-day spirit but also remind us why they're still a force on the scene.

Shortee took time out to talk to us about the Urban Assault project, her new label, the dubstep craze, and even shared a promoter nightmare story from years past. 

Want to win tixx to see her at Bassgasm on Friday? Check out how to win at the end of this post.
 
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Get your ears ready

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BG4: Summer edition at First Avenue

​While all manner of clubbers and ravers throughout this fine state's recent history smile and check their calendars, the inevitable reaction to this announcement from non-dance-music fans will probably be something like, "Really? Another one?"  

But this event isn't necessarily for them (though they're invited).  It's for all the people who like it loud - and we mean loud - from neon colors to the massive "Wall Of Bass" erected by DJ ESP Woody McBride over the last three installments at First Avenue and for that matter, the last 20 years of his internationally-recognized career as a techno DJ.

And so we present Bassgasm 4 on July 22, another brick in the Wall, so to speak.
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