THE FIX®

Rhythm of the Night :: The Mercury’s Dance Party Field Test
Current mood: adored

Rhythm of the Night
The Mercury's Dance Party Field Test

BY EZRA ACE CARAEFF, COURTNEY FERGUSON, ALISON HALLETT, AVA HEGEDUS, ERIK HENRIKSEN, WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY, NED LANNAMANN, AMY J. RUIZ AND MARJORIE SKINNER

We spill a lot of ink on these pages devoted to music, but with bands coming and going through town it's sometimes easy to forget the resident nights of DJ-ed entertainment that actually get you through the week time and time again. And while it used to be a joke that "Portland doesn't dance," the scene has blossomed with booming dance parties of every genre, from the populist ('80s) to the esoteric (yacht rock). We popped down to parties representing seven major scenes (queer, hiphop, metal, goth, '80s, soul, techno) to report back on each night's flavor, but it's just the tip of the iceberg in terms of all the danceable action in town. We hope you'll check these nights out, but we also just hope you'll be inspired to explore Clubland on your own. There's a DJ out there for everyone, after all.

HIPHOP NIGHT
THE FIX W/DJS KEZ, OHMEGA WATTS, REV. SHINES, DUNDIGGY

"We don't 'Superman that ho' at the Fix"
—DJ Kez

The above quote is from an online video focusing on weekly hiphop throwdown the Fix. DJ Kez, the man responsible for the line, makes it seem all too easy. The draw of the Fix—and there is indeed a substantial draw, as I witnessed while watching the Someday Lounge swell with a mixed bag of backpackers, heads, and anyone else who is a true connoisseur of hiphop—is that the night is for those who love hiphop. Not those who just have a passing interest in hiphop. This is a night for those who would die for beats.

The murderers' row of local talent—Ohmega Watts, Rev. Shines, Dundiggy, and the aforementioned DJ Kez—has been cooking up the action every Thursday since 2006. And while the location has shifted—from the Night Light Lounge to the more dance-friendly Someday Lounge—their message of feel-good music has never wavered.

The Fix's promoter/booker ("everything but actual DJ") Connie Wohn explains their musical range: "The fellas play a lot of funk, soul, rare groove, Latin, dancehall, and any other music that is just good."

And if you need a celebrity endorsement, how about Nasir Jones? Nas rolled into the Fix last month after his Roseland show. Says Wohn, "Nas coming by was monumental, a total surprise. Nas is welcome anytime." Sorry Soulja Boy, that offer doesn't apply to you. EAC

Thursdays, Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th, 9 pm, free