It’s official: Boats are the new clubs. In addition to the successful Matter:/Form parties held on the Paddlewheel Queen, the techno tweakers of Tronic Treatment are jumping aboard too. Their first Boat Session finds super-hard Swedish techno from Adam Beyer tipping the ship, as well as Canada’s Misstress Barbara and Tronic residents Christian Smith and John Selway. Set sail on the Star of Palm Beach, Sunday @ 7, Pier 40, W Houston and West, www.tronictreatment.com.
Most of the time so-called “jazzy house” makes me cringe. Electronic musicians fighting for respect by using “real” instrumentation and aping established genres seems like a step backward (sort of like women following The Rules). But Luomo (a/k/a Vladislav Delay) does the jazz-house thing better than most by creating music that’s not vague, soupy mush or faux “organic.” Instead he lets techno’s razored edges control the direction of a track—complementing sharp rhythms that surge with funk, full basslines, and pretty (not screaming-diva) vocals. Luckily you get two opportunities to hear a live set from Mr. Delay. Thursday’s gig at Fun features him alter-ego-style with experimental blips and bleeps alongside his wife, AGF. Wednesday @ 9, Tribeca Grand, 2 Avenue of the Americas, 519-6600; Thursday @ 10, Fun, 130 Madison Street, 964-0303.
It’s hard for a nightclub previously brimming with a cheesy crowd to shake the stigma (ask Shelter or Speeed or whatever they’re calling it these days), but it looks like Chaos might be on its way to rejuvenating its image. The folks behind Play and Mondaze seize both floors for a one-off event, appropriately called One Off. The party is an excuse to celebrate the birthday of the best deep-house producer this city has to offer, Alexi Delano. Other house luminaries joining the birthday boy include local DJ Onionz, Seasons Recordings’ Lance Desardi, and DJ Spun of San Francisco (who’s fantastic, if you East Coasters have not had the pleasure). Friday @ 10, Chaos, 225 E Houston, 539-3715.
tromano@villagevoice.com