Also this issue:

Bad Is Good
There’s a reason for the sudden success of The Bad Plus.
-Nate Chinen

Minister of Information
This is Al Jourgensen’s United States of Whatever.
-A.D. Amorosi

suitespot
Peter Burwasser on Classical
-Peter Burwasser

Litmus Test
Clayton the Chemist-Sean O’Neal

The Mercury Program
-Paul Burress

Philomel
-Peter Burwasser

My Morning Jacket
-Brian Howard

Cousteau
-Nicole Pensiero

May 1- 7, 2003

beat box

compiled by Ainé Ardron-Doley

Kick off the week with the Big Apple’s mix-tape champ, DJ Clue at the 2003 Stir the Senses Tour. Expect a night of "strong and provocative rhythm and rhymes" and cigarettes (it’s a cig promo event). Clean-air breathers beware. Thu., May 1, 9 p.m.-2 a.m, call for cover, Club Zero 27 (formerly Brave New World), 720 Arch St.

T.G.I.F. Hip-hop used to make you dance but the head nod suffices these days unless a spinster’s got a big bag of tricks. DJs Rich Medina and Dennis Perez rock Santa-sized sacks of records guaranteed to make bootys bounce and lift all hands up at their incredibly danceable Afrorikan Vybe. From Femi to Fela to dozens of ’rikan-esque melodies, it’s not hip-hop at all, but it’s one hell of a workout. Fri., May 2, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., $7, Fluid, 613 S. Fourth St., 215-629-0565.

Speaking of head bobbin’, Nod is back with DJs ChaseKillz, Statik, King B, Exion and EDK on the ones and twos. Experiencing the pureness of any genre might require getting off the couch and hitting a smoking hot party like this. Real hip-hop does exist; don’t let the radio fool you. Switch. Click. Boom. Turn it off. Fri., May 2, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., $5 (women admitted free before 11 p.m.), Ulana’s, 205 Bainbridge St., 215-922-4125.

Or witness the city’s latest tag-team, Oaxtree (Chuck Treece and Oaxerai), as they celebrate their debut release, Graffik Politix. Part listening party, part live performance, this is a showcase of the seven-song, 30-minute album with the bangin’ cover art (courtesy of DJ Cramski). Make sure to play the LOVE Park commemoration song with real live skateboarding sound effects. Fri., May 2, 7:30-11 p.m., free, Turtle Studios, 225 Quarry St., www.oaxtree.com.

Once again, the loveable Lady Alma packs the house at her monthly jam on G-town Ave. The increasingly popular Ill Vibe Collective waxes ever so tightly on the decks. Sat., May 3, 8:30 p.m., $10, NXNW, 7165 Germantown Ave., 215-248-1000.

Surely it feels good to squeeze and shuffle your way onto the tiny dance floor at Silk City. DJ Rich Medina spins his monthly Afrobeat, classics, rare new soul, house and hip hop affair, Lil’ Rickys. Mon., May 5, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., $5, Silk City, Fifth and Spring Garden sts., 215-592-8838.