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For my money, Jesse De La Pena is right up there with the best DJs in Chicago. Combine his deep crates and casually technical prowess with the fact that he often plays at no-frills clubs and lounges (with slim cover charges), and you can almost guarantee a good time. Well versed in club-music history, De Le Pena is somewhat of a chameleon, with his sets moving from New Wave classics, EBM and house to R&B and funk. De Le Pena is just a few years shy of being officially over the hill, but for DJs like him, being a graybeard can be a good thing. For his birthday bash, expect a crowded dance floor and many club classics. With Major Taylor, Uncle Milty, Willy Joy and more. (Michael Hirtzer)
September 27 at Darkroom
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