Kompakt boss Michael Mayer has been a favorite periodic visitor to Chicago, energizing lovers of a deliberately darker-yet-melodic dance floor with fellow members of Cologne’s cool-kid club, like Reinhard Voigt, brother of Mayer’s co-founding partner in Kompakt, or Superpitcher—his partner in aptly named production/DJ duo SuperMayer, or the Chicago debut of Brazilian techno-shaman Gui Boratto. Tonight, Mayer flies solo, coming off a SuperMayer festival DJ slot at Coachella. He’s sure to be packing the latest/greatest from his own venerable label, but his true strength is his ability to infuse his playful personality and fun-loving spirit behind the decks—something seemingly rare for the preening pretension prevalent in many of his funky-to-minimal-leaning peers. Sometimes Mayer’s closing selections have reflected this playful side, like closing out a Halloween Smart Bar set in 2004 with Daft Punk, or his festival-closing Coachella set in 2006 with Steve & Eydie’s lounge-tastic cover of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun.” (Duke Shin)
April 24 at Smart Bar, 3730 N. Clark, (773)549-0203.
Cooling It: A Preview of Colleen Green at Cole’s Bar When Green strums power chords or chiming notes on top of her backing track, you might think you’re at Ramones karaoke night and Madonna is taking her turn.
Brutal Finesse: A Preview of King Crimson at Ravinia There have been few new compositions from King Crimson these past two decades, but the live arrangements of songs from its catalog are often strikingly different than the recorded versions.
