For years now, Saturday nights in the VIP room at First Avenue (www.first-avenue.com) have been thudding with the sounds of the underground while an eclectic mix of party-goers gather downstairs for “Too Much Love.” The music upstairs – a fervent big brother to the sounds below – has been hosted by techno heads “Particle People,” techno/house dynamos “Loud & Clear,” and house music crew “HOME.” Every Saturday, these three crews have worked collectively to institute a dance-culture favorite, fittingly dubbed “BLACK” (if you’ve been in the VIP, you would know why).
 
Starting July 2009, some changes to BLACK will commence – though the spirit of BLACK will no doubt remain intact. Twin Cities beloved Dj Nick Guns (the brainchild behind “HOME”) will be moving on to new projects throughout the area. There is no doubt that his shoes will be difficult for any crew to fill; but, one crew continued to surface as a top choice during the transition discussions. Due to their unassuming nature, hard work, and love of house music, “HotDish” will begin a new “first-Saturday” monthly residency with BLACK taking over where “HOME” left off – humbly and with a funky new twist.
 
HotDish is both a collaborative of djs and a Minneapolis-based event troop. Some of their past Twin Cities events (under a previous moniker “Sol Funke” that included djs Spur and Jeff Kash) showcased pioneering talent – both local and international icons – of the funky, jackin’, new-school, and soulful side of house music. These events developed into some of the best funky-house parties in the Twin Cities throughout 2006 to the present - from Ricardo Rae (Australia) to The Sound Republic (Chicago) to multiple events that stirred fresh life into the local dance music scene. Their plan for BLACK is no different.
 
HotDish hosts include Nate Laurence (a rave-era veteran, intoxicating DJ, and one of the most highly anticipated new talents in the international new-school underground house music scene - on high profile labels such as Spatula City, Guesthouse Music, and Chicago's Control Recordings) and J. Matthews (a Twin Cities and Boston staple who showcased his talents at many high-profile venues and nights including First Avenue's “Danceteria” and the long-running "Bump" at the Phoenix Landing in Boston, MA.). 
 
Independence Day - July 4, 2009 is the first Saturday for HotDish. They will be resurrecting local dj’s from the Twin Cities 90’s rave scene (when vanilla ice and gangsters paradise was "all good") -- for an event they are calling “Throwback.” (Flyer below)
 
As “Particle People,” “Loud & Clear,” and “HotDish” move forward, their hope is that BLACK will continue to grow as a Twin Cities institution. BLACK happens every Saturday in the VIP room at First Avenue Nightclub.
 
Referencing websites:

HotDish: http://www.hotdishmpls.com
Particle People: http://www.myspace.com/particlepeoplempls
Loud & Clear: http://www.myspace.com/loudandclearmn
HOME: http://www.myspace.com/homempls