Labelled as Montreal’s urban operator, MadeinMtl culls the best places for fashion, booze and poutine, one of Quebec’s “delicacy”.

The site also features vignettes, narrated mostly in French, on themes germane to the city’s character like the Underground City, the Montreal stairways, multiculturalism and Cinema L’Amour. I strongly recommend a visit (the MadeinMtl site of course).

A couple of clips today. The first is another rendition of the Tecktonik rage in France, this time gal showing her male counterpart, how electronic music is danced.

As for the second one, it’s just not what you’d expect to see when people breakdance.

Unfortunately for me, the title is to be taken literally. Hampered by a debilitating cold, I only got a glimpse of the exuberant NYC nightlife. But since all the good places in Manhattan are overrun by B&T folks at the weekend (like in London), that wasn’t a bad thing after all.

On Friday night, I probably had one of my swiftest night ever at a club. I arrived in the Lower East Side at about 1am and had the option to go to either Element or the Vault, two separate clubs housed in the same building.

I went with Vault, figuring that since it was located in the basement and the entrance was on a side street, it might be a bit more underground. Boy was I wrong. I left after 5 minutes, after seeing a group of a very young, college revellers dancing to uplifting progressive house. They seemed to have a good time, but it was too sappy and jolly for me.

On Saturday, I tried to stay in and get some much needed sleep. But after lying awake in bed for a good two hours, I decided to take a peek at the Sullivan Room in Greenwich Village. Fifteen minutes later (love the cabs in NYC – cheap, quick and easy to catch), I stood in front of the bouncer, exchanging the following words:

Bouncer: Who are you here with?
Me: No, I’m not on the guestlist.
Bouncer: Why are you here?
Me: For Mark Knight.
Bounce: You know who he is?
Me: Yes.
Bouncer: Ok

He was cool all along, but I thought him asking me “Why I was there” a bit unusual.

The Sullivan Room has the elements I like when I go out – a good atmosphere, people my age, not over-crowded, and best of all great tech house music by Mark Knight. Why do I like the dark, sensual beats? Because stuff like this happens (lots of dudes wearing T-shirts, ie: potential clients, in case you were distracted):

Lastly on Sunday evening, I decided to do the touristy thing and hopped on a boat cruise. But this “tour” was different from most others: Layo and Bushwacka, founders of The End, were at the decks for some cutting edge house music. A good way to end the weekend, and to get back to bed at a reasonable time.

ps: Although NYC is years behind London, Berlin, Madrid and even Montreal, for some serious underground action, I was told that Minimoo nights are by far the best ones in New York.

Photo credit: Sullivan Room and me.

Retracing the origins of trance, this clip, filmed in 1993, also reveals how Berlin became the capital of cutting edge music. Featuring interviews with Dr Motte, Paul van Dyk and Laurent Garnier .

Via Resident Advisor.

Montreal has become a hotbed for electronic music in North America. Two major events are taking place later this month – Mutek and Piknic Eletronik.

A smaller version of Sonar, Mutek is a week long feast of electronic music and digital imagery. The big draw in this year’s lineup has to be Gui Boratto and Michael Mayer, who sometimes spins for free at T Bar, from Cologne-based label Kompakt.

Piknic Electronik is quite an interesting concept. It’s an all day music fest opened to families and children, at Parc Jean-Drapeau, the former site of Expo 67, whose goal is to democratise electronic music. Glad someone out there cares about our future. Maybe we should start working on our kids line.