BeatBox

Ben Wattis best known as one-half of Everything But the Girl along with his longtime love, the gorgeous singer Tracey Thorn. But for the past six years, Watt has gained momentum as a DJ. His weekly Sunday night party "Lazy Dog" was a favorite in London's fickle club scene. Currently, he's focusing his energy on his new West London club night "Neighborhood" and record label Buzzin" Fly. So far, BF has released five singles (including one from Brit crooner Terence Trent D'Arby, now known as Sananda Maitreya) and a CD compilation, Buzzin' Fly Vol. 01. Expect a gentle and relaxing, yet body-moving, blend of house music as Watt, along with DJs Mauricio Aviles and Justin Martin, takes to the turntables on Thursday, March 25, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at 111 Minna Gallery, 111 Minna (at Second Street), S.F. Tickets are $25; call 974-1719 or go to http://111minnagallery.com.
-- Tamara Palmer

His name is nothing new to his native Amsterdam -- where he's enjoyed Fatboy Slimsize celebrity for his bombastic breakbeats for almost 10 years -- but Junkie XL(aka Tom Holkenborg) has only recently received international attention thanks to his ubiquitous remix of Elvis' "A Little Less Conversation." Now relocated to Los Angeles, where he's working on music for films, Junkie has just released his first full-length in America, the ambitious Radio JXL. The album manages an impressively diverse selection of collaborators and influences, from Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan to Public Enemy's Chuck D. Expect a full survey of party sounds as Junkie XL plays live on Friday, March 26, at "Sonic Fridays" at Ten 15 Folsom, 1015 Folsom (at Sixth Street), S.F. The club kicks off at 10 p.m. and goes till 6 a.m. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door; call 431-1200 or go to www.1015.com.
-- Tamara Palmer

A long time ago (the early '90s), in a music climate long since forgotten -- back when technology and tunes had yet to become the Siamese twins they are today -- two guys, Jonathan More and Matt Black, aka Coldcut, founded the forward-thinking Ninja Tune record label in England. In addition to their own material, the musicians put out now-classic albums by Amon Tobin, Kid Koala, Cinematic Orchestra, DJ Vadim, and Mr. Scruff, to name just a few. Their artists fused hip hop to drum 'n' bass, turntablism to jazz, funk to electronica, and so on, forging a sound that, more than a decade later, can only and most accurately be called Ninja Tuneesque. In addition to bigger names such as Kid Koala, Bonobo, and Tobin, the label will be showcasing new acts Diplo and Blockhead via its ZENtertainment Tour USA, which hits S.F. on Friday, March 26, at 10 p.m. at Mezzanine, 444 Jessie (at Mint). Tickets are $20; call 820-9669 or go to www.blasthaus.com.
-- Garrett Kamps