Bringing beats from the Middle East: The Israelity Tour

Belly-dance fusion mashes up the traditional form of movement with other midriff- and booty-shaking disciplines both formal (Polynesian) and informal (hip-hop). Sacramento belly-dance fusion troupe Unmata plans on sharing its talent on a forthcoming visit to Taiwan. But first, the ladies will perform at popular S.F. club "Electric Vardo" for a night benefiting their trip, dancing with the assistance of the party's cofounder DJ Amar and his hybrid soundtrack of modern South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American rhythms. Find the wiggle in the middle on Friday, Feb. 8, at Club Six at 9 p.m. Admission is $12-$20, sliding scale; call 863-1221 or visit www.clubsix1.com for more info. — Tamara Palmer

London-based DJ and producer Glen Nicholls, also known as Future Funk Squad, recently announced on his blog that his next album is indefinitely delayed because of a "financial issue" from the label that was set to release it. But instead of staying frustrated, Nicholls is resolving to breathe life back into a splintered breakbeat scene by releasing strong club singles and remixes (such as his recent lighthearted rework of the Bee Gees' "Night Fever," which amps up the original with a chugging groove). White attire is suggested when Future Funk Squad is the headlining DJ at the third annual "Icebreakers Ball" on Saturday, Feb. 9, at Mighty at 10 p.m. Admission is $15; call 762-0151 or visit www.mighty119.com for more info. — T.P.

Jay-Z recently got attention for his use of Hebrew in "Roc Boys" ("L'chaim, I wish for you a hundred years of success, but it's my time"), but American rap music has been cross-pollinating in Israel for years, with limited exposure stateside until now. The "Israelity" tour brings a small but high-quality taste of hip-hop and R&B, featuring Subliminal, the country's most popular rapper and producer. The Israeli MC and several of his cohorts from the T.A.C.T. Family collective (T.A.C.T. stands for "Tel Aviv City Team") are said to be quite patriotic, but regardless of your politics there's much to dig in the universal language of beats on Sunday, Feb. 10, at Mezzanine at 8:30 p.m. Admission is $15-$25; call 625-8880 or visit www.mezzaninesf.com for more info. — T.P.