Looking Ahead • Them Flavors 3 Year Anniversary
Anyone looking a sample of some true Chicago nightlife look no farther than Them Flavors, the crew lighting up dance floors for the last three years, makeshift and otherwise. The collective continues to build upon their name by staying true to the soul of decades of Chicago dance music, selecting some of the very best DJ's you may or may not have heard of, with an emphasis on some truly dope DIY spaces, constantly mixing it up and consistently bringing the heat.
They got their start performing a monthly party called The Sub Side at Elbo room, before pivoting towards a different target. Says Emmanuel Igwu, a founding member and DJ who performs as Equator Club, the group "had been doing shows together under another name Clout Collective...we decided to move on to a more lifestyle based and underground event planning paradigm. This was the birth of Them Flavors." Low-key nature or not, they were booking talents such as Sweater Beats, Jim E-Stack, Obey City and more, as well as a consistent incorporation of local Chicago visual artists. Their admirable goal? To "... encompass all styles all scenes and all flavors of new and upcoming music." You can see some video of their first party as TF above, which should inspire more than enough confidence in their ability party then, let alone with three years of midnight maelstroms under their belt.
Their journey has been a dynamic one, and as they progressed from working on their monthly Sub Side show, those watching saw Them Flavors "releasing music, hosting mixtapes and most importantly, hosting large scale underground events." Regardless of the minute changes, they intend to stay true to their source, understanding that "doing underground parties is the underlying theme of what we have been about. As for our future, we are aiming to keep growing the scale of our events and keep pushing the boundaries."
What can we expect at Primary? From Equator Club himself, "...this Friday is gonna be the turn up. We are super excited to have the man Ape Drums on the bill. If you know his music, you know its about to be straight wild. His tracks perfectly fit the summer club vibes that we are all about. Along with Ape Drums, we have our homie and extremely talented SWGGRBACK (or Regulators) jumping on the decks. The whole squad is going to be doing a B2B2B2B2B2B2B2B set as Them Flavors All Stars (Ricky One Time, Composure, Stones, Equator Club + Special Guests). It will be poppin' off all night!" You heard it here first. If you need more convincing, you can find Ape Drum's most recent track above, as well as a video of the first Them Flavors party ever (also at Primary).
21 +, tickets $5 before 11, $10 all night. You won't see another show this weekend, this good, for this cheap. See you there!
Spike Carter is a fun-going boy band who personify late night drink specials, regretful texts to your ex (you’re secretly glad you sent), and that extra shot of Malort you knew you should’ve passed on more than they fit the traditional “I want it that way” Backstreet Boys template (although their single “Shake” could give anything Max Martin has written a run for its money). If any group embodies Chicago’s welcoming and easy-going attitude, it’d be Spike Carter.