Up-tempo, downstairs

Beat Research’s DJ Flack goes underground
By SUSANNA BOLLE  |  September 2, 2008

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DJ Flack

In the past year and a half, there’s been a small explosion of club nights in Boston devoted to bass-centric genres first spawned in the clubs of London: bassline, 2-step, and (most famously) dubstep. One of the most stylistically eclectic of these is the OPERATION UNDERGROUND monthly at Good Life. Run by JAM-2 (Jamal Kirk), the party's lineage extends back to 2002, when dubstep was still in its infancy.

By comparison with Bassic, its sister night at Good Life (whose cracking sound system makes it the local epicenter for dubstep), Operation Underground has a slightly more ebullient, eclectic vibe. “Producers like TRG, Martyn, 2562, Starkey, DJ C, and others are ushering in a bouncy, more-upbeat style of dubstep,” Kirk explains, “and this is what Operation Underground is most known for: mixing up the different subgenres and keeping the dance-floor energy high, with a continuous mix of up-tempo, vocal, and half-tempo styles to keep things moving.”

This Wednesday, Operation Underground kicks off its “Home Grown Sessions,” a series of parties spotlighting DJs and producers from the thriving local scene. The first of these features DJ FLACK (Tony Flackett), who runs the Beat Research weekly at Enormous Room. And Flack is thrilled to play Operation Underground: “They have those wicked subs that are made for bass-heavy music, and when you can feel the music in your chest, it’s easier to get your feet and booty moving. It’s also great having an enthusiastic audience that is geared up for the type of music that I’ve become obsessed with lately.” Listen to a recent mix by DJ Flack at Spannered Radio.

DJ FLACK + JAM-2 AT OPERATION UNDERGROUND | Good Life, 28 Kingston St, Boston | September 10 at 10 pm | 617.451.2622 or www.goodlifebar.com

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