More DJs to Dance About

By Lizz Kannenberg in Arts & Entertainment on May 18, 2007 2:00PM

After touring the world for the past year in support of their breakout album Witching Hour, the members of U.K. dance-rock heavies Ladytron prove there's no rest for the wicked.

The group's DJs, Reuben Wu and Mira Aroyo, are currently traipsing the U.S. under the Filter mag and Microsoft Zune banners, and Chicagoist was fortunate enough to snag Reuben for a few questions.

Chicagoist: This tour is co-sponsored by Zune … do you happen to own a Zune? Or can you not answer that one?

Reuben Wu: I have an iPod at the moment. We’re meant to be getting a Zune from Microsoft, but they haven’t turned up yet!

C: You’ve described the sets on this tour as "a mixture of rocky-dance, dancey-rock and several shades of in-between." Would that be an accurate description of the forthcoming album as well?

RW: No, the album is more ‘docky-rance, rancey-dock’ kinda vibe. In a few years everyone will be doing it….

C: You play a lot of international dates … any interesting tour stories from foreign lands?

RW: A former bass-player downed a bottle of vodka and fell down a fortress rampart after a gig in Serbia, breaking his foot. I ended up having to get up at 6a.m. to retrieve him from a large Trabant-driving male nurse demanding money for his treatment. Then I had to give the poor sod a fireman’s lift up 3 flights of stairs and put him to bed … oh, and then there’s the other one about our other ex-bass player in a Playboy Club in Bulgaria, but that’s another story….

C: Is there anything that you like to do in Chicago when you’re here? Have a favorite restaurant/bar/venue/store?

RW: I hope the cicadas come out when we’re in Chicago. Oh, that and going to Uncle Fun’s Joke Shop.

C: OK, time for Chicagoist Word Association — what do you think of when you hear these Chicago-y trigger words? Barack Obama.

RW: Is he a terrorist? (I’m joking!)

C: Foie gras.

RW: That’s what drunk people in Liverpool shout when they see an attractive young lady.

C: Lollapalooza.

RW: When do we get to play it live?

Reuben Wu and Mira Aroya of Ladytron spin at Darkroom tonight at 9 p.m., and there's a $15 cover.