We Love To Boogie: '60s Chicago Garage Rock Comes To Beauty Bar

By Kim Bellware in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 9, 2010 8:40PM

DJ nights and dance parties are kind of like brunch spots in this town, full of newer standouts, old favorites, ones to be avoided at all costs and the scene-specific haunts. With the list of options that seems to grow by the week, we zeroed in on a few fun genres to help us cut the rug and found a hidden gem with “Hot Smokes and Miniskirts,” Beauty Bar’s new ‘60s garage rock night.

Shaped by the combined efforts (and record collections) of Dustin Drase and Kumar McMillan—who go by Dr. Drase and DJ ByLamplight, respectively—the rock n’ roll dance party is a welcome change-up where soul nights, electronica and ‘80s jams tend to dominate. The duo eschews iPods for 45s, spinning an array of bands like The Trolls, Shadows of Knight, The New Colony Six and other acts that hail from Chicago’s early garage rock scene. The playlist centers on the sound sometimes referred to as "crossover," an old Billboard term, McMillan tells us, that used to describe a single that charted in two genres simultaneously.

“The most interesting thing to me about ‘60s garage,” says McMillan, “is that a lot of these rockers were white bands, yet they were obviously influenced by black R&B. And, well, the ‘60s were not a great time for equality, but music sort of brought people together.”

Drase and McMillan, also the minds behind the Chicago-based Plustapes and Addenda record labels, are hoping to connect with some of Chicago’s elder garage rock players and give them a place to be featured for an upcoming “Hot Smokes and Miniskirts” night.

“We’d like to get a guy from one of the old bands to do a guest DJ opener,” says McMillan. “No one will know who they are, of course, but we'll do some educating.”

If it all sounds a little esoteric, dancers are still assured plenty of popular hits mixed in with the lesser-known songs, with an upbeat vibe that keeps up the whole night. With the Thursday dance party’s enthusiastic DJs, top-notch sound system and contagiously danceable music, Friday night’s have some stiff new completion.

Hot Smokes and Miniskirts is 10 p.m. every second Thursday of the month at Beauty Bar, located at 1444 W Chicago Ave

Hear of a DJ night or dance party we should know about? Drop us a line at tips@chicagoist.com