Last year our correspondent Will Lynch wrote off the ill-fated Minitek festival as “a weekend awash with bullshit,” one which left many wondering if NYC could pull off such a fest. This year, a challenger appears: Electric Zoo, taking place Labor Day weekend September 5th and 6th at Randall’s Island Park. Boasting four outdoor stages and over 50 artists, EZ looks set to be a serious contender for dominating your holiday weekend. Check out our festival picks and win a pair of weekend passes after the jump.

Saturday:
The first name to immediately stand out is Mark Ernestus, half of Basic Channel and Rhythm & Sound, who is performing a set with vocalist Milton Henry. You can also check out the always resplendent Cassy, Loco Dice’s producing backbone and quality producer in his own right, Martin Buttrich, banger maker Speedy J, Buzzin Fly head honcho Ben Watt, and Detroit freakazoid, Seth Troxler. And if you’re into bigger names and bigger egos, Luciano and Danny Tenaglia (among many others, see the full line up here) are playing as well.

Sunday:
Saturday is almost an appetizer to the packed line up of Sunday. House legend Frankie Knuckles, Norwegian spacemen Lindstrom and Prins Thomas, Andy Butler of Hercules & Love Affair, Audion, and Chateau Flight will all be on hand. The “Special Disco Version” set by James Murphy and Pat Mahoney of LCD Soundsystem/DFA will turn their stage into a discotheque. You might also be enticed by Richie Hawtin, Guy Gerber, James Holden, Nathan Fake, Steve Bug, Adam Beyer, and more (see the full line up, with names too big to mention here, on the EZ site).

If you’d like to win a pair of weekend passes to this monstrous event, simply answer this trivia question: On what label did Frankie Knuckles release his first solo single? Email your answer with “Electric Zoo Contest” in the subject line to editor[at]littlewhiteearbuds.com. Contest ends July 22nd at 5pm CST. No late entries will be accepted. Good luck and enjoy the fest!

After the last kick drum rattles through Hart Plaza each night, fest-goers still craving more techno and house will not go hungry. In fact, fans are spoiled for choice this year with a surfeit of afterparties that cater to all sorts of tastes and budgets. You could even skip the festival all together and just attend afterparties and still feel like you’ve had a complete Movement experience. But with so many parties to choose from, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But fear not — LWE is here to break things down and offer our recommendations for where you should end up each night.

Friday:

+ The Works (1846 Michigan Avenue) offers Mixworks Presents Electronic Stimulus Plan, with sets from Alex Picone [Mixworks], Oracy [Mojuba], Norm Talley [Beat Down] and more ($5 before midnight; 18+).
+ NYC’s Bunker sets up shop at Oslo (1456 Woodward Ave at John R St.), with sets from Jan Krueger [Hello?Repeat], Derek Plaslaiko [Spectral Sound] and Spinoza [Bunker] ($15).
+ Those in town early enough for dinner should head to Corktown Tavern (1716 Michigan Avenue) for the 7th Annual Pre-Fest BBQ, with sets by James Pennington [UR], Punisher [Hej], Sassmouth [NBFC], Eric Cloutier [Bunker] and more ($5 before 10pm, $10 after).
+ C-Pop (4160 Woodward Ave) is taken over by Dirtybird/Mothership for performances by Voodeux, Claude VonStroke and Monty Luke (free with RSVP).
+ Big City Bar & Grille (1020 Washington Ave.) hosts Synergy 100% Detroit, with sets from Delano Smith, Norm Talley and more ($10 before 11pm).

Saturday:

+ River’s Edge (673 Franklin) hosts The Other Nine to Five: Clink vs. Hello?Repeat, with sets from Bruno Pronsato [Hello?Repeat], Daze Maxim [Hello?Repeat], Tim Xavier [Clink], Camea [Clink], Elon [Clink] and more ($20).
+ Oslo (1456 Woodward Ave at John R St.) hosts House-N-Home, featuring sets from Cassy [Panoramabar], Eric Cloutier [Bunker], and Anthony Parasole [Underground Quality] (9pm; $20).
+ The Bohemian National Home (3009 Tillman St.) hosts The Blank Artists Afterglow with sets from Tim Sweeney [Beats In Space], Osborne [Spectral Sound], and more ($10).
+ The NDATL Muzik Release Party goes down at 1515 Broadway, and features Kai Alce [NDATL], Chez Damier [Balance] and Andres [Mahogani] ($10).
+ Detroit Pub (1326 Brush Street) hosts Street Science, with sets by DJ Bone [Subject Detroit], Aux 88, Scan 7 and more ($20).

Sunday:

+ The official Movement 09 afterparty, I’m On A Boat, is indeed on a boat, and its three floors are crammed with talent: Cheap Sunglasses Presents: Innervisions Label Night with sets from Âme, Dixon and Henrik Schwarz; Desolat vs. Cadenza label party with Loco Dice vs. Luciano continuing where their headline set left off; Red Bull Music Academy Presents: Carl & Stacey’s 40th birthday Celebration!, with DJ sets from Carl Craig, Stacey Pullen, and Marc “Mk” Kinchen & Scotty Deep (boarding begins at 12am, boat leaves at 1:30am; $40)
+ Blondies (2281 W Fort St.) hosts Hejdrop, with sets from Steve Bug, Mikael Stavostrand and many more ($15 presale/ $20 on the door).
+ TV Bar (2554 Grand River Ave) hosts Resolute Goes Detroit, with sets from Adam Beyer, Matthias Meyer, Camea, and more (3am-4pm; $15 presale).
+ The Works (1846 Michigan Avenue) hosts Beretta Music: Resolution, with sets from Omar-S [FXHE], Don Williams [Mojuba], Aril Brikha (Peacefrog), Marko Fürstenberg, Kenneth Christiansen [Echocord], and more ($5 before midnight; 18+).
+ Tangent Gallery (715 E Milwaukee St.) hosts the Jeff Mills Homecoming Party, with sets from Jeff Mills, Buzz Goree, Suburban Knight, Ryan Elliot and more ($10 before midnight; 18+)
+ Z’s Villa (42 Piquette St.) hosts DJs & Backpacks, with sets from Juan Atkins, Carl Craig, and more (costs one child’s backpack).
+ River’s Edge Grille (673 Franklin St, Detroit) hosts Night Moves, with sets from The Martin Brothers [Buzzin Fly], Jeff Samuel [Poker Flat], Falko Brockpieper [Tuning Spork], Coalition of the Killing [Auralism], and more ($15 @ wantickets.com, $20 at the door).

Check out LWE’s Guide to Movement 09

Hopefully you’ve recovered enough after 25+25 to come check out more quality techno and house music, this time played in the cavernous confines of Cafe Lura. Although James Kartsaklis is on the injured list, DJ Konsept, Thunderous Olympian and LWE editor-in-chief, Steve Mizek, will spin from 10pm-2am. It’s only $3 to get in and drinks are way cheap. Hope to see you there!

Don’t forget to RSVP @ 25plus25@littlewhiteearbuds.com for further info.

James Kartsaklis and LWE editor-in-chief, Steve Mizek, are turning 25 the week of March 7th and we hope you’ll join us in celebrating in Chicago.

Stephen Hitchell [echospace [detroit]] will perform his first live PA as Intrusion; San Francisco’s bvdub [quietus] will also be playing live. Your DJs for the night are NYC’s Eric Cloutier [Bunker] and Chicago’s Tyrel Williams [Gramaphone]. Emulsion’s visuals will set the scene.

We hope to see you there. RSVP for info: 25plus25[at]littlewhiteearbuds[dot]com.

Ich wünschte ich wäre ein Berliner. In addition to being the present epicenter of clubbing, Berlin plays host to a number of great events as well, including the sprawling Club Transmediale festival which kicked off last night. Opening with Wolfgang Voigt performing as Gas, the festival is already off to a great start and there’s a whole week still to come. After the jump we’ll break down our favorite events and shows, and offer the chance to win a pair of tickets to ~scape’s closing party, which features the likes of Pole, Dan Bell, Peverelist, Mike Huckaby and more.

Like Mutek, the Club Transmediale festival is broken up into day events like lectures, discussions, and film screenings, and night events, when the ties are loosened up and things get pleasantly blurry. Because the festival lasts for more than a week (ending January 31st) with so much planned each day, LWE will showcase a few events that caught our eye and made us wish for more frequent flyer miles. (Tickets available here.)

Photo by uglynoid

Day Events:

• Peter Wicke discusses “The Crisis of the Music Industry: Chance or Calamity?” @ The Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien, Jan. 24th, 15:00
• The KLF member, Bill Drummond, asserts “All Recorded Music Has Run Its Course“ @ The Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien, Jan. 25th, 18:00
• A panel discusses the purpose and future of “digital-only” labels at The Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien, Jan. 27th, 16:30
• Film screening of “I Need That Record!”, which examines the fate of independent record shops in America, @ The Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien, Jan. 28th, 15:00
• A discussion of “New platforms for cooperative, networked production” @ The Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien, Jan. 28th, 18:00

Photo by bedzhanova

Night Events:

• Live visual/musical performance from Errorsmith, visomat inc. and Telematique @ Maria am Ostbahnhof main hall, Jan. 23rd, 23:00
• Spektral Disco party featuring Lindstrøm, Prins Thomas, Black Devil Disco Club, The Emperor Machine and Elitetechnique @ Maria am Ostbahnhof main hall, Jan. 24rd, 23:00
• Shitkatapult’s 100th Strike party featuring Daniel Meteo, Tom Thiel, Thomas Fehlmann, O.S.T., Felix, DJ Flush and T.Raumschmiere @ Maria am Ostbahnhof main hall, Jan. 25rd, 21:00
• Roster-Noton’s rhythm_screen performance featuring alva noto (Carsten Nicolai), Byetone, SND and Frank Bretschneider @ Maria am Ostbahnhof 2nd stage, Jan. 28th, 22:00
• RA vs. CTM: Audictive party featuring Guillaume & the Coutu Dumonts, Black Rose (Henrik Schwarz & Jesse Rose), Anja Schneider, Mathias Kaden & VJ Rixon, Touane, and Reynold @ Maria am Ostbahnhof main hall, Jan. 30th, 23:00

But the last party of the festival at Maria am Ostbahnhof (Jan. 31st, 23:00), curated by ~scape, is our favorite. Featuring two floors of musical madness, the event caters to techno lovers of all stripes.

Celebrating the release of the Round Black Ghosts 2 compilation, the main hall features performances by Peverelist, Pole (live), Benga, Skream, Zed Bias, and Bass Clef. The Deep Droid floor is stunning as well, offering performances by Dan Bell and friends (live), Mike Huckaby, New World Aquarium (live), Barbara Preisinger, and Syncom Data (live). If you find yourself drooling at the line-up and will be in the Berlin area that night, simply answer this trivia question and you and a friend will get in for free: Which artist playing ~scape’s magnificent party has released on vaunted indie rock label, Matador? Send your answer to editor[at]littlewhiteearbuds[dot]com by January 28th, 12:00 CST; one correct answer will be chosen at random. Good luck, and enjoy the festivities for us!

Chicago, we’ll bring the music if you bring the dance. James Kartsaklis, Thunderous Olympian and LWE editor-in-chief, Steve Mizek, will be rocking our own Polish paradise, Cafe Lura (3184 N Milwaukee), this Thursday from 9pm until 2am. It’s only $5 to get in; $5 Redbull/vodkas, $4 Okocim bottles and $3 domestic biers. Hope to see you there!