RA’s world domination/anniversary tour continues with its only American gig on Saturday, August 20th. In addition to the mystery X performer, dancers will delight in seeing Mala, Peven Everett, DJ Masashi, and King Sunshine at Le Poisson Rouge. For your chance to check out the show for free, simply answer this trivia question: In what year did Resident Advisor get its start? Send your answers to contest[at]littlewhiteearbuds.com by 10am on Wednesday, August 17th. One winner will be chosen at random from the correct entries and notified via email. Good luck!

Smart Bar has two different sets of dance heads covered with next weekend’s shows. But whether you want to see Girl Unit’s long awaited Chicago debut or witness the triumphant return of Omar-S, LWE has you covered. For your chance at a pair of tickets to either one of the shows, simply email contest[at]littlewhiteearbuds.com with either “GIRL UNIT” or “OMAR-S” in the subject line and your full name as the body text. One winner will be chosen from each group and notified via email. Entries are due July 27th at 10am CST — no late entries will be accepted. Good luck and see you there!

MUTEK and LWE are teaming up to give away two festival passports for all the MUTEK’s 12th edition, June 1st through 5th. To win the prize so good it has us plainly jealous, simply answer our trivia question:

What was the name of MUTEK headliner Plastikman’s first release? Send your answer with MUTEK CONTEST in the subject line to contest@littlewhiteearbuds.com by Friday, May 6th at 10am CST. One winner will be chosen at random from the correct entries and notified. Good luck, and don’t fuck it up.

Chicago, have we got a treat for you. To celebrate its arrival on the Windy City techno scene, the Oktave collective is throwing one hell of a debut party at Smart Bar on November 5th. Kicking things off with a bang, Oktave is bringing Sandwell District founder Silent Servant and rising Midwest star DVS1 — with Chicago talent Karl Meier and Oktave co-founder Jeff Derringer on support — to make the most of Smart Bar’s Funktion One soundsystem. Want to win two tickets to this massive event? All you have to do is correctly answer our trivia question: On what label did John Mendez (aka Silent Servant) make his vinyl debut under any guise? Send your answer with “OKTAVE CONTEST” as the subject to editor[at]littlewhiteearbuds.com by Wednesday, November 3rd at 10am CST. One correct answer will be chosen at random and the winner notified by email. Good luck, and we hope to see you out there.

If you’re into the sort of dancey, digital smut peddled by Jimmy Edgar, listen up: On September 8th, Edgar is throwing a release party for his latest album, XXX, at Le Poisson Rouge. If you want to see Edgar performing live with support from Cassette (tag team DJ set featuring Machine Drum, Sepalcure and Melo X) and The Elder Jepson (live), enter our trivia contest. On what label did Jimmy Edgar make his vinyl debut under his own name? Send your answers to editor[at]littlewhiteearbuds.com with “JIMMY EDGAR CONTEST” in the subject line by 10am CST on September 1st. One winner will be selected at random from the correct entries. No late entries will be accepted. As a taster for this show, please enjoy a track from the album on us:

Download: Jimmy Edgar ft. Theophilus London, “Hot, Raw Sex”

Today London’s beloved superclub, Fabric, announced that it’s house is once again in order and banished woeful tales of administration. In case you need proof that it’s business as usual, check out the line up for July 3rd: Room one hosts The Nothing Special, with live performances by Shackleton, Pole, and Deadbeat, and a DJ set from resident Craig Richards. Room two features Marcel Dettmann, Shed (live) and Martyn. Room three rounds out the line up with Nina Kraviz and resident Terry Francis. Since we can’t attend, we’re sending you and a friend in our stead. All you have to do to win two tickets is correctly answer our trivia question: On what label did Shackleton make his vinyl debut? Send your answer (with “NOTHING SPECIAL” in the subject) to editor[at]littlewhiteearbuds.com by July 1st at 10am CST. One winner will be chosen from correct responses and notified by email. Good luck!

In support of his house-heavy DJ-Kicks mix for !k7, Juan MacLean is returning to the genre’s birthplace on June 4th to climb behind the decks at Green Dolphin Street. LWE would love to help you and a friend see Juan in action at the lovely and spacious Chicago venue, and all you have to do for your chance is answer our trivia question: What was the name of The Juan MacLean’s first single? Send your answer to editor[at]littlewhiteearbuds.com by 10am on June 2nd. One winner will be chosen at random from the correct responses and notified via email. Good luck!

I have to admit, some of the coolest parties I’ve ever attended haven’t been in legendary clubs but rather tucked away loft spots that court the best crowds and most intimate sets you’re likely to hear. I even had the pleasure of throwing one for my birthday. On November 14th, it could be your turn to enjoy one of the coolest and most exclusive parties this year. Giles Smith (Secretsundaze) and Alex Ruello (Need2Soul) have put together a hell of a night, headlined by Chicago house pioneer Chez Damier with support from Sven Weisemann and Smith himself. Oh yeah, and only 200 people will have the privilege to be there. If you’d like to be two of them, simply answer our trivia question: under what guise and with whom did Chez Damier make his vinyl debut? Send your answers with “COMPETITION” in the subject line to editor[at]littlewhiteearbuds[dot]com by Nov. 13 at 9AM CST. One winner will be chosen at random from the correct answers. Good luck!

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.

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).