John Kelley

In the middle of what’s been accepted as one of the slowest summers for clubbing in Kansas City for some years, Phocas.net has proven that the younger club kids in town are completely wrapped around its logo. As good as that is for Phocas, it could also bode well for the future of electronic dance music in KC. Holding top billing for the next Phocas event at the Grand Emporium on Friday is a West Coast breakbeat pioneer named John Kelley, who should bring a SoCal-desert-style rave tone at a venue where there’ll be enough kids clutching water bottles as it is. One reviewer writes, “Whatever John Kelley is sprinkling on his Cheerios, every DJ should be given a spoonful or two.” Opening for Kelley are fashionable electro and breaks sounds from Phazorslut in addition to “progressive” drum-‘n’-bass (huh?) from local DJ Aldrin.