Off the radio and into Kensington Market's best-loved roots music dance-hole comes Radio Active Dub, a gathering in support of CIUT's spring membership drive. Abstract Index host David Dacks (also of Exclaim!, this weekend rockin' their annual hockey summit) tag-teams with DJ Medicine Man to provide tonight's global dub and foundation grooves. It's the duo's first collaboration in a "clubwise" setting, and Dacks's heads-up message notes he'll be "abstractifying" his set using dub efx wonders ("delays and 'verbs" are the deets he'll provide on that.) "Expect a busy, joyful scene throughout the evening," he assures.

A long-time man-about-CIUT, Dacks also looks towards his Wednesday evening radio show, during which he will this week feature prominent local roots music personalities hosting some choice upcoming shindigs. "Typically, I don't emphasize live events during fundraising shows, but this time I'll be joined by a diverse crew who each have exciting events taking place next weekend," he explains. "It's an odd assortment of guests who nonetheless fit right in to what the Abstract Index has to offer."

With his show airing the same day the station's funding drive kicks off this year (Wednesday, April 11, in this case from 6-8PM), Dacks gives up the goods on confirmed guests for this week's two hours of diverse aural flavours. The list:

"6:30 PM: A Man Called Warwick - hosting Turning Point at the Gladstone, April 14
7PM: Rob Piilonen - part of the AIMT Interface with Rainer Wiens, April 12-14, at the Arraymusic space and the Now Lounge
7:30PM: superheavyREGGAE - with their monthly jam at Thymeless, April 14

And of course," he reminds, "there will be giveaways galore. Tune in and pledge!"

For my part, I applaud Dacks, Jonny Dovercourt, MusicAfrica and others involved in acting on the ideas from the Wavelength anniversary panel discussion in February on better bridging the city's diverse ethnicities together with the indie-rawk arts scene. Dacks reports an early success on that front: the March 25 edition of the weekly Sunday night at Sneaky Dee's saw a mingling of the Eritrean and Ethiopian communities (e.g. Bloor and Ossington-area hangouts like Nazareth) took place for the Wavelength and MusicAfrica's co-presentation on Daniel Nebiat's "super disco soul funk African groove," as Dacks quotes from Stillepost. "More collaboration is sure to follow," the radio man enthuses. "When capable indie-minded organizers start working together, great works result."

That should be the case tonight, too. Naturally, if you've been inside Thymeless, you've witnessed the "pungent low end" Dacks so admires, an atmosphere one friend of mine likens to that of another country. Says my man Mo: "In proper Kensington spirit, everyone out back is friendly and eccentric." It's true, the outdoor foosball table complements the cozy, low-lit party room inside. Mo also observes: "Authentic Rastafarians frequent Thymeless, but don't expect to meet any. They usually just stand there in the darkness looking cool." Well, maybe he just needs a better opening line, but in any case, it's all good in this 'hood.

Radio Active Dub
Saturday April 7
at Thymeless, 355 College at Augusta
9PM -onwards | $5 in support of CIUT 89.5 FM

Image from CIUT