The monthly event at Smart Bar will turn one this weekend with an all-residents lineup including Justin Long and Nathan Drew Larsen.
Chicago's Hugo Ball party will celebrate one year of operation at Smart Bar this Saturday.
The monthly session has its roots in Justin Long's long-running Dotbleep residency (that party's "funeral" last August made way for the then-new series). According to the manifesto, "Hugo Ball cares not for the carpetbaggers, sanitizers and cultural dilettantes," and each night's programming is firmly focused on vinyl DJs and hardware-based live sets. Since launching with Kyle Hall and Jay Daniel, the series has featured sets from guests like Mike Huckaby, Ron Morelli, and Steve Summers.
But Hugo Ball's own selectors, with Long on hand each month, play a key role in leading the party—as shown by this photo from a recent night with Mike Servito. Next weekend's anniversary event will showcase the whole crew of residents—Long, Nathan Drew Larsen, Samone Roberts, Sevron and Marlon Montez—all taking turns on the decks. A short promo video on YouTube should help you get in the right mindset for the festivities.
Looking ahead, Hugo Ball has revealed the lineup for next month's session on Saturday the 19th: Long, fellow local Phillip Stone and Detroit veteran (and repeat guest) Norm Talley.