Konkrete Jungle ready to rattle Clazel

For the past seven years Brian Scavo has
marked his birthday by throwing a dance party for himself and a growing circle of friends and fans.Scavo
is a performer and DJ, and the parties featured the throbbing, rib-rattling sounds of bass music.For the
past two years those beatday events have been held at the Clazel Theatre in downtown Bowling Green and
served to kick off the fall return of the monthly Konkrete Jungle Bowling Green.The performances feature
a shifting cast of local and guest DJs playing a range of a wide variety of underground and cutting-edge
electronic music including house music, jungle and drum-and bass genres, in a non-stop soundscape. Add
to that a variety of performers including light spinners, jugglers, hula hoopers and breakdancers. Add
to that fans who come in costume and offer their own kind of spontaneous performance art."It’s an
eye-popping kind of experience," Scavo said.Scavo marks his eighth Beatday Thursday at the Clazel
and kicks off the third year of Konkrete Jungle Bowling Green. The doors open at 9 p.m. with the event
running to 2:30 a.m. The cover charge for the 18-and-over show is $5.Scavo is a long-time resident,
drawn to Bowling Green by Bowling Green State University. A veteran performer and DJ, he graduated from
the university in 2012 with a self-designed major in music technology.Thursday’s show features
internationally known DJ Chrissy Murderbot, who came up on the Chicago scene before relocating to New
York City. The DJ and producer has been called by the website XLR8R "a virtual walking encyclopedia
of the last 30 years of dance music."He’s been performing since 1995, and helped pioneer
"booty music."For Scavo the Clazel and its owner Ammar Mufleh have given him the opportunity
to expand the scope of his events.For years, Scavo said, he hosted underground house parties. In August
2010, he approached Mufleh, who familiar with the scene from his time in Chicago, about staging an event
at the moviehouse turned nightclub.The club offered a large space and a prime sound system that could do
justice to the lowest bass sounds in the frequency. At first the attendance may not have warranted the
expanse of the Clazel, but over the past two years with the crowds for the event have grown, Scavo
saidBy the last show of the school year in April "we had basically filled up the Clazel."It’s
not surprising. "Generally the students are very hungry for alternatives," he said.It’s a
celebration of free expression, Scavo said. "We openly encourage people to bring their own form of
self expression" in a non-judgmental atmosphere. "There are people from so many different
backgrounds enjoying the event."Konkrete Jungle is not Scavo’s creation. The event started in 1994
in New York City, but over the years, other chapters started in the United States and Europe including
chapters in Minneapolis, Knoxville, Tenn. and Las Vegas.Scavo said while Bowling Green is the smallest
host city, it draws the largest crowds. He attributes that to the flexibility of the offerings,
transcending the various genres that fall within bass music.All share roots in a merger of hip hop and
reggae with elements of electronic music. The DJs layer different tracks over each other, so the music
flows non-stop.Konkrete Jungle is held the last Thursday of each month August through April, with the
exception of November this year when it will be held a week early because of Thanksgiving.Also
performing Thursday will be Scavo as DJ What the Bleep working with long time collaborator foi oi oi,
who will play an opening set of Ragga Bass, their own blend of reggae and jungle music-influenced
sounds.Konkrete Jungle Bowling Green regular Thunder St. Clair, from Cleveland, will appear as will BGSU
student Windmills, who will be joined by a live guitarist, for a Glitch-Hop DJ set.