We’ve never really been fans of spending a ton of money to get into a club that you can go to on most nights for $10 or less, especially when that cover charge includes a lame open bar and maybe a champagne toast at midnight. If you’re not taking chances on random house parties, check out our picks for the cheapest and best beats for NYE.

Class of ?08
Wednesday, December 31 at Motel Bar, 9 p.m.; free
Brock and Tobias (the Beta Theta DJs) host a free high school-themed party at Motel Bar. There’s no cover, no reservations accepted (which means you should get there early) and no fancy bar packages. Just show up ready to drink, smile pretty for the yearbook photo booth and pray that there will be a bit of room for dancing. As an added bonus, Motel Bar has food and those fancy Dyson hand blowers that dry your hands in less than 10 seconds.

Super Soul Party
Wednesday, December 31 at Town Hall Pub, 9 p.m.; free
Town Hall Pub could possibly be the best bar in the city at which to celebrate New Year’s Eve. First of all, it’s a slashie, so whether you’re taking it to go or sitting at the bar, you can always have a drink there. Second, it’s a bit of a dump, so there’s no need to get all fancy and wear some expensive dress or sneakers, because trust us, they will get ruined! Town Hall was the place where Flosstradamus came to fame, throwing their crazy dance parties and honing their floor-packing skills. Tonight, DJRC helps ring in the New Year with throwback soul, disco, Motown and Stax classics and Town Hall provides the super cheap drinks, giveaways, a champagne toast and free jello shots. As an added bonus, Town Hall is in the middle of Boystown (it’s not a gay bar) and you can just imagine how insane that neighborhood’s going to be once everyone starts stumbling out of the bars.

Walk this Way vs. Gutter Butter
Wednesday, December 31 at Hideout, 9 p.m.; $20
If you’re looking for a no-holds barred, silly, fun NYE party, the Walk this Way vs. Gutter Butter event at the Hideout is a sure bet. DJs Logan Bay, Ben Fasman and Friar Tuck play whatever they please, but don’t expect typical mashups or dance-party anthems. This is ironic, debaucherous DJing done smart. Seriously, one look at the flyer and you’ll want to pop open a bottle of cheap champagne and start getting low on the dance floor (or your bedroom). Be sure to stay sober enough for the giveaways from Incase and the toast at Midnight.

Future Rock
Wednesday, December 31 at Abbey Pub, 8 p.m.; $25 in advance/$30 at door/$75 all-inclusive package
The Abbey hosts a party with three eclectic electronic music acts, giving you some serious bang for your buck. Future Rock, an electro-rock trio headlines with glitchy sample master Daedelus and hip-hop act Dark Party (beatmaster Eliot Lipp and Leo 123) rounding out the roster. All three acts have gained a following of Sound Tribe Sector 9 fans, but Daedelus and Dark Party are much closer to hip-hop and beat machines than three-hour electronic jam sets. Regardless, if you like dance music, you’ll probably find something you like here, even if it is just the open bar and appetizer that the $75 tickets get you.

Leslie and the Lys
Wednesday, December 31 at Berlin, 9 p.m.; $25 in advance/$25 at door
Leslie and the Lys make the kind of fun, silly dance music that will have you saying things like “you’re hotter than a stick of glue and I’m gonna scrapbook everything with you” to your secret crush (in your mind, of course). Expect this party to have the same youthful energy of the Outdanced events you know and love, but with an increased frenzy to help bring in 2009.

Green Velvet
Wednesday, December 31 at Smartbar, 9 p.m; $30 in advance / $30 at door
If you live in Chicago, like house music and/or techno, consider yourself a seasoned clubber but have never seen Green Velvet, you need to ring in the New Year with a lesson on how Chicago really parties. The legendary Green Velvet doesn’t play out very often, but when he does, he kills it at Smartbar. A great option for those who like to go out where people dance, GV always brings a crazy dance-floor energy.

Yo! New Years Eve II
Wednesday, December 31 at Subterranean, 9 p.m.; $50 (includes open bar ’til midnight)
Last year, Yo! New Years Eve turned out to be a surprise hit and this year should be no different. The cover may seem steep, especially because DJ Trew, Kool Hersh, Maker and Jose Garibaldi are regular acts on the Sub-T weekend dance party/hip hop circuit, but partygoers raved about this event last year. Besides, the cover includes a 3-hour open bar and champagne toast, so get there early, drink your fill and by the time it’s 2009 you’ll be having too much fun to think about the cover charge.

Revolution NYE 2009
Wednesday, December 31 at Congress Theater, 7 p.m.; $60
No, this ticket price doesn’t include an open bar, champagne toast, nasty, lukewarm hors d’oeuvres or anything else that clubs use to try to validate their New Year’s Eve cover charge. Tonight, you’re paying for an incredible lineup and the ticket price is worth every penny. French electronic duo Justice, who are almost solely responsible for making dance music, hip, popular and cool again, headline. Stones Throw’s Peanut Butter Wolf, France’s SoMe and locals Hey Champ, Willy Joy and Zebo are just some of the acts making this event amazing. The old Congress Theater may literally come crashing down. And if you really need to be pampered, spring for the $200 VIP package and you’ll get a cocktail reception from 8 p.m.-midnight, backstage views, a private bar and bartender and express entry.

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DJs and bands have been swapping hats more and more frequently these days, and many artists now switch back and forth between their Fresh Prince side and their Jazzy Jeff side. Hey Champ is one of a rising number of acts that seem to be both at once ? samples and synthesizers filling up the dance floor, while a singer and a drummer play right along with the beat.

The trio’s particularly smooth, cheese-free disco-dance style has led to appearances at dance events like Cease To Resist at darkroom and the former Outdanced! nights at Funky Buddha Lounge, in lieu of more rock-centric shows at, say, the Empty Bottle. Hey Champ’s latest single, “Cold Dust Girl,” is probably being played at a club near you on any given weekend evening, and for good reason; the song’s synth hits, smooth vocals and catchy guitar line make for a tune you can enjoy in a sweaty mess on the dance floor, or as a headphone soundtrack while walking around the city.

The band has come a long way to get here; lead singer Saam Hagshenas and Jonathan Marks grew up together in Rockford. Years later, they recruited Pete Dougherty (no, not the tabloid star) to round out the group. Performing as the Hey Champ DJs or simply as Hey Champ, the group has remixed tracks by Yeasayer and locals Prairie Cartel, and been remixed in turn by DJs from Chicago all the way to Japan. Recently, the band was signed to Lupe Fiasco’s First and Fifteenth record label.

On New Year’s Eve, Hey Champ will join Parisian rocker-DJs Justice for a dance party at the Congress Theater, topping a roster of other Chicago favorites including Willy Joy, Zebo and the Dark Wave Disco DJs. We quizzed the guys on their Chicago favorites, and also got their helpful advice for aspiring musicians.

What’s your favorite Chicago hidden gem?
The Jumping Bean Cafe in Pilsen. They fed us through almost every recording session.

What’s your favorite club/club night to play at?
Our favorite clubs are Smartbar, Double Door and Metro (hint, hint, hint). Our favorite club night is “Life During Wartime”…it’s the shit.

Do you have any big collaborations coming up?
Justice. The Killers. Smashing Pumpkins. Those are awesome bands…. what was the question again?

Bad jokes aside, we have two major collabs planned on our album, but it’s a secret.

What’s your favorite track right now?
“Cube” by Concert Boy.

Something about you we don’t know?
We represent all three major religions (Saam was born a Shi’ite Muslim, Jonathan was born Jewish, and Pete’s a confirmed Catholic). That said, none of us believe in religion or God anymore. Sorry.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received in Chicago?
Don’t pursue music in Chicago.

What do you expect for the New Year’s Eve show with Justice?
The Justice show will be crazy. We’re the only live band playing, which should provide a great break from the DJ acts. Our music is very much electro, so we’ll fit right in. That said, we are also a rock band: The knobs will all be up to 11, chests will thump, our fingers and arms will fly, and I expect faces to melt in at least the first three rows, possibly four.

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photo: Clifton Henri

Million $ Mano and the Creme de la Creme DJs rock it ’til 3 a.m. Saturday at Lava.

DJ Funk
Friday, December 26 at Zentra, 10 p.m.; free before 11 p.m. with RSVP, $10 until 1 a.m. with RSVP to zentranightclub.com
Okay, so you really want to sweat off holiday stress, maybe grind up on someone under the mistletoe and blow some of that holiday cash like it’s burning a hole in your pocket? Then head to Zentra for Jack Fridays with DJ Funk. The ghetto-house master is joined by local house legend DJ Lego for a night of infectious dance music. Wallflowers are encouraged to stay home.

DJ Eleven/The Rub
Friday, December 26 at Evil Olive, 11 p.m.; $5 after midnight
Zebo and PreFrosh are joined by DJ Eleven of the Rub for a very special post-Christmas version of the Booty Up. The Rub is the famed party-turned-Scion-radio-station that helped reintroduce the fun house-party vibe at clubs in New York. The DJs share similar styles, in that they can rock the crowd whether they’re playing packed loft parties or rocking bi-level clubs in Wicker Park ’til 4 in the morning.

Creme de la Crème
Saturday, December 27 at Lava Lounge, 10 p.m.; Free with RSVP to Chicago@dubfrequency.com , $5 after 11 p.m.
Oh snap. Mom and pops hooked you up this year, and as soon as you got back to your neighborhood you hit the freshest boutique to get the hottest gear. If that sounds like you, you probably already know about Creme at Lava, and if you don’t, you need to come here tonight to show off your Christmas swag and dance ’til 3 am to the sounds of DJ Chuck Inglish of the Cool Kids, Million $ Mano, Willy Joy, Hollywood Holt and Mark Gertz of Dark Wave Disco.

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Mark Farina Mushroom Jazz Vol 6 Tour
Thursday, December 18 at Crescendo, 9 p.m.; free before 10 with RSVP, $10 after (with RSVP)
Crescendo opened and closed with a bang after the owners (the same folks behind Reserve) were busted on tax evasion, but now the folks behind Sound Bar have taken over. They’ve brought in Zentra promoters HouseArrest Events, which is why Mark Farina, a big-name DJ who would be more at home at Smartbar, is playing here. While we can’t guarantee what type of crowd will show up here, we’re sure the music will be solid, as evidenced by his successful Mushroom Jazz mixes. Farina’s scheduled to play two sets, one featuring the mushroom jazz sound and the other a classic house set.

DJ Lego

House Arrest Christmas party
Friday, December 19 at Zentra, 9 p.m.; Free before 11 p.m. with RSVP to Zentra
Back to its usual stomping ground, HouseArrest Events hosts its holiday party tonight at Zentra. Derrick Carter headlines as the Grinch, alongside Just Joey of Boom Boom Room and local legend DJ Lego. The HouseArrest website boasts of a hope to steal Christmas and bring it to Zentra for one night.

Holiday Party at Burlington
Saturday, December 20 at The Burlington, 9 p.m.; Free (check website for flyer)
The best of the Burlington DJs get together to spin at the bar’s holiday party. Wear your best holiday sweater, enjoy free Sparks until 11, $1 PBR ’til midnight and Burlington eggnog (probably the kind with rum in it) all night long. You’re almost guaranteed to have a blast; just do yourself a favor and don’t mix eggnog and Sparks.

Uberjam – The Glamorous Life
Saturday, December 20 at Subterranean, 9 p.m.; $5 after 11 p.m.
Uberjam’s idea of a “glamorous life” does not include bottle service and a dress code. Instead, DJs Trew, Zebo, Intel, Maker and Pickel spin the best of ’90s hip hop, Miami bass, R&B and dance all night. Get there early for free drinks and gift bags with goodies from local t-shirt/design collaborative Formula Werks, Frank151 and more.

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Kenny Keys is a premier underground producer who has helped make Chicago one of the most sophisticated hip-hop scenes in the nation. Keys has incorporated every facet of his life into his creative development, and the diversity of the city has been a constant source of inspiration. Centerstage was lucky enough to catch up with him and find out how it all got started.

Who were some of your influences growing up, both personally and musically?
Personally I would say my mother, my father and my uncle. My mother is a sculptor, my father is a visual artist and my uncle is an avid music-buff. Between the three of them I was exposed to a pretty wide spectrum of music. My mother listened to mostly classic soul, R&B and blues while my father was a major jazz buff; anything ranging from bebop to the modern jazz era of the ’80s. Stuff like Wynton Marsalis, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Gonzalo Rubacalba, for example. My uncle loved funk, too, and late-’70s and early-’80s hip hop. My brother was also a house DJ in the early ’90s, he influenced me a lot too.

As far as music goes I essentially grew up listening to artists like Herbie Hancock, Ahmad Jamal, Chick Corea, Art Tatum; Cal Tjader, Xavier Cugat, Roy Ayers, James Brown, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. The Jones Girls, Emotions, Patrice Rushen, Gene Carn, Kool & The Gang, Parliament, Earth Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones.

It seems like family was huge part of your creative upbringing. What about the neighborhood you grew up in?
I grew up in Humboldt Park and K-town and back then there was a strong sense of community. In the ’80s my neighborhood exposed me to so many cultures; there was a large sense of togetherness. I mean there were gangs and violence, but with so much cultural diversity I was able to translate it into music.

You started producing music at 14. Who was it that introduced you to the art form and how did you meet?
Chris Robinson introduced me to producing. I met him in high school at the Chicago Academy for the Arts in ’93. During his senior year there he, in a sense, took me under his wing. He taught me the difference between a cat who just makes beats and an actual producer.

There’s a distinct element of jazz and soul in your music. Do you feel that hip-hop today does a good job of representing the past?
The future is a representation of the past. Cats making music now are influenced by what they were listening to when they were coming up, not necessarily what their parents were listening to. I do feel that music has changed, but music is always changing. For example, my mother couldn’t stand Roy Ayers, but my father loved him. I’m a fan of TI, but that doesn’t sit very well with some of my peers. In the end there’s something for everybody.p>

Tell me about how you linked up with the All Natural crew and elaborate on some of the work you’ve done with them.
I started working with Tone B. Nimble in 2004, doing work-for-hire on All Natural‘s Vintage album. Tone and Cap D. showed me a lot of love by putting me on that project. After they heard my catalog-beats, and the music my partner Adad and I did under the name Eulorhythmics, we eventually signed to All Natural Inc. in 2005. I also did beats on Primemeridian‘s album Da AllNighta, Rita J’s Artists Workshop and keyboard work for BSTC. And through working with All Natural I was able to land a spot on J-Live’s BBE Release.

Who are some of the artists that you’re working with right now?
Right now I’m working on my first solo full-length album, A World Premiere. I’ve been working with some pretty dynamic artists like Spq-Her, Nina Rae, Janiel Smith, Skip Lava, J. Hewitt, Adad, Cap D, JP, G-Roc and Nasté Nate just to name a few. I guess you can call it a very diverse sound piece ranging from classic soul and R&B to hip-hop and jazz.

There seem to be so many different styles of hip-hop going through Chicago right now. How do you feel about that and where does Kenny Keys fit in?
I feel blessed to be able to be around such a variety of talented musicians and word-smiths. Chicago has a very eclectic scene whether you believe it or not, and I feel the music that I create mirrors my peers and my city. I’ve been pigeonholed in the past as the type of cat who tends to make a conscious or non-aggressive style of hip-hop, but if you check the beat tapes and the “Dance to the Drummer’s Beat” battle you can definitely see the diversity I contain, which I believe is a part of being a Chicagoan.

You’ve been playing piano since ’87. How has having that musical knowledge given you an edge over other producers?
Let’s get one thing straight: I am a musician first and foremost. Producing to me is one of my many methods to organize ideas and concepts that come to me from studying various artists in music. I feel that being a keyboardist has not necessarily given me an advantage, but it has given me a different perspective on how music can be arranged, composed and translated to my people. At times I feel it can be a gift and a curse because I tend to constantly battle between my keyboard and the pads on my MPC. But I think I’ve finally found a happy medium.

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