DJ Scandy of Combichrist, DJs Rony and Copper Top
Talbott Street
Wednesday, May 9, 10 p.m., $8/$12

It’s always been a short distance between industrial/EBM and electronic dance music for me, and seemingly so for many others as well. It seems DJ Scandy (a.k.a. Andy LaPlegua) knows this grey area as well.

As the frontman for Combichrist, LaPlegua’s scathing vocals laid over hard-edged beats and dirty synth lines were firmly entrenched in the dark, foreboding sound of industrial, but they still maintained a drive found in the more European sectors of techno. Now, his music as DJ Scandy tips right over into body rocking beats. His debut single, “Split,” found its way into the crates of well-known DJs Paul Oakenfold and Ferry Corsten, guaranteeing it would be heard worldwide.

Melding the chugging tempo of techno, the ripping synth lines of electro and always a nod to the industrial edge that birthed it, his new album, Hi, My Name is Scandy, rides the fine line and rips it to shreds at the same time. Take industrial without the vocals and throw in a good bit of funk and melody lines taken from a dystopian science fiction film with a sense of humor. Mash it in a blender with Nitzer Ebb and some glass, and then throw it on a big soundsystem with bass that shakes your sternum.

On Wednesday, May 9, Scandy, along with local DJs Copper Top and Rony, will bring tunes to rock your body. You bring the attitude, the scowl and the stomp, but please don’t be afraid to smile when the beats drop.