VTRN headlines a steamy night at Astro Lounge

Published 4:00 am Friday, February 10, 2012

You know those big windows that give passersby on Wall Street a peek into The Astro Lounge?

Those are going to fog up tonight.

Here’s why: The five acts playing there know how to mix kinetic beats, a healthy dose of melody and buckets of cool vibe into an irresistible sound that’ll keep folks moving (and sweating) all night.

The bill includes three skilled local DJs (Rada, bPollen and Harry Champagne) as well as hip-hop everyman Mosley Wotta, and the headliner is VTRN, a self-described “odd dance/rap collective from PDX.”

That sounds right. VTRN — former Bendite Kelsey Kuther, plus Cory Tollefson and Henry Jinings — released an album last year that’s all glittery synths and jittery beats, a hunk of mid-fi disco-funk-hop that sounds too vintage for 2011, but too futuristic for a nostalgia act.

Hit up www.vtrn.bandcamp.com and let VTRN take you on a trip through a semi-ironic wormhole from 21st century Portland to the ’70s, the ’80s, and then back again.

VTRN, with Mosley Wotta, Harry Champagne, bPollen and Mark Rada; 9 tonight; $3; The Astro Lounge, 939 N.W. Bond St., Bend; www.astroloungebend.com or 541-388-0116.

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