Resident DJ Mike “The Gaff” spins at Scratch restaurant and nightclub in Saskatoon. Chad Coombs
THE PARTY: SCRATCH By the time hockey-crazed fans arrive in Saskatoon for the finals of the World Juniors Championship, the city's nightlife may be spinning to a new beat. Neil Malik's Scratch restaurant and nightclub opened last month and is already turning heads in Toon Town (dinner reservations are a must).
The venue combines Malik's love of food and music: Start the night off with a Middle-Eastern-inspired menu of tapas, then let the DJs (both local and far-flung) take you into the morning. "It's really cool to see people so amped on this place," he says. "What we're doing is pretty new to Saskatoon … I cannot wait to keep building this scene."
Scratch Restaurant Nightclub: 215 2nd Ave. S., Saskatoon; 306-477-3070;
twitter.com/scratchclub .
THE MUSIC Resident DJ Mike "The Gaff" is one-half of the team that hosts The Get Together every Friday night. While the locals remain a constant, the guest DJs are a revolving door of Canada's finest (Vancouver's The Freshest Kids play New Year's Eve) and a growing number of international artists checking out Saskatoon's buzz.
The Gaff, who likes to play "funk, disco, soul, breakbeats, hip-hop and dance music all cut up, scratched and remixed live," breaks down what you can expect at Saskatoon's newest party:
Jeanne and The Darlings - Soul Girl "She's not a soul man, she's a soul girl."
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sgdz6yM6-8E&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sgdz6yM6-8E&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
DJ Nu-Mark featuring Chali 2na - Comin' Thru Jurassic 5's DJ Nu-Mark plays Scratch Dec. 18.
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kKpBFGAreOY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kKpBFGAreOY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Wale featuring Lady GaGa - Chillin' (Skratch Bastid Remix) "Bastid uses a bunch of classic breaks to make this one."
<object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5068575&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5068575&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/5068575">Wale f/ Lady Gaga - Chillin' (SKRATCH BASTID REMIX)</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/skratchbastid">Skratch Bastid</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
Marvin Gaye - Calypso Blues (The Gaff Remix) "Marvin Gaye doing Nat King Cole songs from the early sixties. I heard it and knew I could make it into a track for the dance floor."
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NfhZxc67cio&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NfhZxc67cio&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Neighbour and Spilt Milk - Get With This "Neighbour's a real talented multi-instrumentalist/producer."
<object width="400" height="220"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5884467&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5884467&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="220"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/5884467">BCMXVid04 Trevor Spiltmilk - Get With This by Neighbour and Spiltmilk</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/djktel">DJ K-Tel</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
Kraak and Smaak - Squeeze Me (A Skillz Remix) "A Skillz makes some of the best music out right now."
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rhqF3EBGOo4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rhqF3EBGOo4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Quantic Soul Orchestra - Pushin' On (Rough as Nuts Mix by Audit) "Audit likes to make mid-to-up-tempo hip-hop instrumentals."
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YXppv7LFDBI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YXppv7LFDBI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Awol One and Factor featuring Tash and E-Swift - Waste The Wine "Factor lives here. ... This song is great!"
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vkl9DtEON_4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vkl9DtEON_4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Fort Knox Five - The Party Pushers (Smalltown Romeo Remix) "Fort Knox's music perfectly describes what the night is all about."
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/auSXcMP1PEE&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/auSXcMP1PEE&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>