Party Hoppin: Road Trip To Montreal For Nuit Electronik

Each year, the organizers of this "Montreal All-Nighter" select a theme, and this year is the incredible talents of producers and DJs from Chile. With this, Ricardo Villalobos of Satiago will be making a very rare North American appearance, and many in Boston, New York, and beyond already have their plane, hotel, and event tickets booked and bought. Remember when we heard Daft Punk were coming back on tour? The frenzy at first is the same temperature as that of Nuit Electronik this year, and with the addition of Dandy Jack - noted as "one of the binding influences of Latin-tinged electronic music" - as well as the highly sought-after duo RIC Y MARTIN, who've collaborated with Villalobos in the past.

Here in the Boston techno scene, followers who hadn't heard of Villalobos fell into him fast with his Apocalypso Now Mix of dubstep warrior Shackelton's "Blood On My Hands" (you can hear it here at the locally-based blog by Squar3 Productions). Its made its way onto both Pitchfork and last year's Village Voice Pazz + Jop. "When I was ten or eleven I started to play conga and bongos. Music was something I loved but I never thought that I could be a musician," said Ricardo in a recent biography. Passing through years of traveling and studying percussion around the world, and returning to his South American roots (his familyfled to Germany when he was 3), his releases "almost always sound remarkably expansive despite their simplicity." It's undeniably true. Tracks can go from very cerebral, leaving you deep in thought following note by note, or unstoppably possessed on the dance floor. Having that sort of handle while bringing an entirely rare flavor of culture to the table is very infrequent.

Getting there: Flying Vs. Driving
Definitely driving. Flying will cost more than you need to spend, and if you have access to a car, it will be worthwhile, since the event does not begin until 10pm. Leaving mid-morning will get you there with enough time to nap (hopefully you can do that between the end of the party and whenever you have to check out!)

Getting in: Passport Vs. Birth Certificate?
The last two weeks of talking up Nuit Electronik to people around Boston, most say "Don't you need a passport now? Is that law effective?" Turns out this has not been completely finalized and, while a passport is probably your best bet for a smooth entry, birth certificates paired with valid photo ID will do the trick. More info here

Getting set: Hotel Vs. Hostel
Montreal is one of the best cities in the world for hostels. Bostonist will be shacking up at the always wonderful Abri Du Voyageur, which is not all that far from the event. Other great places to look for hostels (and no, while the event is about 6 days away, it is not too late) can be found on the Lonely Planet site.

You'll never find official parties in Boston - or America, really - that begin and 10 and go through to 8am. The closest we come is RISE's afterhours, which as a dry bar can legally stay open until 6am. This will be more of a one-night festival atmosphere, with people coming from all over the continent to see some of the best talent that Chile has to offer. Worth the money, time, and complete destruction of your sleep schedule. See you there!