Long before there was laptopping or up-mashing, there was Robbie Tronco spinning Messina Hall teen dances in South Philly with two turntables and a cheap mixer. He diced and sliced slabs of house, new wave and disco with the precision of a brain surgeon. He added big beats to any music — country hucklebucks, swing numbers, Mummers cuts — and made them into magical mixes. He went from down south to up north, spun at Revival and Shampoo and mixed for FM dance stations without quite becoming a brand name. Now, for his 50th birthday, local spinners Nigel Richards and Eddie Tully stage a tribute party with Tronco as guest and DJ. I hate the club he’s playing, but I love the guy. Be there.
Thu., Nov. 15, free before 11 p.m., Rumor, 1500 Sansom St., 215-988-0777, rumorphilly.com.
