Electronic Music

When a four-disc box set of Led Zeppelin's music was released in 1990, it was a big deal. Back then, a box set was recognition of lifetime achievement by music's greatest acts. Today the sets are so commonplace that one would almost be surprised to learn that Britney Spears doesn't yet have one in the works. But if you're nobody till you've released a box set, then what can be said about the six box sets that Depeche Mode issued last week? Is it an unprecedented act of arrogance representing an inflated sense of self-importance?

Live Nation Entertainment Inc., the world's biggest concert promoter and ticket seller, reported a wider first-quarter loss because of a higher tax bill. The loss of $69.2 million, or 37 cents a share, compared with a loss of $48.5 million, or 27 cents, a year ago, Live Nation said. But the loss was narrower than the 41-cent average loss forecast, sending shares higher. A 6 percent increase in ticket sales in the period reflected strong demand for the summer concert season, chief executive Michael Rapino said.

Contemporary art music should, at least once a year, remember its own modern roots. Such would seem the message of the annual Fromm Concerts at Harvard. They focus on contemporary classical music, but at least recently, have done so with a certain historical awareness and curatorial sensibility. The emphasis is not on the newest piece written five minutes ago, but on culling from past decades of sonic exploration, and looking back at a canon that is still in the process of being formed.

When Boston is mentioned to people around the world, what's the first thing that comes to mind? A city full of fictional Affleckian rogues? Tom Brady's haircut? Our uniquely enthused sports fans? Possibly. But if you bring the focus in a little closer to the world of electronic music, and start asking around the beaches of Ibiza or Miami, or in the clubs in Berlin and London, for example, the answer will most likely be the DJ and producer duo Soul Clap. Eli Goldstein, 29, and Charles Levine, 30, who met while growing up in Cambridge and Brookline, respectively, are the hottest locally...

It's never a bad idea to strip the clutter away. Valid from home upkeep to personal relations, the principle holds equally true in pop - particularly electronic music, where layers of effects and flurries of adornments threaten dissipating the signal into noise. This has been an issue of late, as the ramshackle genre called dubstep has colonized the club scene; apt music for anxious times, maybe, but lacking clarity and mostly lacking soul. In England, though, dubstep has run its course and its decay has opened up space.

There's a track called "Berlin" on "Monkeytown," the new album by German electronic music duo Modeselektor. Considering that the pair of Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary grew up in Berlin, and are among the top ambassadors of the city's vibrant arts scene — with three albums, their own record label, and big-name boosters like Radiohead singer Thom Yorke — the song can be interpreted as something of an anthem for the city. Or at least, for Berlin as seen by the duo, who play Royale on Thursday midway through a North American tour that also...

When the Identity Festival, a nationwide tour, comes to the Comcast Center tomorrow, organizers can plan on the audience including many local DJs and producers. Identity linked up with the Boston community via the Together Festival, an annual citywide, weeklong electronic music showcase that started in 2010. Identity organizers approached David Day, creative director of Together, to be their liaison in the Boston area. Day and the Together team have been working on promoting the Mansfield stop on the Identity tour.

IDENTITY FESTIVAL AFTER-PARTY Early Sunday morning at 1 a.m. at RISE, 306 Stuart St., Boston. Cover: $20, $15 for guests, $10 for members. Sign up at www.bit.ly/riseguestlist. 18+. www.riseclub.us The deal: Identity Festival will be held at the Comcast Center in Mansfield tomorrow night (see story at left) but the party won't end there. Back in Boston, the after-hours club RISE will host an after-party that will mirror the spirit of the electronic-music festival.

Considering the rate at which musical trends come and go, particularly within the hyper-evolving genre timeline of electronic dance music, you might expect a recurring party to squeeze out a year or two before interest flags. That makes the weekly Thursday night drum and bass party Elements at Phoenix Landing, celebrating its 13th anniversary this week, all the more exceptional. In fact, it's the longest running drum and bass night in the country. Drum and bass - a genre that spun off from rave culture and took nods from jungle and hardcore in the...

When Boston is mentioned to people around the world, what's the first thing that comes to mind? A city full of fictional Affleckian rogues? Tom Brady's haircut? Our uniquely enthused sports fans? Possibly. But if you bring the focus in a little closer to the world of electronic music, and start asking around the beaches of Ibiza or Miami, or in the clubs in Berlin and London, for example, the answer will most likely be the DJ and producer duo Soul Clap. Eli Goldstein, 29, and Charles Levine, 30, who met while growing up in Cambridge and Brookline, respectively, are the...

There's a track called "Berlin" on "Monkeytown," the new album by German electronic music duo Modeselektor. Considering that the pair of Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary grew up in Berlin, and are among the top ambassadors of the city's vibrant arts scene — with three albums, their own record label, and big-name boosters like Radiohead singer Thom Yorke — the song can be interpreted as something of an anthem for the city. Or at least, for Berlin as seen by the duo, who play Royale on Thursday midway through a North American tour that also includes two stops...

TOGETHER 2012 April 2-8. Weeklong passes: $100-$150. Contact venues for information on individual tickets and age restrictions. www.togetherboston.com The deal: Started in 2010, Together is an annual locally produced weeklong electronic music festival. It's a multi-faceted event, incorporating discussion panels, trade shows, gear demos, and competitions by day. By night, Together morphs into a spread of dance parties, teaming the biggest local DJs with rising stars and talents from around the world.

It's never a bad idea to strip the clutter away. Valid from home upkeep to personal relations, the principle holds equally true in pop - particularly electronic music, where layers of effects and flurries of adornments threaten dissipating the signal into noise. This has been an issue of late, as the ramshackle genre called dubstep has colonized the club scene; apt music for anxious times, maybe, but lacking clarity and mostly lacking soul. In England, though, dubstep has run its course and its decay has opened up space.

CAMBRIDGE - Perhaps inevitably, the highlight of Saturday's Radius Ensemble concert at Longy was Bohuslav Martinu's 1945 "Fantasia" for theremin, oboe, and piano quintet, because, really, a theremin is going to be the highlight of any concert it's in. Both Kathryn Bacasmot's program notes and a spoken introduction by oboist Jennifer Montbach, Radius's artistic director, reassured that the instrument wasn't just a gimmick, but it is, at least partially,...

The deal: Join both local and international up-and-coming producers tomorrow night at Brighton Music Hall in preparation for this year's Together festival of electronic music. "This event is supposed to gear people up for the weeklong festival in April," said David Day, creative director of Together Boston. "The goal here is to show how art, music, and technology are connected and form a community," he said, "and the warm-up party is to share some of our excitement for the April event.

The following is a press release from North Shore Art Throb: SALEM, Mass, February 8, 2012 — In the spirit of our popular monthly launch series, please join North Shore Art*Throb at Salem's Howling Wolf Taqueria, 76 Lafayette Street, on Thursday, February 16 at 9 p.m. for a night of great food, drink and live music featuring System Soul. With this night of entertainment we have one simple goal in mind: to have fun. There is no cover charge and Howling Wolf offers a varied menu and drink list.

Live Nation Entertainment Inc., the world's biggest concert promoter and ticket seller, reported a wider first-quarter loss because of a higher tax bill. The loss of $69.2 million, or 37 cents a share, compared with a loss of $48.5 million, or 27 cents, a year ago, Live Nation said. But the loss was narrower than the 41-cent average loss forecast, sending shares higher. A 6 percent increase in ticket sales in the period reflected strong demand for the summer concert season, chief executive Michael Rapino said.

The deal: Join both local and international up-and-coming producers tomorrow night at Brighton Music Hall in preparation for this year's Together festival of electronic music. "This event is supposed to gear people up for the weeklong festival in April," said David Day, creative director of Together Boston. "The goal here is to show how art, music, and technology are connected and form a community," he said, "and the warm-up party is to share some of our excitement for the April event.

Considering the rate at which musical trends come and go, particularly within the hyper-evolving genre timeline of electronic dance music, you might expect a recurring party to squeeze out a year or two before interest flags. That makes the weekly Thursday night drum and bass party Elements at Phoenix Landing, celebrating its 13th anniversary this week, all the more exceptional. In fact, it's the longest running drum and bass night in the country. Drum and bass - a genre that spun off from rave culture and took nods from jungle and hardcore in the late 1980s and early 1990s UK club world -...

JOE JONAS AND JAY SEAN With JoJo At: the House of Blues on Tuesday, 8 p.m. Tickets: $39.50-$55. 800-745-3000. www.livenation.com You know him as the middle Jonas brother, teen heartthrob, and ex-boyfriend of a number of Hollywood starlets. But Joe Jonas has grown up and launched a solo career. On the eve of his debut solo album, "Fastlife," expected in October, the 22-year-old says he's developing an R&B sound and writing deeper, personally meaningful lyrics. Jonas comes to the House of Blues on Tuesday, the first night of a monthlong tour coheadlined by British...