Mr. Dibbs & DJ Abilities@ the Triple Rock Sat 9pm!

This is a good weekend for hip-hop DJ fans because three of the best are doing shows in town. Everyone's favorite Rhymesayers DJ, Abilities, will join the always entertaining (and scary) Mr. Dibbs for a big show at the Triple Rock (9 p.m. Sat. 629 Cedar Av. S., Mpls. $12. 21 and older. 612-333-7499).

With the help of famous mixers like Kid Koala and Q-Bert, turntablism and its history, intertwined with hip-hop, has come into its own, and in some respects, also digressed. When turntablism started, it was more of an artform of piecing tracks together with skill and tact. Mr. Dibbs returns turntablism to its roots with Primitive Tracks, Soundtrack to Photosynthesis. An amazing cut-and-paste collage of hip-hop tracks and soundbytes, the record even features Dibbs playfully throwing in some Rage Against the Machine and classic rock. This album is best played in its entirety and is a trackspotter's challenge. Without the proper skills needed, an album this eclectic could have been a disaster. However, with Dibbs behind the decks, the album is a success. ~ Diana Potts, All Music Guide

Mr. Dibbs : Live in Memphis

Comprised of two tracks from a live set by the Cincinnati DJ along with three studio tracks, Live in Memphis is not a groundbreaking turntablist recording -- which isn't to say that it's not enjoyable. Mr. Dibbs may rely on too many well-known samples, but his beats and transitions are strong and he keeps the live set moving. The three studio tracks are throwaways, two of which already appeared on other compilations. As a result, they sound more like experiments (or, if you're not feeling kind, jokes) than actual songs. Live in Memphis is not an essential release, but worth keeping for some nice live breaks. ~ Kurt Edwards, All Music Guide

Mr. Dibbs : The 30th Song

A more concise work than many of his earlier mixtapes, The 30th Song is definitely one of Mr. Dibbs' producer records, a mostly instrumental journey through moods and grooves with (slightly) less emphasis on the sprawling grandeur of one of the Midwest's best turntablists. Instead of the usual flashy moves, Dibbs plays around with other techniques, using clever pauses and drop-outs to good effect for "I Hate Greg" and great transformer work for a screeching guitar solo on "Outreach 5" (with Fat Jon). The nine-minute live epic "Omega Prophecy" features Tommy Davidson and the Guinness-record-holding drummer Boo Boo McAfee (he once played the drums for a month straight). "231 Ways to Fry an Egg" samples another solo studio wizard (Paul McCartney), and the standout "Delta Bound" borrows from a pair of blues legends: the plaintive wail of Robert Johnson (from "Hellhound on My Trail") over the Chicago bump-and-grind of Muddy Waters ("I'm a Man"). The result is a turntable jam that's nearly as raw and effective as a blues. Poised halfway between the grandiose sonic austerity of DJ Shadow and the turntable madness of most turntablists, Mr. Dibbs shows how it's able to age gracefully in hip-hop. (Of course, as proved on the closer, "Porntablist," he's still able to have plenty of fun.) ~ John Bush, All Music Guide