Clean your heads

Inexplicably, TDK - the manufacturer of inkjet paper, blank cassettes and the oh-so-sexy CD cleaning wipe - have managed to assemble the most enticing line-up in London this year for the two-day

Elsewhere you'll find Dogs Die In Hot Cars, British Sea Power and The Infadels performing live. Dance takes centre stage on Sunday and you need a microscope to spot the mediocre among the 50-odd acts, with punk funkers du jour LCD Soundsystem, Black Strobe, The Roots' beatboxer Rahzel, techno titan Carl Craig and Plaid (Warp) playing live across nine different arenas, including The Cross, The Key and Canvas. Notable spinners include Scratch Perverts, 2 Many DJs, Yoda and the Soul II Soul Soundsystem. Factor in a film festival and art installations, and you've got the hippest corporate clubbing event in living memory.

According to a recent survey, 63 per cent of British people could not name anybody famous from Germany. Just try it... and, no, Claudia Schiffer doesn't count because she lives in London. Naturally, the Germans weren't best pleased - all those Westlife records they've bought and not even a glimmer of recognition in return! All of which makes a trip to comeshakethewhole at Cargo on Saturday essential for anybody interested in preserving European political stability. Topping the bill are the soon-to-be-famous Berlin duo Captain Comatose, whose live mix of freaky disco, 1970s rock and electronica has been wowing crowds well beyond the confines of their country. DJ support comes from the faultless Stan Fontan and Hamburg's DJ Koze, another rising German star, who won DJ Of The Year at last year's German Dance Awards and provides the deck wizardry behind Skint's International Pony. Expect lots of weird house with a sliver of 1970s sex.

Never one to do things by half, the 333 get into the carnival spirit on Saturday with a Brazilian Special featuring the not inconsiderable talents of Quilombo Do Samba, a 16-piece samba band, renowned for both their hip-wiggling grooves and white-suited sartorial elegance. They are joined by the Latino experts from Soho's Mr Bongo record shop, who will be playing bossa beats and pieces, while French/Brazilian crew Favela Chic showcase their Parisian take on all matters South American and funky. In the basement, Bailey will be playing his six Brazilian drum'n'bass records on repeat and hoping nobody notices.

Bargain of the week has to be the Hoxton Pimps weekend blow-out. A paltry £5 gets you entry to three parties over the weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), which will be taking place at secret locations around Hoxton - in true old-school style you have to ring a number at 11pm each night to find out where to go. Highlights from a line-up of more than 30 DJs and live acts include Attica Blues, Johnny Reckless and the Fat Truckers, who will be playing what every selfrespecting man about town is calling 'post-dance' - think scuzzy electro, cheeky art rock posturing and bad hair.

Sat and Sun, TDK Cross Central, King's Cross Freight Depot N1, 3pm to 6am (Sat to 5am), £20 adv each day. Tel: 020 7833 9944. www.crosscentral.co.uk Tube: King's Cross

Sat, comeshakethewhole, Cargo, 83 Rivington Street EC2, 8pm to 3am, £6 before 9pm, £10 after. Tel: 020 7739 3440. www.comeshakethe whole.com Tube: Old Street Sat, 333 Brazilian Special, 333, 333 Old Street EC1, 10pm to 5am, £5 before 11pm, £10 after. Tel: 020 7739 5949. www.333mother.com Tube: Old Street