It’s T in the Park time tonight as one of Berlin’s hippest DJs turns the tables on a Belfast audience.

Even if the credit crunch has cancelled your office party, there are plenty of opportunities for a good, old-fashioned knees-up over the coming week with most venues pulling out all the stops to attract the pre-Christmas party crowds.

One of this year's biggest clubbing successes, Hydroponic Music, have revealed plans for their final Meat Market event of the year, having grown from strength to strength by hosting a series of alternative club nights during 2008.

Included amongst their successes over the last 12 months have been securing the services of Death In Vegas' Richard Fearless and LCD Soundsystem's Pat Mahoney, as well as hosting the recent Primal Scream aftershow party with Mani on DJ duties.

The location this time round is Thompson's and tonight sees a eagerly-awaited visit from one of the world's best known and most influential DJ/producers as Berlin's DJ T, aka Thomas Koch, takes to the decks.

Head honcho of the uber-hip record label Get Physical, as well as being a renowned club promoter, publisher, producer and journalist in Germany, T promises fans a night of driving, tech-infused, funk-laden, genre-blending electronica.

Hailed as one of the most entertaining and technically skilled house/techno DJs in the business, Koch started out back in 1985 by playing at private parties.

He soon began making his mark a professional DJ when acid house swept his home city of Frankfurt.

He's joined by Meat Market mainstay Michael McKeown, as well as Thompson's resident Steve Boyd, no stranger himself to what it takes to get a party started. Doors open at 10pm.

Fresh from the official launch party last month, local DJ hero Phil Kieran is back with the second outing of his new underground techno club night, Kranc at Stiff Kitten, tomorrow night.

Heading the bill will be Barcelona electronica wizard Paco Osuna, one of the most sought-after producers and DJs currently making waves on the international clubbing arena.

Osuna got his big break into the business in 1999 by securing a residency at the world-famous Ibiza club Amnesia, where he was spotted by German DJ legend Sven Vath who helped launch Osuna's career onto the global circuit.

Also making his Stiff Kitten debut on Saturday will be Mancunian mixmaster and owner of the Mikrowave label, Kev Gorman, who'll be joining his longtime musical partner Phil Kieran in the support slot.

Dreaming of a Yello Christmas? The club at Club Mynt are hosting the Irish debuts of two of France's biggest names in house music, set to make appearances at the Yello Christmas Ball which kicks-off at midnight on Saturday and runs until 6am on Sunday morning.

Toulouse's Fred Falke will be setting up shop in the Main Room, showcasing his unique mixes of the distinctive sound of French house music, while interspersing proceedings with the occasional burst of live electric guitar.

Downstairs in the Deep Room, one of Buzzin' Fly Records' leading artists Manoo will be playing a three-and-a-half hour set, chock-full with plenty of box-fresh tracks from the musical future. Admission is £10 or £5 for students and bar/club workers.

At the Spring & Airbrake tomorrow night, there's a special Christmas cabaret show, as the ever-popular monthly mix of live music, DJs and performance artists from the New Moon Showcase takes off.

Next door at The Limelight on Sunday, DJ Terry Lavery revives his 80s Prom Night for a special seasonal outing, with more big-haired, ra-ra skirted and shoulder-padded anthems on the playlist than you could fit on a Sony Walkman.

patric.baird@ntlworld.com