DJ Element @ Yucca Tap Room

If you've never witnessed the turntable swagger of DJ Logan "Element" Howard at any point during his 16-year career, you've missed out on something special, fool. The YouTube videos of the local legend scratching away on hip-hop vinyl like a rabid cat don't do it justice as seeing him in person. Needless to say, you'd better not miss out on Howard's gig on Thursday, February 28, at Yucca Tap Room, 29 West Southern Avenue in Tempe, because it's his final performance, at least for the foreseeable future. Howard, who shocked many by announcing in December that he's putting the DJ game in the rearview, has decided to step away from regularly performing on the turntables and call it a career after an epic swan song during a special edition of The Blunt Club. Initially dubbed as his "retirement," it's now being referred to as "The Rebirth of DJ Element." And he doesn't rule out the possibility of returning to the decks for a spin session or two at some point down the road. In the meantime, he'll have plenty of friends and family both in the house and on the decks over the course of the evening, including some of the biggest names from the Valley DJ landscape. The lineup of legends includes the Versatile DJs, the venerated DJ Radar, and Howard's longtime cohort, Pickster One, as well as such names as P-Trix, Dynamix, Felt1, M2, Tricky T, and others. Local rappers and MCs Optimal, Def-I, Runt, Roqy Tyraid, and Mouse Powell also will be on hand to lend their talents to what should be an unforgettable night. It starts at 9 p.m. Admission is free. Call 480-967-4777. — Benjamin Leatherman