They aren’t the latest electronica band. They aren’t an alternative band. They aren’t a jazz-infused jam band. They aren’t even a band.

In other words, Techno Injection is not the Maintenance Shop’s standard musical fare.

Consisting of five local DJs — DJ Bluto, DJ Jerrod, Kernel Scurry, Digital Killer and Reaktor — spinning various styles of electronica, Techno Injection is an event its organizers hope will expose new audiences to a genre of music that has gone largely unnoticed in Ames.

“We’re trying to introduce it to the student population at large,” says Stephen MacDonell, a.k.a. Reaktor, one of the DJs and organizers of the event. “This is kind of a coming-out party for the DJs of the area.”

MacDonell feels that techno has lacked exposure in Ames and in Iowa as a whole, and by bringing the M-Shop different styles including minimalist, house, happy-hardcore and speed techno/trance, he hopes to maximize exposure.

Not only will the show introduce some local musicians to the Ames community, it will also reintroduce a concept that has been absent from the M-Shop for a long time — DJs and dancing.

“We are one of the few all-ages places in town, so it gives people a different option,” M-Shop coordinator Eric Yarwood says. “We’re gonna try it and see how it goes, and if it goes well, we may do it again some time down the road.”

As veteran electronica fans, MacDonell and M-Shop program director Steve Winders collaborated to organize and promote the show, drawing DJs from Ankeny, Ames and Des Moines.

Winders believes starting locally at the M-Shop will help techno gain a foothold in Ames.

“Stephen and I have talked about doing another show if this one does well, which I’m assuming it will,” Winders says. “We’ve talked about bringing in DJs from Seattle and DJs from California and New York.”

Attempts to bring established spinners such as Moby and DJ Shadow to the area have not been successful yet, Winders says. However, Techno Injection is aimed at a much wider audience than just hardcore techno fans.

Winders hopes for as large a crowd as possible, acknowledging that there is a large underground following. However, it will be those individuals who haven’t experienced a techno show before who will determine how successful Techno Injection will be.

“We’ve kind of stressed it in the dorms,” Winders says. “If they want to come and check out something kind of like a dance club, kind of like a rave, they can come check this out — and get a different view or a different musical genre experience.”

The M-Shop will also feature a different look to complement the music. Both the neon lights and stained glass lights will be turned off, with the walls covered in black. Strobe lights and fog machines will also contribute to the mood.

“Things like that kind of make it more of a club atmosphere, as far as dancing goes,” Winders says.

According to MacDonell, the M-Shop is the ideal venue to reach students and outsiders.