Pronounced “bruaa”, Brouhaha is French for hubbub: a confused noise of a crowd shouting or talking. Billed as an evening of miscellaneous modern audio, this event is a sign of the maturity of live dance music in Sydney. The live scene is secure enough now that talking and conversation can be intertwined with music…what a radical concept.
Resident Dave Slade invites different DJs each Saturday night to help him musically entertain a broad mix of talkative, relaxed guests: Australian Jews, Chinese, Japanese, German, Italian and English gays, intellectuals, Paris Hiltons, bad boys, lipstick lesbians, music freaks, nightclub crawlers and other contemporary bohemians.This Saturday night Brouhaha and Bloom Records presented Naab (France), DJ Carlito (France), Cedric Sarrett, Singer Vassey and the Resident Dave Slade. The music is exactly as described on the flyer.
At 11ish there is only a few on the dance floor, most preferring to chat in the background to the eclectic mix of French Touch-inspired RnB, Hip Hop, Blues and Electro. As midnight blackened, the guests started to move to a dancier beat. A tall blonde girl couple decked in glitter and glamour led the way on the dance floor and by 12:30 there were yells of appreciation for the smiling French DJ. Unfortunately, my enquiries with various sources exhausted, I was unable to definitively identify who exactly played when. One of those events I guess, where the promoters are happily backward in coming forward.
At 1am-ish the smiling DJ cross-faded to one in a red T-shirt and glasses who also excelled in “miscellaneous modern audio” permeating the contemporary beats with slashes of house and electronica bringing a rhythmic warmth and smiles to the now very happy guests. An interesting array of dancers in sex-eccentric clothing exhibited their styles. At 2 am guests were still lining up at the door to be welcomed by the familiar, confident, professional door staff and a chunk of happy, friendly, satisfied guests.
Operating since the 1940s in various guises, Club 77 has undergone a recent refurbishment into a more spacious but still intimate environment. Most of the Club 77 traditions have been kept; cheap drinks, relaxed bar, door and security, picture frame visuals, dark anonymous corners… It’s just that now your sneakers don’t stick to the liquid-sodden carpet, the smoke goes up, not down and the variety and location of seating emphasizes its reputation in style as, what my visiting Londonite friend calls, Underground Old Skool. What I love about the new Club 77 in particular, is the mood-lighting on the dance floor. Just a few slow-moving, soft, single laser spots of purple and red lustres creating an easy, intimate and dark atmosphere.
