Fresh from Beat Fest the previous weekend, Melbourne beat heads were again set to be treated with a tantalizing line up of local and international talent at The World of Drum and Bass Tour. Expectations were raised a little higher than usual with the event set to deliver well above the standard one or two headline acts. Names on the bill included Kenny Ken (one of the first drum and bass internationals to play Melbourne) Twisted Individual, SS, MC Foxy, and Spit Kingdom.

Getting stuck on the Punt rd Hill had not been on the evening’s itinerary, so I did arrive later than anticipated. The Prince at this time (after 12) was fuller than usual. Perhaps the advertised starting time of nine thirty, (yes, nine thirty for a drum and bass gig!) attracted some punters through the doors a little earlier than the usual drum and bass o’clock. As crew and I stepped into the room, we were faced with three projection screens that gave the room an interesting dimension. These musical graphics complimented the mood, and added to the aural experience.

When I arrived, it was Fiend behind the decks, providing some party style tunes that were being enjoyed already by some of the Melbourne faithful. She kept it easy to digest with Ed Rush and Optical’s “Bullitt” and moved onto to include (amongst others) Ebony Dubsta’s (“Ra!”). Already the vibe was set to party, and Ruxspin picked up on this with selection of tunes. This set had been heralded as an “old skool” set on the advertising for this gig and there were a few older than “brand new” tunes in the set. However the tunes that set the night off were courtesy of Perth’s own Pendulum. Not only did Rux slip in the groundbreaking “Vault,” he also included the latest success, “Another Planet.” I have never seen so many heads rush to the dancefloor for the one tune!! Danyellsan joined Rux on the mic duties briefly before show stealers Spit Kingdom took over.

Spit Kingdom comprises of MC Trip, KillaKela and on decks DJ Selectrik. It was Trip who introduced the acts, proclaiming that it’s was his duty as Mc “to get [the crowd] away from the walls and onto the floor.” Trip and Killa then produced about 20 minutes of performance that many will be talking about for weeks to come. Trip guided the audience through a “set” of vocal effects from KillaKela that were simply incredible. Trip continued to remind the crowd throughout the performance that there was no input from anyone else other than himself and Killa. This is the kind of thing you’d have to witness to be totally convinced of the full effect. Killa managed to “remix” Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, as well as replicating bass drops, mixer effects and various drum sounds. At the end of their performance, they had well and truly won the crowd over, and the feet had moved to the dancefloor.

Twisted Individual and SS then joined forces behind the decks to deliver a solid set of beats that that well and truly kept the heads happy. Dispersed throughout their joint set were, predictably, a number of new sounds from the Formation brand. While these guys were entertaining and kept the vibe going, it was a little one-dimensional.

Next up on the mammoth bill, was Kenny Ken, joined on stage by MC Foxy. Foxy gets points for being the only MC I’ve ever heard who uses the term “lovely” in his lyrical expressions! At this stage of the night, I had chosen to have a bit of a breather and listen to the tune selection by Kenny. I must say that I did enjoy more of his set, it seemed to flow better and contain a bit more variety. However, I did not stay to hear the remainder of the set as I had to retire tired!

Sometimes when such a huge event is advertised and ‘talked up’ it can fail to deliver. This was not the case on Friday night. The perfect combination of fantastic lineup, good organization and a great atmosphere ensured that this was a truly excellent party. Thanks and congrats to all the crews who were involved in putting this one on!