After successful stops in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney, the final leg of the Heineken Sunset Sessions touched down in Brisbane at Friday’s Riverside. Following several warm-up events in previous weeks, the main event had arrived in the form of San Francisco-based DJ and producer Jay-J, of Moulton Studios, and songbird Latrice Barnett.

Billed as an exclusive invite-only event, it was difficult to predict what sort of a turn out the Brisbane leg of the Sunset Sessions would attract. Would those who had been invited at warm-up events throughout the city turn up weeks later, on a Monday of all days, to get down at the main event? If they did, would there be enough ice-cold Heineken to go around?

Fortunately, all appeared to go to plan. Friday’s had been split in two for the event, with the back half facing Eagle Street being cordoned off for the Sunset Sessions. Burly security guards checked lists, attached wrist-bands and ushered keen punters into a welcoming environment where friendly bar staff negotiated the crowd with platters of finger food while making empties disappear as soon as they had been put down. And all around, in every hand it seemed, was a Heineken. Outside, as ominous rain clouds gathered overhead, the CBD was still churning through its Monday routine, but inside Friday’s, one could have been mistaken for thinking it was Friday, such was the atmosphere.

Matt Nugent started things off nicely, pumping percussive, funky house throughout Friday’s impressive sound system as the crowd swelled after 5:00pm. His set made way for Brisbane’s rising three-piece Pty. Ltd., who took the stage at 7:00pm for a fantastic one-hour set. Unfortunately, and perhaps as a result of the inordinate number of Heinekens being devoured by the crowd, numbers at the front of the stage did not do the trio justice, and repeated attempts to draw punters from the back down to the front didn’t succeed. It was their loss, however, as brothers Tim and Daniel Tainsh and Peter Golikov belted out several hits from their well-received debut album, ‘You Should Be Like This More Often’, including their closer, ‘I Cannot Lie’.

In no time it was 8:00pm, and as the Pty. Ltd. boys packed up their gear leaving just a pair of decks and a microphone on stage, the scene was set for Jay-J and Latrice Barnett.

Taking to the stage in jeans and a black buttoned shirt, and drawing heavily on a cigarette, Jay-J opened with Kaskade’s ‘It’s You, It’s Me’, quickly drawing people from the back down to the front and setting the scene for what was to be an uplifting and soulful set. This was San Francisco house at its best, delivered by a Grammy-nominated artist who has been dubbed the hardest-working DJ in the house scene.

As Latrice Barnett arrived at the microphone in full-length black dress, the cheers from the crowd grew, reaching fever pitch as she lunged into a sexy rendition of her and Jay-J’s track ‘Give A Little’. Initial sound problems were quickly fixed and as the pair pumped out deep house hits like ‘Make My Heart’ and ‘Without Love’, the dance floor swelled and grooved. Biggest cheers however were reserved for ‘Keep On Rising’, delivered with gusto by Latrice and absolutely loved by the crowd.

The pair appeared to be genuinely enjoying their night, with Jay-J making frequent gestures to the crowd throughout his set and Latrice jumping down towards the end to get down with the crowd. Included throughout were a few exclusives, one being Jay-J and Latrice’s new track ‘Love Is’, to be released through Moulton Studios early next year and Jay-J’s closer, a new Miguel Migs remix of ‘Make My Heart’, which he billed as a ‘world premiere’ and that is also to be released early next year.

Playing well past his 10:00pm cut off time, Jay-J appeared keen to play some more, but didn’t, instead talking with fans at the front of the stage after his set, answering questions and making himself accessible for anyone who wanted to talk to him. Those who turned up to Friday’s would not have been disappointed with the Sunset Sessions which, despite the howling wind and rain outside, succeeded in bringing summertime vibes and smiles to all those in attendance.

Tim McNamara