It’s the end of the year, it’s the time for giving and goodwill, it’s the time for Christmas cheer; more importantly, it’s the time of the year when Brisbane’s favourite festival rolls into town, Advent*jah Summerblast.

It may have only been 8pm, but if you were already at the fable home of Advent*jah that is, the RNA showground’s, then there was already plenty to choose from. While QLD’s Number 1 ranked ITM DJ Baby Gee was in the Hard Dance arena, arguably Queensland’s Number 1 techno dj, Fuzion was kicking off the ‘Drop’ room with good friend Brad Cahill. Not to be outdone, the worldwide clubbing phenomenon Slinky Trans-Atlantik Arena hosted Queensland’s best progressive trance dj’s, Elemance & Mike Redfern.

Playing on a lot funkier tip than his last performance supporting techno legend Jeff Mills, Fuzion kicked off the Drop room in style with Westworld’s track Chiapet. It was obvious that he & brad play a lot together, as they seamlessly funked the ‘Drop’ers for an hour and a half.

Over in the Slinky room good mates, and even better dj’s, Elemance & Mike Redfern were taking the small selection of Slinky punters through a progressive trance journey. Elemance dropping Empire States – Niagra was a highlight of the set. Not to be outdone Mike dropped Benz & MD’s Tainted track as well as Australian prog sensation Jono Fernandez’s delicious tune ‘Picking Up The Pieces’.

8:45 and it was Ben Smith’s turn to shine in the Nu-Skool arena, with a fantastic house set, with punters and fellow dj’s all giving massive raps on what looks to be a future star DJ on the Brisbane dance circuit.

While Ricemiester was sending the A*Jah Pavilion punters into a frenzy, Brad Revell was taking us on an energetic trance journey in the Slinky room. Brad has traveled interstate to play at all of the countries best trance nights and it is no wonder, with talent to burn, and a keen knack of working the crowd. One of Australia’s best trance DJ’s, he is the obvious choice to support Paul Van Dyk, when ‘God’ travels down under next. While Brad was giving trancer’s goose bumps in the Slinky arena, Kuruption was sending the Mayhem wild with hardcore madness. Chosen Few’s track ‘Name of the DJ’ was a highlight for all, with Kuruption finishing his set with Gabba, much to the delight of all stumpers present. Next up was one of Brisbane’s favorite son’s, a rising star not only on the DJ circuit, but in the studio as well, with a number of top quality productions to his credit already. He goes by the name of Void, and he is a must see at every event he plays. Bexta’s ‘Energize’ was a highlight, as was his own songs ‘So Waster’ and ‘Dude, Where’s My Void’. The response from the crowd to Void’s own songs tells you that this boy will go far.

Back over to the Drop room and it was Nate B’s turn to shine, with a mean, mean, mean set of tribal and house. A class act, and always one to check out, Nate didn’t disappoint the punters.

11pm and it was time for the first International of the night to play, K90 in the Hard Dance Pavilion. A massive name in the UK with his deadly hard dance live sets, it was his time to shine after not impressing fans in his last Australian performance, and he didn’t disappoint. Smashing together all facets of hard dance into an electrifying set with the tune of the night for some, ‘Red Snapper’ sending Advent*jah’s biggest room into meltdown.

All this was happening as Irish trancer’s Agnelli & Nelson took the Slinky Pavilion through a memorable hour and a half of dreamy uplifting trance. Ernesto & Bastian’s “Dark Side of The Moon” was the peak point of a set from the best thing to come down under from Ireland since Jimeoin. Finishing off with Ridgewalkers – Find U, the strong Slinky crowd gave the Irish lads a well deserved round of applause. This only got greater as possibly the worlds best trance group Above & Beyond stepped up to the decks. With Above & Beyond’s magical 2 hour set at last year’s Advent*jah still in the mind of revelers, they had a high standard to live up to, and by damn, they didn’t disappoint. If you thought their A*Jah 2003 Summerblast set was good, then this was even better!! Their remix of Madonna’s “What it Fells Like for a Girl” was spine tingling, while their 21st century remix of eternal classic Delirium – “Silence” Delirium had all present absolutely delirious.

This was all happening while internationally renowned aussies Nubreed were performing LIVE in the Drop room. For those there it was a majestic hour and a half highlighted by a glorious live rendition of “One Day”.

Running back into the main room to catch the last of hardhouse superstar Nick Sentience’s first LIVE performance in Australia. An hour set of fuzed hard house and hard tech had the main room in an absolute frenzy. It is no wonder that this man is regarded as one of the true superstars of Hard House. Finishing off with his own tune “Afro Teckno” was not a moment for the weak hearted.

Heading to the nu-skool room to check out the future stars of the Brisbane DJ circuit saw Tristan Cameron back to back with good mate J_Frantik for a couple of hours of hard house mayhem. Highlights of the mayhem included Nick Sentience’s – “Get The Funk”, as well as James Lawson & Nick Sentience’s – “Amnesia” track that has been getting flogged all over Radio 1 airwaves for the past few weeks.

2am was the start of ‘peaktime’ for not only the stompers but also for the Advent*jah lineup itself. With 4 internationals playing it saw some serious arena hopping from this reviewer. Spolit for choice between the LIVE hard dance/NRG/house sounds of Captain Tinrib LIVE in A*Jah Hard Dance Pavilion, the trancetastic tunes of Gatecrasher immortal Scott Bond in Slinky, Steve Gerrard’s proggy goodness in the Drop Room or Brisk’s Hardcore lunacy in the Mayhem Pavilion. This reviewer started and finished with Scott Bond, shaken not stirred in the Slinky room. It was with some irony to see Gatecrasher’s favorite son playing in the room of one of their fiercest ‘UK superclub’ rivals in Slinky, but with Gatecrasher no more, the 007 of trance had a license to thrill, and thrill he did. Having prayed to hear his collaboration with Solarstone’s timeless classic ‘3rd earth’ all week, my prayer’s were answered, as one of the greatest trance tracks of all time came through the speakers with a truly memorable occasion. With time at an essence, it was with great dismay that I couldn’t have seen all of his set, but beggars can’t be choosers.

Next on the hit list was Steve Gerrard in the drop room. But first a brief spell listening to Captain Tinrib finish off what was recalled as one of his greater performances in Brisbane. Over to the drop room to see one of Brisbane’s tightest mixers mr Allan Ho finishing a fantastic dark phat breaks set. As I Dropped into the progressive sounds of Wrecked Angel star Steve Gerrard I was immediately overwhelmed by the deep driving grooving progressive sounds that transfixed myself through the airwaves. A small but ‘in the know’ crowd with smiles from ear to ear were grooving away to a true master at work. Once again though, time was of the essence, and so to the Mayhem Pavilion for a bit of a change in tempo.

Brisk by name, brisk by nature, this man certainly holds nothing back when playing and the hardcore partisan crowd that is Brisbane ravers, love him all the more for it. Surprisingly only given an hour set, you wouldn’t have known it, as he took the night to a whole new level. 20 minutes was all this reviewer’s poor little legs could handle as I stomped myself out of breath and searched for a sanctuary to stop, revive, survive. A couple of energy drinks and water later, and I was back on my feet and back into the main arena for one of my personal favorite dj’s in the world, mr Rob Tissera.

After seeing Rob Tissera destroy crowds in England earlier in the year, there was no way I was going to miss a set from one of Tidy Trax’s favourite sons. Pushing the envelope of hard trance and hardhouse for an hour and a half brought a smile to everyones face, in particular this reviewers, as the Illicit Hard Version of Art of Trance – “Madagascar” was played.

4am, and the last of the sets to finish yet another stellar Advent*jah festival. The last hour was spent bouncing between the progressive goodness of Magoo in the Drop room, the Slinky sounds of head honcho Dave Lea and Nik Fish’s typical Hardstyle mayhem in the Hard Dance Arena.

Dave Lea has never disappointed this reviewer, and still hasn’t. It is no wonder this man does more globetrotting than a Qantas International Pilot, with tough techno and trance sets that never leave a crowd disappointed.

Last but not least it was back to Magoo in the drop room to finish off this festival in style. Dropping Quench – “Dreams” when the sun rose was, for those present I’m told, was one of the greatest moments of the night, and definitely a highlight for those involved. Magoo once again showed why he is one of Brisbanes favourite dj’s.

As the records stopped, the needles came off, the crowd clapped, the dj bowed, it was time to unwillingly pack the bags and head home, from yet another memorable Advent*jah.

While questions have been asked over the Sunday versions of Advent*jah, there are no questions to be asked or answered with the traditional Saturday night Advent*jahs. Once again Jason & The A*Team proved why Advent*jah is Brisbane’s biggest and best dance festival.

The countdown to Easter A*jah 2005 has already begun.