Sunshine People 2005 @ Atlantic Southwharf (01/01/2005)
Was it only two or three years ago that we were all celebrating on New Year’s Eve? Watching the clock and waiting for “Born Slippy” ... again? It all just seems so last millennium now, with day parties ever increasing in number and scale. It makes sense. Why spend the first public holiday of the year whimpering under the doona and alternatively whispering regrets and resolutions, when you could be bouncing, splashing or chilling in the sun with a thousand or so of your closest pals? Save the doona for later (like the whole next week later …shudder)
So what makes for a good day party anyway? I’d say the formula is still being fine-tuned. But some top, diverse internationals and locals, agreeable weather, plentiful clean amenities, safety, some games and gimmicks and organisational basics to keep the party hassle free (water, passout systems, shade, seating etc) would seem essential for starters. Assure those, and a cheery, enthusiastic community of a crowd will invariably follow – the single trigger that can turn a good party into a truly great one.
Sunshine People had its Melbourne inception last year, offering a techno/electro weighted (albeit with a splice of trance) smaller fresh party alternative to the juggernaut of Summadayze and the more genre specific breaks party. By all reports, it had some rocking aspects somewhat plagued by organisational difficulties. With the promotional material promising “a year’s worth of improvements” and a lineup I couldn’t resist, I figured it was worth a try and the benefit of the doubt.
While I have no direct comparison with the virginal SP, it seems many or all of the teething problems had been conscientiously addressed. Thumbs up to Hardware and associated crews for taking the sometimes not-so-constructive criticism on board. The only dramas seemed to be a ridiculous paucity of toilets (3 cubicles for each gender for the whole Hardware / Telephunk areas – c’mon people!) and the VIP passes which got you nothing but criticism as a try-hard.
Arriving shortly before noon, I promptly hid said try-hard pass, grabbed my crew, got my bearings and made a bee-line for Planet Hardware - scheduled to be my main residency for the day (and the unabashed focus of this review). Noon seemed a far too prompt commencement of affairs for many, with a number of likely starters notably absent for another few hours and those present rambling in a sleepy daze. I guess it was always going to be too early or too late for some. Personally it was kind of fun to turn up without much of a wait for my main impetus for attending.
Sporting a cute white retro Adidas mini-dress, pink leggings and a killer bob, Miss Kittin took to the decks as the vision one would expect. Her agenda – to get this party started. No mean feat when everyone is half wishing they were still in bed. Crooning that “the pressure’s on”, it didn’t show as Kittin cranked up the volume launching into a breaks laden start, mixing, dancing, singing all at once at some stage, with a dose of Mylo, Prodigy and DJ Rush all thrown in for good measure. Singles from I.com were peppered consistently throughout (“Requiem for a Hit”, “Professional Distortion”, “Happy Violentine”) with Kittin’s naïve girlish singing charming, but ultimately the weakest link of her set. “Stock Exchange Woman” from the The First Album shone by comparison. While not completely satisfying her crowd, it was a sound start to the party. Fans can catch her at a side show at the end of the month, where I dare say the dark confines of the POW and a later hour are more suited to her more interesting bents.
Despite the mild day, it was certainly getting “hot in here” for last year’s star – electro pinup boy Tiga. His entry was greeted by mass mania, and the hands didn’t seem to leave the air for the whole next two hours. To say “it went off” really is putting it somewhat mildly, particularly during the last driving hour when I can’t recall if the cheesier / more disco elements were phased out or I just stopped resisting them J. I guess everyone was up for a party – and a party set Mr Tiga did deliver. Looking quite earnest and attentive (albeit oh so cool and controlled – I guess it ain’t rocket science) Tiga had his eye ever firmly on the crowd and worked that party like a pro. Daft Punk, Alter Ego, freaking Michael Jackson, Chromeo and The Hacker all featured, as well as Tiga’s own pivotal “Sunglasses at Night”. And just when I had sworn I would never dance to “Blue Monday” ever again, there I was, cheesy grin and all, singing my lungs out along with everyone else in what seemed to be the mightiest unplanned ITM meetup of all time. I’d love to know the hypnotic track he wrapped with, as all in my immediate vicinity looked and felt suitably entranced.
Stuck around long enough to have quick taste of PDS who were clearly equally psyched to rock the party. But after over 4 continuous hours in the Hardware hothouse, it was time to recuperate and head for the Black Pearl boat much feted after last year’s event. Not much to report there – it was a refreshing break from the mayhem simply. But so were the Telephunk and Oasis areas – both were pleasant enough spaces to chatter and meander for the balance of the afternoon, with phunky tunes from populist Middleton and a bevvy of local faves, including yet another stand-out set from Toupee.
A tad curious to explore “the other side”, we headed briefly to the Redline room where UK headliner Phil Reynolds was clearly getting the hardnuts hyped. But Pharmacy was calling – I try never to miss A Hellraiser Entrance (“Does he do children’s parties?” a friend quipped). Ace fun!
As we trawled back to the techno fray for the final phase, I was well relieved for that breather on the boat. I’d never heard or heard of Heiko Laux, but if Tiga wasn’t closing I was very interested to check out the dude who had taken his place. And in a mere instant my Tiga misgivings disintegrated. Drenched in geek-chic, Laux sporadically broke into electric boogaloo moves to the nastiest, darkest, cranking yet melodic, complex and all utterly inspiring techno set I have simply ever heard. It’s bitching to try to describe something you don’t understand. marquee moon’s excellent feature on this site gives some insights into the method behind the madness [http://www.inthemix.com.au/features/18868/]. While the attendance was sparser than during Tiga, a brilliant hysteria had swept the front half of the floor. No attitude, no decorum – just two or so hours of pogo-stick jumping and even attempted shuffling from the scene’s-least-likely who clearly did not want it to end. Nor did it (well not for a while), with Richie Rich not taking to the decks. When the wrap did come, as all good things eventually must, cries for more, stamping and clapping went unanswered (if hopefully not unappreciated) and a beaming satiated crowd headed home for those doonas.
Greatest mention goes to the acts – everyone I saw threw themselves into it and really made the event what it was. Congratulations to the organisers for a slick, diverse and yet in some ways quite intimate party. And thumbs up to the sunshine people whose attitude made all the difference. Happy 2005!
