What an exciting start to the new year for the Monkey Tennis boys! It will certainly be a night to remember. As one of the first clubs to pitch in for the victims of the tsunami, it was reassuring that Sydney’s clubbers were ready for yet another night of dancefloor action and hadn’t been weakened by the hedonistic activities of the previous few weeks.

Maybe the cause was reason enough for most to provide their support. The proceeds were to be generously donated to the Asia Tsunami Appeal. Or maybe it was that the crowd were up for a great party – or both – to be fair it didn’t matter. From very early on the party vibe was in full effect. The warm atmosphere of the club, combined with Danny Bass and Spitchen’s main room set, nicely decorated with flavours of live sax, trumpets and bongos, were the right ingredients to persuade club-goers that they were still on holiday and that the return to work on Monday was a distant reality.

Kikkon’s Tazman followed, sustaining the party vibe and adding a carefully chosen deeper tribal layer to the already funky atmosphere, and a peek of what was to come. Taz was gracefully followed by Woodsy, who in true Monkey style, cranked it up a bit with a blend of old and new classic house tunes, bumping against some new crowd favourites. Tight and technically sound, Woodsy gave the perfect introduction to our hosts for the evening, Lummy and Broadband.

Broadband rode through deep and funky territory while Lummy dropped dashes of melody across rolling tribal rhythms. Bad Boy Danny Bass occasionally weaved in and out of the two to drop some monstrously big tunes that you had no choice but to shake your tush to. And last but not least, Mr Simon Ramsey ended the evening on Centre Stage flawlessly, delivering a set that can only be described as a pleasant surprise – the combination of classic Deep Dish to deep house bordering on breaks meant that the party crowd danced to the end of their evening with huge smiles on their faces.

The Funky Tennis room was quieter this month, although no less classy. Jackster began with a soothingly smooth set of soul and funk to get the night going and this was nicely followed by the Soulful House Experience of Graham Cordery. Mel Moore followed with her debut appearance at Monkey Tennis picking up where Cords finished off and adding a funkier splash to things. Jenson came on for the last set of the night in the back room and worked with the vibe of the room and did what he does so well on a regular basis at Monkey.

If this event is exemplary of what’s to come in the year 2005, it’s safe to say Monkey Tennis is on the right track for a smashing year.