One of the most anticipated nights in Brisbane dance music history finally arrived on Saturday 11th of June as progressive house megastars Deep Dish came to town for the very first time.

With a range of commercial and radio friendly songs and remixes out at the moment the night was destined to be wall to wall people. I found the crowd to consist of two types of people. The first type of punters were the more ‘pure’ progressive house Deep Dish fans. Those hoping to hear some deep driving progressive goodness not to unlike their legendary Yoshitoshi In House We Trust CD and more Global Underground compilations. The second type of punters came from the more recent Flashdance, Say Hello and Money For Nothing success, a somewhat more commercial and radio friendly airplay crowd. This reviewer was really a mixture of both. Deep in the progressive house honeymoon at the moment I would be happy to hear a deep driving progressive set while at the same time would greet ‘Flashdance’ and Deep Dish’s remix of David Guetta – The World Is Mine, with a smile on my face.

Two vastly different styles of music, two vastly different crowd followings, there was one thing that brought nearly all of the punters together though, and that was the line. Arriving around 11 o’clock we were met with a line 6 people deep from the wall to the street and all the way back to the corner of Sunbar. It was amazing to think people lining up all the way back there thought they genuinely were going to get in, but a lot of them would’ve, after all they had tickets. Punters stood side by side whether they had tickets or not, waiting outside for their chance to get into the clubbing Mecca that is the Family nightclub. Luckily for this reviewer and subsequent party members I am a member and for this we only had to experience the inconvenience of lining up outside on this cold winters night for a matter of minutes as the members line was no more than 15 people long. Surely pre-purchasing a ticket would mean that you would get in before the people waiting to buy on the door? Something I’m sure the Family nightclub should really look into.

But who cares, we’re inside and it’s time to take off the jackets as it’s already 15 degrees warmer inside from the mass of people. Turning to our left we see the sign that all jacket card carrying members would hate to see on a cold and busy night; ‘Cloak Room Full’, not the start we were looking for. Eventually we find refuge and a place to store out jackets safely for the evening. While there must have been 800 people lining up outside it seems the club is already full, surely they wont all fit inside here, Family does it’s best to try and do so.

With the main room already rammed full I thought we could seek refuge for at least the next hour in the members section of Family nightclub. That’s the section next to the DJ Booth where you can roam around free and with space up until around midnight as a card carrying member, it seemed on this night that was not to be though and it was free for all with that section of Family already packed and shoulder to shoulder people with the unisex toilet 7 people long in line already. Time to head upstairs; surely it wasn’t as busy up there.

Heading upstairs via the Lounge or Ice Bar as it’s affectionately known Shannon Marshall was churning out a funk filled groove set to a packed room. Pushing our way through to the Uncle room we were met by a sea of people and an already full dance floor. Local Matt Briais was wrapping up what was an absolutely storming set as the crowd showered him in applause upon finishing. Next up to grace the decks were German house sensations the Boogie Pimps. Heading back downstairs to catch up with friend’s, resident and master of ceremonies Chris Wilson was finishing up yet another solid and unflawed pumping house set. With a rammed club and dance floor up stepped the main attraction of the night, Ali & Sharam, or otherwise known as, Deep Dish.

Starting off on a chunky up-tempo house tip it was clear early on that this wouldn’t be a b2b set as such but instead Ali would play for a period of time and then Sharam. Whilst both extremely good dj’s it was obvious that Sharam’s dj skills were far superior to his partners. Extremely tight and extremely impressive his parts of the 5 hour set were definitely the highlights. Maybe Ali’s inferior skills could be put down to the state he was in as walking past him numerous times in the night it looked as though he was well and truly in the party spirit.

Heading back up to the Uncle room, a journey which took near 15 minutes due to the sea of people occupying the vast space which is Family nightclub, we were greeted by a over flowingly full Uncle dance floor cheerfully dancing away to the funky house sounds of the Boogie Pimps. Highlights of what was a somewhat could say cheesy and Ministry of Sound-esq sounding set were the Boogie Pimps very own “Sunny” and their biggest hit “Somebody To Love” which they closed their two hour set with.

Next up to the decks was a man I was keen to check out and see what he really was all about, and was intrigued to as what he would play over his two hour set. The man was none other than Mr Paul Harris from Dirty Vegas (and to a lesser extent the Hydrogen Rockers). Dirty Vegas were shot into superstardom when their track Days Go By was used in a Mitsubishi commercial in the United States. Not really knowing what to expect, for the next two hours with the exclusion of a few water and toilet stops this reviewer did not leave the packed Uncle dance floor as the Dirty Vegas front-man delivered one of the best sets I’ve ever heard. I know I say that a lot but this was absolutely awe-inspiring stuff. Techno, breaks, progressive and house sounds mish-mashed together in two hours of party mayhem. Dirty Vegas’s two big tracks, “Walk Into The Sun (King Unique Remix)” and “Dirty Vegas – Ghosts” were one of many highlights during a set which seemed to hit a peak and never come down. But it was their hit single Days Go By (Scumfrog Remix) that really took the roof off. Hearing the first few riffs come through the crisp Uncle speakers and the ensuing crowd reaction was something that will stay with me forever, and was by far the biggest highlight and peak of the night for anyone lucky enough to be a part of. Paul had known what he did and was nearly falling out of the DJ booth as he stood on the decks and took in the crowd’s love and ovation. 4am rolled around and two magical hours of orgasmic sounds for your ears had passed. Time for this reviewer to do some reviewing and get back downstairs for the ‘main’ attraction. 4am and the club was still wall to wall people, not long now before we’d call it a night, asking around if they had played “Flashdance” to hear they hadn’t would give us motivation to put up with the crowd for a little while yet. Sure enough a little bit past 4am “Flashdance vs Money For Nothing” was played and drawn out over the space of about 15 minutes much to the crowd’s delight. It was to this reviewers delight as well as every box now had a tick in it and it was time to go home. But not for 10 minutes as that’s how long it took to get from the dance floor to the front door.

It had been mentioned by various parts of the community that maybe Family nightclub should look into having events like this where they obviously could’ve sold out nearly twice to move to bigger locations. Problem with this great train of thought is where do you take your event to? The Arena holds a similar number of people to The Family and really the only place would be the RNA Showgrounds. Maybe Family should take a leaf out of Sounds on Sundays book and look at how the SOS crew took their Deep Dish headlined festival to Hordern Pavilion as they knew they would sell out 3 or 4 times over if they were left at the Greenwood Hotel. This would obviously take a lot more preparation and organisation by Family management but I’m sure they would be able to do it and if the punters knew it was run by The Family, a name extremely well trusted around Brisbane dance community then it would be an extremely successful event. I for one would’ve preferred to have gone to the RNA showgrounds for a 1 or 2 room event with more room to move than be a sardine at Family for 8 hours like Saturday night. Time will tell I’m sure.

On reflection of the night that was I suppose I should give a rating on how good the night really was. The residents it must be said at Family nightclub are about as good as it gets. All the residents played storming sets to warm up for the various internationals and in particular Habebe & Chris Wilson who had the main room absolutely heaving pre-Deep Dish.

Deep Dish were at their awesome self for most of the night but there were times when they went missing for half an hour or so and it became very middle of the road only to be saved by another big ‘anthem’. Boogie Pimps were their fantastic cheesy funky house selves. They don’t try to be anything they aren’t and just try and nail they’re chosen topic and I personally think they are the best in the business at doing so. Last but by no means least Paul Harris of Dirty Vegas, he was the highlight of the night and I really do hope next time he is in town that he is given the main room at Family because he produces one of the best sets your likely to ever hear, and by going off other states reports he did the same all around the country.

In concluding it was a monumental night but for one reason or another it just can’t be put into this reviewers “Best Night Eva’s” box. While the place was rammed and the music was fantastic; most of the night was hard work in everything you did, and really with the exception of Carl Cox at Family a night of that much hard work can’t be given the exclusive status. I genuinely think that if I hadn’t gone to Slinky vs GU last weekend that it would’ve been a best night ever. But with Danny Howells and the easiness to move from room to room at the Arena extremely fresh in my mind it just saw me comparing the two events for the entire night while I was at Family.

I was happy to go as it’s been nearly 5 years since Deep Dish came to Australia and it was the first time they’ve come to Brisbane. A great night, but not a best night ever…