The Cargo Street Party was such the place to be this Labour Day long weekend. It felt like Summer had arrived early this year, especially for the occasion. The gorgeous weather that lasted all Sunday set the scene for the annual festivities… a highly anticipated calendar highlight for many House lovers. Being a street party first-timer, I was keen to discover what all the fuss was about- and it didn’t take me long to figure out.

As in previous years, the usually cosy venue had been opened up and extended to the adjacent side street with a generous stage and live video circuit revealing the outdoor DJ’s work. The expansion provided plenty of undercover booty-shaking space, as well as an open-air section for others to take a breather. This provided a chance for people to escape the consistently crowded indoor Cargo dance floor, which remained packed all night.

At around 11:30pm, it felt a lot like a Friday night at Cargo, with the RnB/House grooves provided by resident DJs FBI and Ultima. These guys always get the party started and tonight was no exception. Outside on the street stage, Adelaide main-stayers The New White Sneakers brought the funk to the proceedings. I had seen this group appear a few times regularly at Heaven, and theirs is a style that could be described as a groovy mix of jazz, soul and house. I was always a fan of their funky soul covers, including Prince’s ‘When the Doves Cry.’ All very talented musicians, it’s hard to know where to look… until the gorgeous Lesley Gorgula begins to sing. The crowd was lured in by her voice as if she was a muse, and let’s face it… she’s just hot!

After the New White Sneakers, we were treated to pumping house beats by Audio Porn, HMC, GTD, Minx and Ben James. I must confess, it didn’t take long for the good vibes of the night to take over so I can’t make much comment on the DJs that played towards the end of the night. What I can tell you is, by the time it was 5am and time to roll out, no-one wanted to leave! Sure, maybe many of us were resting, crouched in the gutter amongst an array of empty Smirnoff cans and cigarette butts, barefoot and a little tired, but never has so much fun been had. It was a fantastic way to end the long weekend and kudos to the Cargo staff who were friendly and fun-loving all night. The open area was so refreshing, and it was nice to breathe easy and simply enjoy the night. I’m ready for the next one already!