The vibe in the air was a crazy one; I could have sworn I heard a new tune sung by Michael Jackson on Nova as I drove into West End. Perhaps the lunacy for the evening was aided by the blooming of the full moon and the rapturous anticipation for the funkiest house you ever would hear from UK sensations, Crazy Penis.

Corey standing to attention by the entry cordially greeted me, bestowing a benevolent smile in my direction. The eternally delightful Shay greeted me at reception and ushered me through the front doors where already the famed dressed-to-kill set were gracing the interior of the club. With cocktail in hand (fabulously concocted for me by the bar staff), I delved into the heart of Uber and immediately staked out my patch of area near the bar.

One of the very first things to immediately garner my attention was the sound equipment. A substantial rack had been installed with 6 subs and a mass of other quality speakers with a 16 channel sound desk just offstage (no doubt to handle the on stage wash) with a much larger 24 channel Aztec desk next to the bar to handle front of house. I was exceedingly impressed by the gear – and remained impressed with the excellent efforts of I.J.S. Logistics as they splendidly managed a convoluted mix that would have been quite difficult to control by less than extraordinary technicians.

Amidst ecstatic applause, the stylishly garbed boys of PTYLTD jumped up onto the stage and took their positions behind their instruments. I also couldn’t help noticing the addition of a guitarist on the stage. He looked very emo with his punk styled hair. After rather intense scrutiny, I realised (thanks to plenty of prompting) it was none other than Grant Wallis from one of Brisbane’s claim to fame in the Top 40 Charts, Aneiki. However, whether it was the wash on stage or the front of house mix itself, the guitar remained quite hushed throughout the evening. I couldn’t tell whether the guitar demoted or supplemented the sound at all. In other words, he seemed of no benefit for PTYLTD on this night. However, I know from past experience that Grant’s musical offerings add a tougher prog-rock oriented touch to the PTYLTD sound – it just wasn’t apparent for this particular evening. Perhaps Grant was a touch shagged.

Launching into Royal Stag (from their EP “Bits and Pieces”), Tim’s vocals penetrated the crowd. He had so much emotion in his voice; the depth of feeling was tremendous. Peter Golikov’s keyboards were beautifully penetrating in the mix; the notes were almost haunting, such was the evocative quality. Eternally the human metronome, Dan, wearing a tshirt dedicated to Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, enticed a marvellous consistency from his wonderful drums; the snare cracked smartly under his sticks and his electronic kit picked up each and every snapping thrust. Meanwhile, Tim’s bass lines were incredible. He drove the bass through the floating chords and vocal lines in a robust manner. I really don’t know what it is with these guys, but they really know how to produce a truly dirty, driving bass line. It is exactly what Flaunt It, being too mercantile, could have only hoped to have achieved. The floating keys pre-empting Trying to Leave drifted through the speakers. The very tune that Crazy Penis had remixed for PTYLTD’s upcoming album was now staining the Uber mass. Already, bodies were saturating the floor as they bumped and grinded against each other. The positive energy was just palpable, auspiciously feeding the PTYLTD boys and in turn, infusing their own creative energy onstage. The results were tremendous. The brilliant smiles on the dancefloor generated their own electricity, forcing the boys to drive their own instruments harder and faster. Their new track, profoundly labelled New Track was very 80s oriented. It conjured up images of a male punk singer with white hair. Now, whether that was David Bowie or Billie Idol – I couldn’t possibly confirm. The MicroKorg sang under Peter G’s fine fingers, his pitch bends suffusing the thick textures with wonderful tones. Simultaneously, Dan’s slides on the skins added a wicked quality to the mix. Overall, PTYLTD’s performance this evening was staggering. While I was in the ladies’ bathrooms, the talk in there was all about PTY LTD, so I wasn’t the only one to find their efforts memorable. I remain a dedicated and encouraging supporter of their music and their minds.

Cutloose and Aniki took control of the decks as the PTYLTD crew hurriedly packed up their gear. Cutloose bought the energy right down, introducing early 90s hiphop onto the floor, while Aniki balanced those tough rhythms with his unique brand of elegant cheese. They battled each other as gentlemen would on the polo field – with a great deal of finesse and plenty of ferocity. That feeling of madness was a mere step away when the strains of “Crazy” majestically filtered through the speakers.

While the DJ skirmish was in progress, a stack of gear came out onto the stage. I freely admit to my affection of musical equipment, and was, therefore, completely blown away when I saw an exquisite Synthetone SK 1000 flanked by a beautiful Rhodes Keyboard and supporting a Roland XP30. I am an avid fan of Roland and a proud owner of an XP30 myself, so to see such credible keyboards gracing the stage further indemnified my notion this was indeed a group of first-rate musicians. A percussion rack and full drum kit nicely rounded out the stage. This was going to be a true treat for my ears.

The dancefloor was swarming with bodies as the anticipation hung precariously in the air. One particular group of friends had firmly laid their claim of the floor right in front of the microphone stand and didn’t move from the spot all night. From their stance as they vigorously boogied and sang along to the tunes, they were undoubtedly hardcore Crazy Penis enthusiasts. Whilst I appreciated their eagerness, I wasn’t impressed at being elbowed out the way as I went to gaze at the keyboard delights  -  therefore, missing out on establishing the make of keyboard next to the guitar stand. But ah.. such is the way of the devoted fan.

The band entered the stage to ecstatic applause and catcalls. Danielle, her hair cut into a stylish bob and her bellbottoms almost dragging on the ground, strode out to the microphone stand and elegantly placed a black gloved left hand onto the cordless Beta, while the knuckle ring on her right hand shone under the lights. In an endearing English accent, Danielle lead the band into ‘BumCop’. Her vocals were absolutely sublime as they washed beautifully over the band’s mix with programmed background vocals balancing this musical tapestry. “Time is Right” was lead in by Tim Davies’ firm bass. I couldn’t help noticing the chordal harmony and layout of ‘Time Is Right’ bearing a remarkable similarity to Stevie Wonder’s ‘Superstition’ either. The guitar was wonderfully rhythmic with more than enough wahs enhancing the mix to satisfy my ear. The keys were transcendent, as the XP30’s patches permeated the wash.

Meanwhile, the drums were absolutely brilliant as the skins and cymbals sharply responded to the drummer’s wonderful technique. He was so strong and firm on the kit – the hats were closed or opened at precisely the perfect moments with the beats wonderfully subdivided, lending the mix a strapping quality. The percussion kept the momentum moving; the percussionist using mallets on his cymbals and beating at the skins with his hands. With her pink beads shining luminously around her neck, Danielle’s vocals were tremendous. Her vocals were smooth, swimming up and down the register with proficiency. Her pitch was always perfect; never deviating from the tonal centre whilst simultaneously inviting and enticing the listener into the Crazy Penis world. Being a connoisseur of the bass, I was aching to hear a bit more charisma or action from the bass player and was amply rewarded when he performed a pitch slide down the strings and launched into a batter of wicked bass runs. ‘Can’t Get Down’ hit the crowd so they were dancing like there was no tomorrow. Again, I couldn’t help finding some resemblance to ‘Stayin’ Alive’, particularly with the bassline, but it only served to encourage frenetic feet moving on the floor. The guitar wah remained though the XP30 was now complimenting the guitar’s offerings with some wonderful staccato wah effects of its own. ‘Do It Good’ forced eruptions of glee from some groups, where I again thought a hint of ‘MasterBlaster’ seeped into its harmonic structure. I also found the lyrics of the tunes to be wonderfully inspiring – ‘When you can’t get down… get up’. The message was clear and funked – and considering my state of mind, I was quite happy to blindly follow. ‘Do It Good’ allowed the Rhodes to stand out in the mix, while the toms from the drums enhanced the Rhodes superbly. As a strong constant to this superb musical arras, the drum continued to sound like a rapid fire shotgun machine – such was his incredible technique at producing a sharp sound without it turning into a washing machine. A few rolls on cymbals and open hats augmented the short snappy percussion beats while the XP30 had some beautiful floating patches with the pitch wheel getting a very good workout. The clarity of the bass lines with pops and slaps, drove me into a swoon. The bass thrashed through the keys and guitar chords and vocal lines with the determination of a tractor, the lines weaving and rolling around the stage. I actually started to feel a bit sorry for Tim’s first and middle fingers on his right hand as they nimbly clambered up and down the neck. The tune ‘Kicks’ prompted Danielle to challenge anyone who could kick higher than her to come to the front. Not only a fashionable and magnificent singer, Danielle swiftly outlined her challenge by high kicking like a seasoned Vegas showgirl. Was there anything beyond this lady’s capabilities?

Right this moment as I listened to these guys magnificently perform, for some silly reason, I felt a part of history. The air had that feel of something momentous. Perhaps the vital energy of the band was simply suffusing the room. Either way, I was absolutely grateful to be a witness to the musical offerings of Crazy Penis. When they finished on ‘You Got It’, I felt a small part of me yearning for something more. With the crowd, clapping, whistling and clamouring for an encore, Crazy Penis could only answer favourably. Everyone had their hands up in the air as the members of Crazy Penis entered the stage for one final delivery. Danielle initiated a call and response from the rapt crowd, while the guitar liberated wonderful quaveral rhythms and the XP30 unleashed an omnipotent organ patch. The drummer performed a roll across the whole kit while the percussion continued to break up the rhythms on skins. When they left the stage for the final time, many people remained on their spot with hands clasped under their chins. Perhaps they too were overwhelmed.

Freestyle took over the decks. Whilst it isn’t exactly ideal to perform while a crew is taking down considerable sound equipment directly in front of you, Freestyle nevertheless played like the trooper he is. Starting with what seemed to be hiphop inspired tunage, he bought the energy right down, smoothly shifting into a nujazz vibe whilst keeping to a funked up house edge. Sax lines punctuated the mix, with prince-inspired vocals set against booming offbeat pulses. He introduced computer effects which ranged across the arpeggio and balanced by sublime string patches compensated by roaring house beats and percussion rhythms. I couldn’t help realising that it has been many years since I first saw Freestyle play (I even remember him launching his then latest tune featuring Nadine Francois on vocals at Empire some years back) and like the transmutable beast that he truly is, his style has changed considerably over those years whilst still keeping to the funk house construct. There are few instruments that escape his attention – from sax, to keys, guitar, all areas of the drum kit, percussion, computer, electro, latin rhythms. If it exists, chances are that Freestyle will delve into with all the excitement of a determined child. And Brisbane is truly fortunate to call him a stalwart of its dance scene.

The full moon was still blooming when I left Uber after 3am. From Noel Barkley’s ‘Crazy’ to PTYLTD’s outrageous whimsy and the delights of Crazy Penis, the full moon seemed to beckon me to walk on the wild side for just a mere second. But then, perhaps I already had.

Love and Kisses, Lady Lex