Earlier this year, renowned Detroit DJ and producer Recloose, aka Matt Chicoine, made the trek to Australia from his new digs in Wellington, over the Tasman. The producer of dancefloor classics like Dust and Cardiology arrived with his eight-piece band in tow and we were treated to his take on fusing techno, house, hip hop and funk in the most organic form possible with live vocals and instruments. A good friend who saw them in Melbourne at the iconic Revolver said it was one of the most memorable dancefloor acts she’d witnessed in more than a decade of parties.

So it was with this in mind that we arrived at the bowlo. Though we got there not far from midnight, the floor was empty save for the decorations adorning the stage and ceiling. A verdant forest had been recreated – yes, trees were harmed for our entertainment – with lush umbrella tree fronds strung over the floor, silk and real flowers on the stage and plastic vines on the speakers lit up by coloured flood lights and star-like spots. It was the most intricate decoration this reviewer has seen here, and the Bowl-O-Sonic mirror ball, as they dub it, shone like a cluster of polished candelabras, awaiting the gentle shuffle of dancers below. We grabbed a drink and took up position, while Jimmi James played a dubbed-down set more conducive to chatting and lounging to partying. It was not to stay like this, of course.

Recloose took the stage at about 1am and, looking more like a member of Ole’ Dirty Bastard’s posse than the musician he’s renowned for, took things up a notch. The floor rapidly filled up, pool games were abandoned and things suddenly got very quiet: unless you were on the dancefloor. Suddenly, people appeared from nowhere, and they were treated to a set which started off more housey, before stripping back to something more tech and acid-tinged. The sound got minimal and the dancing reflected that … we repaired to the bar where somehow we managed to buy half a dozen tiny piccolo bottles of bubbly for not much money at all.

By now Recloose’s set wasn’t doing much for me – stripped back, edgy, almost glitchy at times, it was good at the start of the night but not as deep as I was looking for later. Like an unsaid prayer answered, Simon Caldwell took to the stage and really, he kicked things up another notch altogether. Without doubt a master purveyor of sound, he picked up where Recloose was flagging and really got things going with deep lush house cutting through the minimal guff just as we were flagging. The floor filled up again, and this time it was with feeling. Where techno and minimal can get you racing when played at the right time and volume, it still takes something organic – like a vocal or drum – to give it that human touch. He blended into house, then jazzed it up a little before throwing in a good dose of funk and before long, the majority of those left were dancing and not lounging about as they’d been earlier.

Simon’s set was no shine off Recloose’s but it shows just how good he is and how well he knows how to play to this crowd. We left as the clock touched 7am, satisfied with our experience and vowing to come again, if not drink again. The pub-style prices here really can’t be beat and the crowd, again a sea of smiling, friendly faces is a hard one to beat in this town. Well done.