There’s something special about a local Mad Racket. The combination of all local DJs, non-maddening crowds, cheaper ticket prices and Marrickville Bowling Club’s all-year-round lower drink prices work their alchemy best on nights like these and, invariably, a little magic is conjured.

So it was at Saturday’s instalment, dubbed ‘A Night at the Oasis’ with special guest Annabelle Gaspar of Bad Dog fame. Despite obvious parallels in their music and venues, this reporter was astonished that a DJ of Annabelle’s calibre had never played Racket before, so it was with eager anticipation that we made our way back under the bowlo’s pressed copper ceilings, ignoring the fatigue gained from moving house earlier in the day.

In his opening missive, Racketeer Ken Cloud called the theme a musical oasis amid the industrial surrounds of the club, but really it was more an oasis for party people seeking a change from the same same of a Sydney night out. Gone were the door queues and now even the need to sign in, as we were ushered inside to the sound of Ken’s minimal, bleepy mix designed to wake the dancefloor from its slumber, something we were fighting ourselves with sore feet, tired arms and rental van sunburns.

The main dancefloor was decked out again in verdant foliage, like it was for Recloose back in May. Giant speaker stacks were already pushing the sorts of low frequencies Racket is renowned for, and with everyone spread out reclining on couches we didn’t have to wait long for our first drink of many.

The great thing about a local Racket is often you can head there thinking no one you know will be there then, surprise, everyone is. We’d not made it to the pokies for a quick cigarette before we’d bumped into people we knew and before long, a crew had gathered around. Friends came up from the dancefloor wearing big smiles, a guy floated past in a sleeveless safari suit (an earlier-in-the-day Salvos find) and others marvelled at how refreshing it was to be at a party where you could actually talk to people and not shout at them. In a twist that made my night I ended up bumping into a cousin I’d not seen in years, catching up on a side of her life far removed from the formal, sedate family lunches I’d last seen her at. Racket magic moment #1.

By the time Annabelle came on at 1am the place was classic Racket. Starting on an edgy electro tip, you could barely see her over the decks, samplers and equipment on the stage but you could sure tell she was there! Rolling through tracks by artists as diverse as the LCD Soundsystem, the Youngsters, Derrick Carter and others I’d heard before at DJ T at Club 77 while working effects relentlessly, she managed to move from electro into deeper territory, seamlessly seguing into her trademark ‘flat beat’ with basslines like no other sort of dance music I know of; the sort that vibrates your insides, caresses your brain, brings a smile to your face and makes your feet (no matter how tired they are from lugging boxes earlier) start dancing.

Only Racket has a sound system capable of pumping out bass at this level, and with Annabelle at the helm it sounded sweeter than ever. And what a set it was: three hours of tracks I couldn’t pick out or warped to the edge of recognition. If you ever see Annabelle on a bill somewhere do yourself a favour and go and see her. Her sound is totally unique. Magic moment #2.

The night ended with head Racketeer Jimmi James adding a techno flavour, working in the odd crowd pleaser like Isolee’s take on Recloose’s Cardiology, WetMuzik-like drums and the fat-laced funk he’s known for. We left completely satisfied, tired from a good dance and feeling a bit worn out. Was it the music, or was it the move?

Given the scuffs on our dancing shoes it looks like Racket had worked its magic once more! Nice hat-trick there Racketeers – see you next month.