Considering my most recent visit to Honkytonk’s resulted me scoring 2 free tickets to Roy Davis Jr at F4 from an anonymous male at the bar and being disco pash-attacked by an anonymous hot female against a toilet cubicle wall (it all happened so fast) –I was quietly confidant my next visit to Honkys on Friday to see Kevin Saunderson would also provide plenty of entertainment.

Captain Kate and I had been excitedly anticipating this gig for weeks, and were ready for some serious dancing of the dancefloor. Bounding up to the door at eager o’clock, Kate demands to know from the Honky gatekeepers why there was no queue yet… seems we got there pretty early. This gave us plenty of time to fill up on champagne & cigarettes while talking over the top of one another, meeting up with friends & familiar faces while Honkys quickly filled with what seemed to be a friendly crowd. Slightly sideways, we hit the dancefloor to enjoy Melbourne’s Spacey & Boogs (my “2002 Golden Year Of Revolver DJ’s”) who actually both looked like they were having a fabulous time. With only a couple more Honky months left before closure, it was important we immediately get started on our last hurrahs.

Soon after the man known as “The Elevator” slipped through a captivated crowd to the decks, and did not hesitate in jumping in & immediately blasting out some serious party music. There was such a feeling of anticipation in the air, the club was explosive with expectation. This is a dj whose 20 year history of making beautiful bangin music had a room full of already captivated people who seem sure they’re about to step into something good. Kevin’s first track – Carl Craig’s remix of Theo Parrish’s ‘Falling Up’ – had the dancefloor immediately going nuts. Noticeably, a gang of dancefloor nazis were elbowing us trying to get down to the front, trying to hustle everyone out of pole position to get as close to the action as possible. Kate & I didn’t budge however – we love how the baby grand functions as convenient drink coaster, cloak room and handbag holder right in the middle of the dancefloor.

We danced up a storm along with the rest of the club; hoardes of Kevin fans present to kick on the wild fast funky ride. The crowd could not have been more up for it – rocking to the funky, techhy beats reminding me of house music a few years back when house was big, and beefier! Not the current style on Nova that makes us cry. Kevin Saunderson’s house seduces with sexy vocals, chunky funky beats & bass, you can’t NOT shake your booty on the dancefloor… I was having Frequent Freakazoid Flashbacks!

Not wasting any time in whipping us into a frenzy, Kevin amped up the craziness some more throwing us one of his most recognised tracks. Honky’s clientele had big shuffling, shimmying shaking pole dancing fun to “Big Fun”, huge smiles breaking out on almost every face in the room… Hands in the air, hands clapping in appreciation… hands on my ass??! I’m having the time of my life until I get the full rear groping assault from the 2nd dickwad of the night (the 1st tried to pull my dress off) and for the second time an uncharecteristic evil threat spilled out of my mouth in retaliation (I told the first guy I’d set his dreadlocks on fire and melt his face off) and I spin around & snap to the groper guy “Do you want to go home uglier than you already are?”....

How could anyone get aggro in the middle of Kevin Saunderson? So I’m kind of squashed up against the wall (still dancing though) behind my 3 heavies, feeling a bit ripped off & unhappy with new bit of dancefloor. Groper guy is still eye stalking me & shouting at me, his friend is apologising to us over & over, (until we had to ask him to please stop), and eventually he disappeared towards the exit in search of whatever Night Rider he’d be catching home. Next time I might just shut my mouth, as going home facially disfigured would really have fucked with my chi.

Back to join Captain Kate in front row, determined to party on, Kevin kicked up the pace for the final peak of his set keeping the crowd in a jumping frenzy with his use of the eq’s, hammering us with an awesome hi hat track, dishing up a few more techno based tracks & slipping in a remix of ‘Good Life’.

Just before 4am Kevin Saunderson finished up his set to heaps of noise of appeciation from the masses. It was awesome experiencing a dj perform who shaped a sound, a scene and a style; who’s continued love for sharing music that moves you deserves him his rank as dj diety.