The plush surrounds of Brisbane’s latest club venture was the scene for the return of the most iconic figure within drum and bass – Goldie.

Obviously the jungle faithful relish the opportunity to hear their sound on the massive scale that it is intended, so it was with some disappointment that The Met’s main room was not to be utilised for this evening. To be fair, given the moderate patronage on the night it was not entirely surprising. A more focussed promotional effort might’ve drawn a crowd to rival that which filled the Family main room a year ago. In speaking with early punters it was apparent that there was a relatively low degree of awareness within jungle circles regarding Goldie’s return.

By virtue of the club’s newness a very different crowd was in attendance than one would usually encounter at a drum and bass event. A distinct element of glamour intermingled with the casual street aesthetic favoured by junglists as the designer label set held sway at The Met. Indeed the level of vanity on display was such that one could be forgiven for thinking that auditions for the sequel to Zoolander were being held that evening. I’m sure I saw Karl Lagerfeld. The atmosphere was stilted as a consequence of this seemingly confused audience. Perhaps having lost their way en route to the GPO, seemingly much of the crowd were only vaguely aware to the impending appearance of one of jungle’s foremost figureheads.

Possibly seeking a tougher sound than Journeyman was dishing up, the scattered junglists that were in attendance were either sticking firmly to the perimeter of the floor, or holding court in one of The Met’s numerous secluded booths. The sound system did not aid his plight, lacking volume, and crucially, clarity. Consequently Journeyman’s selections were rendered sedate and indistinct. The Met are perhaps still in the process of tuning the equipment to the room, or possibly little effort had been made in adjusting to the very different sonic characteristics of drum and bass for the evening. Whatever the case, the sound was unimpressive for a new venue and this no doubt contributed to the subdued ambience at this point of the night.

The substance gold is not known for its magnetic properties, but when the evenings celebrity stepped to the booth the crowd responded with a surge that could only be described as such. While it is not uncharacteristic for a headliner to ignite a crowd, given the previously muted vibe of the room, Goldie’s mere appearance had a definite transformational effect on the tone of the evening. Acknowledging the modest Sunday night gathering, Goldie’s MC Lowqui implored the audience closer to the booth, drawing a second wave of eager punters, seemingly emerging from nowhere.

With a notable rise in volume from the speakers, the floor erupted in a fashion which belied the Sunday night billing. Despite the muddied sound, Goldie engaged the crowd by playfully heckling, dancing and pouring water into their glasses from his perch behind the decks. His zeal was infectious. Even the most unlikely prima donnas of the fashion set were soon getting down with unbridled gusto. One underfed clotheshorse was so enamoured with the junglist onslaught that she felt compelled to sloppily drape herself over the hapless Lowqui. Ever the consummate professional, the English MC continued his vocal duties unperturbed as this Paris wannabe dry-humped his leg.

Musically Goldie played a set which made few concessions for the uninitiated, without foregoing accessibility. Treading a fine line between the rough and smooth, the English icon maintained the interest of the punters by virtue of his diversity. Metalheadz DJs always seem to represent the full spectrum of the genre and this night was no exception. Effectively alternating between rigid steppers and tumultuous broken beats, the dentally enhanced one maintained a consistent ebb and flow of dance floor movement. Surprisingly the crowd remained responsive to even some of the more uncompromising moments such as the hectic conga edits of Digital’s 1995 classic Spacefunk – so much so that the ensuing rewind elicited screams and hollers from the previously inert crowd. The more observant punter might’ve even spied Katch of Resin Dogs fame throwing some serious shapes on the floor. As a dancer, he makes an excellent DJ.

Never the shrinking violet, Goldie didn’t hesitate to lace his set with swathes of his own recordings. Indeed, the unreleased material from his Rufige Kru alias was amongst the strongest material played. Later, an update of Temper Temper would elicit the odd holler of recognition from those who chose not to use their Saturnz Return CD as a novelty drink coaster.

Unfortunately his insistence on rewinding every second track served only to break the continuity of his set. No doubt Goldie is in grave danger of RSI from manically pulling his records backwards for a living. This reviewer lost count after ten and indeed many a drinking game could be conceived on the thinly veiled premise of keeping tally. On at least once occasion this penchant completely killed the momentum – his replay of the vocal synth orgy of John B’s Up All Night being akin to a double serving of Stuffed Crust.

Recovering from the subsequent loss of momentum Goldie peaked the night with a cunning mix of the old and the new which had defined his set. As a simmering half-speed dub infused riddim entered the mix, Lowqui announced it as the title track of Goldie’s forthcoming LP Malice in Wonderland. In spite of its woeful punning title, an unmistakeably Amit-esque foray into
Jamaican beat play unfurled before exploding into a characteristically bombastic blast of splintering drum shards. After the obilgatory rewind he farewelled the gathered with a majestic pairing of his own Inner City Life and LTJ Bukem’s celestial Atlantis.

The Met has shown great initiative by showcasing such a high profile drum and bass artist at this early point in its short life. Hopefully the crowd response on Sunday night will ensure the continuance of acts beyond the realms of house at this swank new venue. The crowd’s willingness to dance to unfamiliar material was notable considering that similar tunes would’ve almost surely cleared most Brisbane dance floors in years past. Indeed, a time of change is upon us – the massive now waits with baited breath for a possible main room outing in the future.