Getting the nod to do a Balance compilation is becoming quite a badge of honour for a DJ as the forward-thinking series continues to grow in reputation. While much is made of the quality of the Balance brand, there is also much to be said for the quality parties that tend to accompany the launch of their new CDs. Canadian DJ Luke Fair was thus sliding into some fairly sizable shoes. Having listened to some recent live sets from Fair, I was unsure about what to expect; many of his recent gigs seemed to me to be a little bland. However, his Balance CD has been getting some very worthy reviews and as with every other CD launch, there was a solid buzz surrounding his Australian visit.

Upon arrival at The Cross, the new home of Sydney’s Sweetchilli parties since late last year, Crispin was laying down a bed of deep, crisp and altogether techy beats. Bodies were already moving on the dancefloor and the club was filling up nicely. The front bar at The Cross is an excellent place to get warmed up and within minutes of arriving, the Jagermeister made the first of many unwelcome appearances throughout the evening. How this drink has become the tipple of choice in Sydney clubs is beyond me. Worst. Hangover. Ever!

Anyhow, back to the music. The more times I see Robbie Lowe, the more I ponder on then possibility that he may actually have magical powers. Playing a warm up set for a major international is never an easy task: you are not there to steal the limelight, but instead to whet the appetites and tease the punters so that the headline act is allowed to shine. Robbie does this better than almost anyone in Sydney. Obviously conscious of Luke Fair’s style, he really funked things up at about 12:30, dropping the Tom Middleton mix of Dirty Laundry’s Bittersweet; and the dancefloor started to bounce. He pulled it back nicely though for the last 15 minutes of his set, giving some musical space to the incoming international guest.

Luke Fair took over at 1am. For the first hour, he was firmly in deep house territory – there is nothing necessarily wrong with that, but after an hour it all started to sound, dare I say it, generic. I was hungry for some of that trademark funk and it just wasn’t coming. Technically, Fair certainly knows his way around a DJ box. His mixing was clinical and his transitions and phrasing were bang-on. And thankfully, about half way through his three-hour session behind the decks he did begin to step things up. There was a shift to the chunky basslines and soaring melodies for which he is renowned, with tracks like The Doppler Effect The Deep sending melodic shivers through the crowd.

But overall, Fair’s set lacked that intangible ‘hook’ – that X-factor that keeps you firmly transfixed and wondering where you will be taken next. I never felt connected to the dancefloor, never felt that mad rush of hedonistic energy that good DJs can deliver. But I still had a damn good dance!

Matt Rowan took over at 4am and stopped the music so we could all give Luke a bit of love. To Matt’s credit, as he kicked off he lifted the intensity another notch. Starting with one of his own productions, he belted out his trademark sound of upfront, melodic progressive. I wanted to hear more but the body was having none of it.

While it was not the best Balance launch I’ve ever been to, that doesn[‘t mean it wasn’t still a great night. The bar for the Balance parties has been set incredibly high with the Mojo and Masiello launches rating as some of the best gigs I’ve been to. Luke Fair’s gig has certainly done nothing to tarnish this enviable reputation.