I hate fizzer nights. Having left my run too late to get great tickets to one of Sydney’s biggest June long weekend events We Love Sounds at the Hordern Complex, I was equally excited to rock up to the next best thing: the second official after party at YU. With international acts like French house sensations Alan Braxe & Kris Menace pencilled in plus another mystery international guest, as well as local support from the Bang Gang DJs (always worth their set), Johnny Rad and John Glover to name a few, I was expecting big things…….
Let it be said when I go out I like to take in the whole package – venue, music, crowd – even the lighting and so forth. I have always liked YU as a club. It was my second home for about four years on a Sunday night and I have more than a few fond memories of the place. There is plenty of room to dance or chill out and a couple of fast paced bars to grab a frosty beverage. The loos have always been an eyebrow raiser and they only add to the funky atmosphere. Recently renovated, I have to say it looks great. Upstairs at Soho there are pool tables, balconies, chill out areas – something for everyone really.
My first impression when walking toward the club, however, was chaos. There were no signs of the organisation required to hold such an event and people were everywhere. After copping some fairly unwarranted attitude at the door we finally moved into the club. Some progressive house mixed with a little electro was pumping through the speakers and the crowd was revving up for a great night. Moving to the cloak room the line was extensive – what can you expect in winter right? This would not have been an issue for me had this been the reason for the hold up. Instead, as the line grew more impatient, we were confronted with a massive black rubber dildo and a plastic foot being waved in the air and belted on the counter. Funny for 5 minutes yes, but 15 minutes later the joke had worn off and the line had grown clearly unappreciative of the cloak room guy’s sense of humour. Just check in my coat, pppllleeeease!
Now one of the first things I do when I walk into an event such as this is look for a ‘set times’ posting on the wall – no such luck. OK… So who would I be seeing and when? Left to my own devices I rocked upstairs to see what was going on there. The crowd was chatty and fun and the 80s disco pouring from the speakers was a great way to start the night. After losing dismally at pool to a couple of guys with smug looks on their dials I went down stairs to the main room to burn holes in the dance floor. By this time Braxe and Menace had hold of the decks but unfortunately, as I soon found out, not the crowd. I was so disappointed – their set went absolutely nowhere and after a while became – as much as I hate to say it – irritating. A couple of times they sounded as though they would grab the proverbial “bull by the horns” and really get the crowd going but unfortunately failed. I was seriously confused. Alan Braxe was behind one of the biggest anthem albums every released with Intro and Kris Menace was the genius behind Discopolis – what were they thinking here? Restless punters could be heard mumbling over the music – “it isn’t loud enough”, “come on, rev it up a little!” and (unbelievably) “Get off!” As I made my way through the crowd on the dancefloor, most were just standing… waiting for something to happen…for three hours. Me too I have to say.
By the time 2am came around I was tired of waiting and somewhat jilted, needless to say I wasn’t on my own as I departed. At $30 a ticket for the pleasure of attending this afterparty I would have expected roof raising cheers, claps, hugs, woo hoos and more. I would have expected a well organised event with much to offer. I am sure that’s what the rest of the crowd were hoping for too – not this time though huh?
SLIDINGDOORS says...
SLIDINGDOORS says...