Well, it’s very nice to know that the spirit of dance music, as something to bring people together to have a bangin’ good time, is alive and well with the Bootleg Brothers and their friends. This was one of the most fun gigs that this reviewer has seen in a very long time. It was not a night for high precision, ‘superstar DJ’ performances; it was more like just a group of good mates – who happen to be great DJs too – sharing the decks and putting on a show simply for the fun of it.

The night started a little slowly, the dismal weather no doubt keeping some of the fainthearted at home. But those of us who braved the rain and wind to make the trek to Odessey Superclub in Bunbury were rewarded with a night to treasure. The Bootleg Boys and their posse were in Bunbury to shake up the locals a little, and boy did they do that.

The show started pretty much as soon as the doors were opened to the punters, with Len Bones spinning out the crowd warmers. There was nothing too demanding for the early audience, with a little Missy Elliot and Salt & Peppa to kick things off. Although it seemed to take Len a few tracks to relax into his set, once he warmed up the confidence increased and the tunes got meatier. There was a little taste of many styles in the initial part of the set, and this set the pattern for the evening. There was no overriding musical theme; instead all the members of the crew seemed to be sharing their records around, it was like they were just playing whatever appealed at the time, but somehow it all flowed well.

The opening sets showed a funky, fun groove, just right for getting people in the mood, with even a little Michael Jackson ‘Don’t Stop till You Get Enough’ sounding right when dropped into the mix. Mono Lisa took over the decks next, throwing in a crowd pleasing mix of Groove Armada’s Superstylin’ that served to melt any remaining reserve in the room. The music then got a little more bitey as Miles Blake took his turn and the bass really started giving our ears a thumping with some tasty electro beats.

The crowd was pretty sparse for a club the size of Odessey, but every person there was obviously enjoying the vibe, with even some amateur break dancers on the floor at one stage, whose lack of skill was more than made up for by the their enthusiasm and the great time they were having. Although Bunbury isn’t often treated to these kinds of beats, Ben, Philly and the crew managed to find the right balance between more sophisticated electro sounds and better known tracks, mashing up tunes like INXS’s New Sensation with pounding bass lines that ripped up the dance floor in all the best ways. The guys and gal were swapping deck duties frequently all night, keeping energy levels high and giving the whole bunch of them time to enjoy the music as much as we all were.

What made the night special was how much all the DJs were enjoying themselves, having a dance in front of the booth, cheering each other on and mingling freely with the audience. It was refreshing to see a group of skilled turntablists with absolutely no pretension about them, indeed, their whole vibe invited you to join in, make merry, and dance your shoes off. Although plagued by some technical problems due to less than ideal equipment, the quality of the mixing, and the DJs ability to read the crowd was spot on.

It was a pleasure to see Philly spin the wheels when his turn came, his smooth style and effortless mixing showing why The Bootlegs are such a hit with crowds wherever they play. His partner in crime, Ben Mac, showed the same brand of professional ease combined with a sense of fun that made it impossible to stop the feet moving and the arms waving. Both guys gave a nearly flawless performance every time they took the decks, although it would have been nice to see a little more of Phil up the front. There were some electrifying moments when he took control of the decks, but it would have been nice to hear a little more of his compelling mixes.

As the night went on the hits kept coming thick and fast, the tracks the crew picked were nicely judged to interest the new listeners present, while others were just edgy enough to satisfy the more knowledgeable club goers. The drops were solid, repeatedly building up and having us hanging on tenterhooks before exploding with a luscious, boshing eruption of bass power. There was a little bit of something for everyone on the night, from Daft Punk to New Order, through to Mylo and the Gorillas.

A definite highlight of the show was Miles’ exuberant mix of Vital Signs, that had everyone up and dancing, and fists punching the air. A serving of Freeform Five’s recently updated remix of ‘No Conversations’ was a big hit, as was the well recieved ‘He Doesn’t Love You’ from Hook n Sling with Sarah McLeod’s gorgeous whiskey soaked vocals. Perennial crowd favourite, House of Pain’s ‘Jump Around’ also got an airing, much to everyone’s enjoyment.

After that the tracks started getting nice and dark and heavy for a while, with all the DJs swapping back and forward, and egging each other on to drop one fat break after another. The vibe was cranking by this time, with the crowd’s increasingly enthusiastic reaction feeding the DJs, who in return just kept cranking up the intensity of the music in a vibrant feedback that had the club jumping.

This was no ground breaking selection of tunes, but it was undeniably the right assortment for the time and place. It’s not often that Bunbury is lucky enough to host quality out-of-town DJs, and The Bootleg Brothers is exactly the kind of act to wake up the local scene and create demand for more nights like this. Odessey has the potential to be a great live dance music venue, and tonight was absolutely a step in the right direction by management and new Venue Promotions manager Dani Oliver.

One thing that could be improved upon for future shows was the visuals shown on the large video screen on the back wall. Any kind of cool graphics could have been displayed, but instead it screened a collection of random TV and movie clips that really didn’t do anything to impress or interest the crowd, or complement the music being played. Possibly a few more lights around the place wouldn’t go astray either; most areas of the club were so dim it was difficult to see where you were walking, not really an ideal situation given the state of some partiers by the end of a night!

The Bootleg collective had brought along their partners and friends, and there was almost a family atmosphere amongst them. The whole group was friendly, approachable, and damn good fun to hang out with, frankly. They were only too happy to talk about their music and their club night, and their evident passion for what they do translated into a great feel-good atmosphere for all present.

Before the show I really didn’t know what to expect from a Bootleg night and neither did most of the other people who attended. It was my great pleasure to find the whole thing exceeded all my expectations, a reaction common to all who were lucky enough to tune in and drop right out for the evening. Even the under capacity crowd seemed a gift, giving the evening the air of a private party for special friends.

That’s what set Bootleg apart from so many other live dance acts, especially those of some ‘big name’ performers; it was sociable, interactive, dynamic, and above all, absolutely great fun. And isn’t that the feeling dance music events should leave you with? If you’ve never made it to a Bootleg event, do yourself a favour and check them out – you won’t regret it.