Friday nights at Ambar are always something to look forward to and last week was no exception. The mighty Aquasky was on the bill, plus all the usual Ambar suspects including DJs Micah, Wish and Marty McFly. My friends and I had been looking forward to this gig for weeks so we tackled the long haul up from Bunners in high spirits.

Arriving at the club around 10.30pm the mood was festive both inside and out, despite there not being too many punters in just yet. Marty McFly was spinning out the crowd pleasers and the dance floor was already shaking. I’m not sure what it is about Ambar that makes it standout from other clubs in Perth at the moment – perhaps it’s the generally friendly crowd, or the consistently great acts that are booked, as well as the resident djs – but something is working really well at this venue.

When Ambar’s favourite son Micah took to the decks the party was well and truly under way. This was a high energy, pump your hands in the air set from the local breaks maestro, the perfect build-up to the main event. The drops came hard and fast, Micah was whistling and cheering the crowd into a frenzy and we were ready to rock!

By now the venue was packed and the atmosphere was electric with expectation. It was time for Aquasky’s Kieron Bailey to take to the stage. For the next two hours we were treated to some of the best, most original hardcore breaks and electro that I have ever heard. The beauty of this set was that most of the tracks were completely new to us. When I spoke to Kieron about this after the show he told me that the advantage of Aquasky having their own label is that new tracks are sent to them all the time, hence the unique nature of the tunes.

It did seem that he took a little time to warm up, but after three or four tracks the vibe was going strong. Goose’s I Believe was an early hit with the audience, thoroughly energising the dance floor and getting everyone cheering. Kieron played the decks like a pro, never missing a beat for the whole set. Although he looked a little tired and didn’t seem to interact with the crowd to the extent of someone like Micah, the sheer strength of the tracks and the professionalism with which they were presented ensured a much higher than average experience for all of us.

This is the fifth year that Aquasky have been playing at Ambar and they have gained a very large and loyal following here, as evidenced by the reaction to the track Girls and Boys from the group’s Team Players album. Another treat was a great version of Daft Punk’s Aerodynamic. This was a beat heavy and bass heavy set that never let up for a moment. Looking around the club it seemed that everyone there was busting their groove thang in the most serious way, and all the time with a huge smile on every face.

It wasn’t all unknown tunes though, with more commercial tracks such as Calvin Harris’ Acceptable in the 80’s featuring later in the set. Although it seemed to be over all too quickly, the set lasted for a good couple of hours, but eventually it was time for us to say goodbye to Aquasky and DJ Wish took over on the decks. We had been spoiled with a set the likes of which you rarely get to hear, and all present were more than satisfied with the visit from our overseas friend.

Talking to Kieron later I got some idea of the band’s love of playing Ambar; apart from being their fifth year playing here, Kieron had flown in from the UK just the day before, and was flying home the very next day. For those who don’t realise, that’s about 40 plus hours of flying in three days, just to play a two hour set for us in Perth – Aquasky, we salute you! (Now I understand why he looked a little tired!)

All this seems even more incredible when you consider how busy the band is at the moment. They are working on their own new album, and have just completed work on a compilation breaks album This Way Up, which features a number from our own Micah and Nick Thayer, Scrambler. Kieron tells me Aquasky have just signed Nick Thayer to their own label too, big ups to Nick!

All in all, it was a great night. Solid bouncing beats and breaks from our own posse of djs, and massive new tracks from the unbeatable Aquasky. Can’t wait for the next show!