Conformity is unlikely to be a word in the lexicon of Lee Rous and Andy Gardener, better known as the Plump DJs. In the studio they skillfully blend breakbeat with other styles such as funk, techno and hip hop; they release DJ-friendly vinyl instead of solely focusing on for the more lucrative CD single market; and, at a time when the breakbeat scene is not as vibrant as it once was, they spend three weeks gigging across Australia instead of the often practice of hitting a few festivals and then quickly moving on.
Not that Melbourne is complaining! Following on from their festival appearance at The Hot BBQ on January 1, the Plump DJs did a more intimate gig for a near-capacity crowd at the Prince Bandroom on January 11. By the time their set started, Melbourne-based Lynt had done a brilliant job warming up the crowd. He was rewarded with the vast majority of the crowd dancing to his offering of the more traditional style of breaks that Melbourne is accustomed to, and he seemed genuinely satisfied with his efforts after handing over to the Plumps.
Lee and Andy started the set by showing their musical versatility – a more traditional breaks track merged into a cross of breaks mixed with techno, then breaks with hip hop, and finally breaks with electro. This kind of sparse variety continued for the first half of their two-hour set, with the boys alternating mixing duties between themselves for 3-4 tracks at a time. Whilst one was mixing the other would often address the crowd, revving them up with their arm gestures matching the track build-ups which they were obviously very familiar with. The crowd loved it, responding in unison. The second half of the set was spent with the boys alternating mixing duties amongst themselves less often. There was a more consistent and fast paced style of breaks.
Overall breaks crossed with electro was the main flavour of the night. A few classic tracks also blended into the mix, including Poison by The Prodigy and some Beastie Boys. Lee and Andy also played some of their own tracks, including latest release System Addict, which drew a great response. Sound and lighting were excellent, as is to be expected for the Prince Bandroom.
With the crowd staying on for the majority of the set, most of whom never left the dance floor, the Plump DJs clearly knew how to satisfy the Melbourne crowd with their eclectic style of breaks. Rebelling against conformity has its rewards, and Melbourne well and truly cashed in on it!
