The Optimo DJs finally made their way to Australia last weekend, bringing their legendary mix and blend to the gaudy decor of the Mandarin Club. To me, the upstairs restaurant always feels like an old pair of counterfeit trainers: well worn, slightly whiffy and trimmed with an edge of 1970s Chinese psychedelia, but also very comfortable. And big ups go to the local promoters HaHa Industries for wheeling in a meaty and decent sized 4-channel PA. From the start, this was going to be a quad-rocking Optimo experience.
The Optimo legend is increasingly name-dropped as the hottest, craaaziest, Sunday night wunderclub world wide. You want to see reformation gigs of NYC post-punk pioneers? How about one-off live shows from techno gods, or a special hybrid sound system from the most hyped underground producer you’ve never heard of? Its all at Optimo, brought to you by DJs JD Wilkes and Twitch. On top of the live shows, the two Glasgow DJs have pioneered the art of genre wrecking, somehow managing to weave threads of dancefloor groove out of seemingly disparate tracks. Wilkes and Twitch spent a decade cutting their teeth as four-to-the-floor techno DJs, as well as producers of remix and re-edit work. And it’s that vision which informs the Optimo mystique, and you can leave any chin-stroking, arms-crossed wall-flower po-faced ideas about genres and DJ orthodoxy at the door.
The Optimo experience is where you might find a nice comfortable groove in a piece of modern tech house, only to have it morph into a 1970s novelty record you haven’t heard since childhood; but you’re hearing it now and the drums are awesome. It’s a night of italo-house synth arpeggios mashed on top of your favourite funky post-punk guitar loops. Or maybe clean techno drum loops sequenced along disco diva vocals. The records stretched from crowd pleaser sure-fire hits like the Eurythmics and Prince into 80s disco from Loose Joints and Midnight Star, 2008 disco from Love Affair, that awesome remix of Jodeci (“every single night and every single day, I want to freak you baby in every single way”) into the swamp-rock funk of Creedence Clearwater or Primus or ACDC, go-go-tastic drum breaks from Rich Harrison, absurdist horn tracks from Herbert. And the list goes on and on.
It sounds messy on paper, but the combined talents of Twitch and Wilkes mean that they never loose the funk. Optimo sometimes gets unfairly compared to perhaps more accessible acts like 2 Many DJs, but the record collection of Twitch and Wilkes flow deeper than yours or mine, and they will make you dance with music from far outside any typical club playlist. It’s all groovy, and so much fun. The happy punters on Saturday night were treated to buckets of Optimo good vibes, and I for one can’t wait till they return.
RachelLincoln says...
Why oh why did they play the same weekend as The Playgrounder? I work in the legendary SubClub in Glasgow which plays host to their seminal Sunday nights and though it ain't the same as it used to be, it always has the potential to blow you away.
a_lister says...
there was a bit of a mix-up and it was intially understood to be the following weekend ...what do you do ...say 'no, sorry Sydney your not gonna get to experience some subbie goodness" or... twas a great night regardless ...and you never know, you may just be here for the next round!