The Earthdance party is a global social movement that strives to foster environmental sustainability and peace. Wandering around Docklands looking for Shed 4, we finally spotted it and the energy of the people and the place was instantly contagious. A far cry from the Collingwood Child’s Farm last year, it was great to have a different venue and one which I had never experienced. With the sun shining and the wind in my hair I was ready for the day ahead.

Arriving at around 11am, the crowd was still sparse but gave me an opportunity to check the place out. On entering there was a large cordoned off outside area with an array of stalls and tents. There was a massage tent, a tent with paints and toys for the kids, market stalls and the food and amenities facilities scattered around. Moving through I entered the Shed, which immediately blew me away the level of production and time spent in making it what it was. With a large polka-dot mushroom with fairies inside, two large domes with cushions and beanbags for relaxing, I move through to the stage. The stage area is incredible with enormous screens projecting visuals on either side, a large stage for the artists of the day, and even the cockpit of an aeroplane where the DJ was situated. I was certainly impressed by the sheer scale of the party, and at this point the Agency Dub Collective was rocking out with a few keen individuals already up and dancing.

A very relaxing early Sunday afternoon was on the cards, enjoying a few drinks in the sun while the crowd trickled in. The crowd was a warped mixture of angels and elves, and everything inbetween which was not only good for the atmosphere, but also evident of their support for the cause. On main stage at around 2pm Benza played his DJ set followed by Continuum. They catered to their set time and provided some bouncy tunes that warmed the crowd for the electronic escapades that were to follow later. The day was a blend of DJs, live acts and performers, which gave great variation and wider appeal. It should also be noted that most, if not all of the artists who played volunteered their time for the party, which should be congratulated.

Earthdance is a not-for-profit organization that has donated large sums of money to deserving charities for over a decade now, and the proceeds from Sunday will be going towards five different charities, including Skateism – which is Afghanistan’s first co-ed skating school. After witnessing a slightly disturbing yet nonetheless entertaining performance of a monster (man in purple) on a rope outside, with the cloud cover approaching overhead I booted back inside.

From 4:30pm we had a couple of hours of live acts to enjoy while heading into the depths of night. By this stage the arena was buzzing with energy and I met many excited people. Spoonbill was performing on stage and many punters were drawn to his music. Over the next couple of hours we heard a wide array of musical styles, one of my favourites was a tune which sounded like Romanian folk music with the accordion. Had to dance to that one! Dexter and Oblique Industries were stand-outs for me as far as the live acts go, and knocked my socks off with their eclectic musical abilities, providing unpredictability but with a consistent force to their music which I liked. Also, a woman with a large metal wand who danced and did tricks whilst sparks were flying out either end blew my mind, and on inspection, everyone around me.

Around 8pm Heath Myers came on for his DJ set. Providing a progressive psychedelic soundscape he engaged everyone in the shed. Becoming noticeably packed, the discord was interrupted by four large pillars which shot out bursts of flames to the beat of Myers, who was increasing the intensity of his sound. The laser setup was insane, with diagonals and vertexes exploding at you, it was one of the best I’ve experienced recently which begs the question; if an event charging $15 entry that goes to charity can pull off something of this magnitude, then what are you paying for to go to a big event which has half the production value? The lasers were reflected off hanging mobiles made of CDs which was inventive and had a great effect. At 8:30pm Nyquist was pumping some more full-on tracks to bring us to the business end of the party. With a detonation of power and transcendent feelings that trance provides, the shed was rocking the roof off. Nyquist was undoubtedly my favourite of the day who you could tell was loving it in the cockpit AKA DJ booth. The multi-colored flame thrower that burns five different colors was a spectacle to see, and with in-sync music and flame, the party was out of control.

Unfortunately having to leave early due to commitments the next day, I missed the closing ceremony which I heard was magnificent. With a vast array of people, music and arts and crafts, the day was a shining example of what can be achieved to nurture the world we live in. With a simultaneous party with scores of countries across the world, Earthdance promotes a healthy lifestyle, the environment and peace. The organizers and artists should be stoked with the day, which was a raging success in all facets. Thanks Earthdance.