The glorious 4th of July became a night to celebrate Independence day, Australian style. I found myself at The Family, with a thrill in my head and a pen in my hand. I was there to see the DJs spinning under the collective label Vicious Sound System. Headlining was a who’s who of the Australian DJ circuit, Melbourne’s John Course and SGT Slick with Perth’s Mind Electric along for the ride. John Course has assembled his crew here tonight under the Vicious tag, a record label he co-owns. The label has a reputation for producing credible talent who sustain long careers on both local and distant shores.

As I make my way to Family’s Main Room, I am struck by the sheer mass of movement. With limbs all around, it’s clear people have united over John Course. This man is a pro; with over seventeen years in the biz, not only is he renowned for his amazing six hour sets, but he keeps the dance floor full and the music diverse. He’s definitely in top form as he drops Fatboy Slim’s old school track Right Here, Right Now. His set persuades me into a comfortable trance-like state.

The crowd here tonight is eclectic, though they share an obvious passion for D.A.N.C.E. It appears the folks who frequent The Family have come here to party like it’s 1999 and they certainly bring enough stamina to last the night. Mind Electric flows on from John Course, and having made his mark on the German club scene in Hamburg, Kristian Jackson has sexed up the electro sound into something the people of Brisvegas love to hear- dirty, dirty disco. As I watch him spin, I find him utterly compelling. Not only does he lip sync to most of his tracks, but he breaks out with a random two step or a massive whoop whenever the vibe overcomes him. You can tell he’s loving what he does and that makes him all the more enjoyable to watch.

Amid a clattering of rhythms, Mind Electric gives way to SGT Slick. The man goes by as many as ten aliases and is surely no stranger to the big room in clubs. His remixes tonight include bootleg offerings of dance floor favourites and a solid spin of his chart topping favourite White Treble, Black Bass. The pumped up crowd continue to take SGT Slick’s offerings with just as much energy as they did earlier.

Although I haven’t been to The Family for almost two years, I can see now that it hasn’t changed much, and that’s a good thing. As a venue, The Family is old school clubbing at its best with a progressive edge. The Family have made it their mission to bring back the renaissance of clubbing while still pushing the envelope. This means dance music and music for the sake of dancing. Incorporating lighting shows worthy of a Pink Floyd concert, and visuals that are simple while at the same time overwhelming, The Family is purely a kinaesthetic experience. You have to use all of your senses- sight, touch, taste, smell, and not least, your hearing- in order to elevate your experience of the music.

By the wee hours of Sunday morning, I left The Family to pursue my Americana cravings. Needless to say, my night concluded at the hog dog stand: give me a crusty dog, with mustard and cheese. God bless America.