Boogs, like Revolver, is something of a Melbourne institution. The guy seems to be spinning everywhere, every weekend. No matter where you look – there’s Boogs. Out on a Friday? There’s Boogs. La Di Da on a Saturday night? Oh, there’s Boogs. Cutting a rug with the Sunday afternoon set at Revolver? You guessed it – Boogs.

Which makes the fact that, being a semi-hardcore (now semi-retired) punter in Melbourne for the last six years, I have never actually seen Boogs all the more astonishing. If I didn’t know better, I could be convinced that Boogs, like his namesake the Boogie Monster, aka Big Foot, is just a big phony, designed to scare the kiddies and keep them in line. But I do know better, and, having already made the inexcusable mistake of growing up in Chicago during the heyday of the Chicago Bulls and never seeing Michael Jordan play, I resolved that I MUST SEE BOOGS.

Which brings me to Revolver.

Friday night had the potential to be one of the most rocking-est nights in memory. Joining Boogs on the ones and twos (and threes, fours, fives and sixes) was the talented Phil K. The show promised these two guns on six Decks and two mixers.

Now, it is often said that bigger is better; two heads are betting than one. Unfortunately, on Friday night that wasn’t the case – in fact, a more apt cliché would be to describe the Phil K and Boogs’ partnership as ‘a team of champions, not a champion team.’

Now, I’m all for DJ teams: Way Out West, Infected Mushroom, Infusion – the list goes on – are amongst the best in the industry. But there’s something to be said for practice and experience, and it was obvious fairly early on that, as a duo, Phil K and Boogs had neither. Their track selection was good, and their skills on the CDJs undeniable. They were just never able to build up any consistent rhythm or pace, leaving yours truly with a serious case of boogie blue balls.

They started off well, mixing St. Germain’s Rose Rouge with some electro beats. From there, the back and forth efforts were at times inspired, at others slightly try hard, and rarely done with any consistent direction. Some of the mixes were so crazy that they actually worked a treat: Public Enemy with some deep, groovy house, Pharoah Monch’s Simon Says, Spiderbait’s Black Betty over some dirty dub step (a helluva mix), and even Michael Jackon’s Bad. On their own, each mix was interesting and fun; strung together with all the rest, and it just didn’t quite hit the spot.

So at the end of the night, after years of searching, I ask myself: have I finally seen Boogs? The answer: inconclusive. So will I keep looking? You can bet your ass.