In 2010, the Melbourne trance scene is booming thanks to an influx of international tours and events, inherently promoting widespread appreciation and popularity. Several differing crews offer their take on the ultimate trance night, however, one that has stood out from the rest over the last two years is KillRockStar’s one-off creation Airport* in 2008. After much demand, the KillRockStar crew announced a highly anticipated return on the 2nd of July featuring Sied van Riel (NL) and Simon Patterson (UK) . After leaving firm imprints upon Australians during their previous tours, the pair were welcomed back by 1200+ people at Billboard The Venue.

At 11:30, we were greeted by a queue that stretched into Little Bourke Street that slowly shuffled into the depths of balmy Billboards. Surprisingly, it was cooler than usual however their notorious sound system was in full-force as it literally punched the air and shook the ground. Luckily, effective earplugs were available for $2 from the cloak room. The stage was beautifully lit with two halves of an airplane (as seen at the first Airport in 2008) lodged into the ground vertically, housing a semi-circle DJ booth with Sied van Riel taking the floor. An MC welcomed him onto the stage – though he would later disrupt many moments (much to the crowd’s distaste).

Sied’s set delivered an array of delightful tracks that got the crowd moving and shaking , including Marcel Woods’ The Bottle and Marco V’s Unprepared. Sied’s stage presence is playful and interactive, and he provided a warm show for his fans. You could tell he was having a blast (this would only amplify upon hearing the news that his home country’s football team defeated Brazil in the World Cup). He threw a t-shirt into the crowd, and then threw his headphones into the air without realising he had 15 minutes left to play!! How does a DJ cue up and beatmatch the next track without his headphones? Well, he doesn’t! He just brings in the next track once the other finishes!

The crowd flooded the dancefloor at 2am to roar for the talented and charming, Simon Patterson. His magnetism is unquestionable, as he had followers eating from the palm of his hand with adoring eyes. Without hesitation, Patterson pushed up the BPM and took us on a tech-trancey journey predominantly consisting of his own productions such as Smack, Us, Thump, Always, and Bulldozer as a finale. Patterson stirred excitement through his powerful track selection, and decided to crowd surf during the peak of his set; revelers sailed him along the groping hands, all elated to have touched the DJ. He certainly knew how to make his crowd feel loved and provided photo opportunities and autographs after he finished playing.

Overall, Airport was a successful night with a full crowd and great music. We look forward to the next installment – hopefully at a bigger venue!