If ever there was party to get you off your couch and onto a dancefloor in winter, it’s Mad Racket. The Queens Birthday long weekend brings with it a distinctly festive air, and tonight the Marrickville Bowling Club is dressed the part for ‘a right royal knees-up’. We arrive to the warm embrace of the Bowlo round midnight, and the atmosphere is buzzing under the copper ceiling.

Regulars in regal get-up and less adventurous dressers alike are easing into it all thanks to an immersive soundtrack from Simon Caldwell, who is in typically consummate form. The feel tonight is distinctly housey thanks to incoming guest Tom Trago of Dutch flagship Rush Hour, and the tunes sound suitably warm and punchy through the sound-system. The bump picks up with Ken Cloud, who hands over to Trago with the dancefloor thoroughly warmed.

Immediately, Trago is reminiscient of Chris Duckenfield (whose set for Racket’s 11th birthday was something to behold) in his presence behind the decks. The restless groove and thick bottom-end is perfectly pitched for the party, and there’s a whole lot of love from the crowd. The set moves at quite a pace, too, bumping between disco, jacking house and heavier gear with deft mixing.

Guilty pleasures like U Don’t Me and Cajmere’s Perculator are cleverly dispensed throughout, before things take a turn for the Detroit-y around 3am thanks to Falling Up; building and building much to the delight of all gathered. A slow, hammering remix of Hot Chip’s One Life Stand is something special, signalling a final hour that’s heavy on the funk. It’s a set that goes straight for the feet, and as ever the dancefloor is right behind it.

For the night’s final stretch, Jimmi James takes it deeper and more measured, and the residents make sure the party is still well and truly alive when the lights (reluctantly) come on. Vintage Mad Racket, really, and another royal success.