Over a five year period, Loosekaboose has steadily built a reputation for hosting the best in local talent, and with names like Alphatown, Mike Callander, Michelle Owen, Robbie Lowe and Jamie Stevens over the years, it was little surprise that a 5th birthday in its honour would feature anything but a similarly quality line-up. Quality indeed, and with the line-up featuring no less than Christian Vance and Deepchild ably supported by Claire Morgan and Jimi Polar, things were shaping up rather nicely.

A change in venue a few days before may have put a few noses out of joint, but come Saturday night, it looked like it had done little to curb people’s enthusiasm. As we bustled downstairs to the somewhat discreet city enclave on Pitt St, the crowd was taking advantage of some cheap drinks and getting nicely lubed up, in preparation for a big night.

Local girl (and for a touch of nostalgia, the first ever Loosekaboose resident) Claire Morgan, got things warmed up nicely. As far as warm-ups go, there was little to fault. As the crowd began to trickle in steadily closer to midnight, it was Jimi Polar that launched into a set loaded with energy, enthusiasm and heaps of bounce.

The crowd reacted accordingly, and this was quickly shaping up to be the best 5th birthday party I’d ever been to. It is also probably the most alcohol I’ve seen consumed at a 5th birthday. Unbeknownst to most of us though, and just as things were going so well, the venue’s managers on the night decided that any previous agreements made regarding closing time of the venue were seemingly irrelevant, and a 5am commitment was suddenly a 3am close. Moments like these epitomise what can often be wrong with the Sydney scene.

Nevertheless, the Loosekaboose folk took it all in their stride and handled it with the professionalism that the brand is known for: a quick rework of set times was required, and while it would mean shorter sets for Vance and Deepchild, what they lacked in time they would make up for in musical style.

Melbourne boy Vance, he with the unmistakable fringe and co-founder of Haul Records, to an extent epitomises what has been so good about LK for the last half a decade, as he treated us to his own version of electronic improv. Glitchy. Funky. Fun. And once again, as always, he did not disappoint and by the time Deepchild was due to come on (earlier than originally planned), Vance had the place pumping and the crowd eating out of his proverbial hand.

As we switched over to Deepchild, now Berlin-based but arguably always an Australian at heart, things got even better. As a sudden rush of women came to the front to admire the man at work (his looks or his skills; you can decide) it was a set that was not only great to hear, but also a spectacle to watch, as he caressed a range of controls to pump out that unmistakable Deepchild sound.

Deepchild was one of the first sets I heard when I moved to Sydney more than three years ago, and on this night – a special occasion for a host of reasons, including but not limited to the 5th birthday – he absolutely nailed it again. Similarly impressive was the sound being pumped out downstairs, which the sound boys had spot on, all night.

The disappointment was that it all had to come to an end, and in this instance, prematurely. With the crowd pushing their luck towards 3.30am, we could all feel the party-poopers (read: security) waiting to make their move, and bring the night to a close. Boooooo.

All up, despite the initial change in venue, then the problems with the new one, it was a party that was ridiculous amounts of fun. It also confirmed why the Loosekaboose brand is justified as holding the highly esteemed reputation it does.

In a city that is full of unfortunate politics in the scene, this is one brand that has managed to keep itself distanced from it. It always supports local names – and when those locals spread their wings and succeed overseas, they’re always keen to come back, return the love, and let their ‘kaboose’ get mighty ‘loose’.