Once upon a time there was a city.
Ahh, Melburn. What a town, what a place. Every weekend you can succumb, and take a ride on a magical, mystery, audio tour of any genre your heart so desires. Boundaries are there to be broken and definitions to be kicked to the curb. This weekend was no exception.
My story begins at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.
Enter stage left Jack Johnson. Exit stage left some one and a half hours later.
Enter stage left, Ben Harper.
Exit stage right two hours later.
But these two musical geniuses are not to be the main characters of my story, nor is the Myer Music Bowl set to lay the scene.
A musical genius of an alternate source was to be playing at another of Melbourne’s music institutions, the Lounge. Arriving to the lush sounds of a Missy remix, care of Spacey Space, proved a lovely contrast to the bluesy-rootsy-reggaey sounds I had witnessed for the earlier part of the night. The cosy, and ever-warm surroundings of the Lounge were already jammed to the hilt with an army of ready and willing party people. Who says party breaks aren’t where it’s at? By no means me, as I got down and dirty to that always danceable, always delectable Sweet Dreams remix that has so often coaxed me onto many a Melburn dancefloor. Exit deejay console left, Mr Space.
Enter deejay console right Nick Thayer. Sporting a fresher than fresh NEW haircut for the evening, no doubt care of Camberwell’s best barber, Mr Thayer reminded me why I had forged a strong love affair with the music always resounding from the Lounge on a Friday nite. Get down….and get back up again. Dance. Party.
Dropping a collection of tracks from the Finger Lickin’ stable, some old some new, was a definite crowd pleaser. And heck, why shouldn’t it be! Feelin’ Kinda Strange (Drummatic Twins), Tricka Technology (Krafty Kuts) and the Plumps newbie, In Stereo rocked the packed haus. In anticipation of their visit to our most liveable city, Mr Thayer also let rip Laidback’s Slide-Slippedy Slide. What a corker. There was also something So Solid-y sounding in there for the two-step, garrij lovers on the floor, but I am yet to decide what exactly it was. Mr Lee Got Busy, and there was a definite Humanoid moment. The chaffeur for the evening had mashed up a thumping set. Exit deejay console left.
Enter deejay console right Mr Desenberg. Or for those of us unrelated and so acquainted, Kid Kenobi. Having flown in from ye olde London town only a day earlier, and readying himself to head to Perth only a day after, The Kid showed no signs of lethargy or can’t be assed-ness. Flanked by many enthusiastic admirers and excited fans, both before and during his set, Mr Kenobi dished out a menu of the finest quality breaks. Jesse also proving to also be a fan of the Plump DJs stuff , Nylon Radar, teamed with Squeeks and Bleeps and a remix of I feel Love kept the jiving crowd on their twinkling toes.
The ever unassuming, always down-to-earth Kid Kenobi showed why, in most circles, he is revered as one of Australia’s great deejays. Although in my opinion I have witnessed better sets than that of Friday’s, Kid Kenobi always manages to get the crowd shaking and gasping for more. Technically, musically, and personally this guy knows what time it is. Exit deejay console left.
And how better to cap of an evening of complete out of order-ness, than with the purveyor of partyisms Ben Shepherd himself. Enter deejay console right.
The brainchild behind the evening, Mr Shepherd, not to be outdone by his Sydney-sider cohort, unleashed an array of groovin’, up beat choons on the still up-for-it mob of movers. The flavour of the evening was definitely of the Le Plump variety, In Stereo getting another sounding out. Missy E’s Gossip Folks was met with great enthusiasm, and who could not appreciate an instrumental rendition of Groove is in the Heart. There was also a visit from the grand daddy of electro. Louie Austin’s Hoping, proving that an eclectic mix of all things breaksy, from the nu skool, from the old skool, from the funk skool, from the hip hop skool skool, is most definitely the secret ingredient to the much sought after breaks nite success.
To all breaks, party and good-times-r-us enthusiasts, take a bite of Out of Order. The characters, the settings and the themes are sure to keep you entertained and enlightened.
The End.
