Recently Ben Korbel travelled to Queensland to play Passion… inthemix went along for the ride…
We rocked up at Ministry of Sound to collect Ben on the Friday afternoon before the gig. We were booked on an 8.00pm flight so were convinced we had plenty of time. At about 5.00pm we met Ben who indicated his records were at his house and we need to swing by and pick them. He had a big night the night before and didn’t have time to pack in the morning.
On the way we did a quick detour to the Sounds on Sunday promoters to drop off some posters and CDs for the Ministry of Sound Hard NRG CD Launch to take place on the Sunday.
On arriving at Ben Korbel’s home we could quickly see why he is one of Sydney’s most respected talents. He states that he very quickly needs to ‘key’ some new records before we leave. Being a classically trained musician he checks the key of each record to ensure the quality of his mixing is of the standard we have come to expect from him.
Looking at the clock we are starting to get a little concerned as it is now after 6.00pm and we still have to drop a car off, find a cab and get to the airport. This is achieved with relative ease, other than our inability to find a taxi at 6.30pm on a Friday night whilst lugging 4 record boxes and luggage through Elizabeth Bay!
Once at the airport we race onto the aircraft and all is well. This is where we first discovered Ben’s quirky sense of humour. When the flight attendant asked if we would like a meal, Ben’s assumingly dead serious response was, “No thanks, I’m driving.” The flight attendant stood perplexed, not wanting to laugh through fear she may offend yet not wanting to stand there through fear of looking like she didn’t get the joke.
Touch down in Brisneyland and we wait for Brisbane DJ, Allan Ho to collect us from the airport. And we wait. Finally Mr Ho comes screaming in to the terminal and we make tracks for the city. 
The trip to our accommodation at one of the promoter’s homes is relatively uneventful other than the headline Sydney DJ falling asleep in the car on the 10 min journey. We collect a carton (as the call it in Qld) of beer and prepare for a quite night of chat about the upcoming gig.
In this little session Ben enlightened us on a variety of things from mixing techniques, to record labels, and to why cats are called pussycats.
Still “chatting” at 4.00am the next morning, after more than one or two beers it is time to hit the sack in preparation for a trip to the Gold Coast the next day.
Needless to say, after getting out of bed sometime mid afternoon we didn’t make it to the coast. Instead went out for a late lunch and checked out the venue that was to host the event.
From there we check into the motel just up the road from the gig. Here we find Declan Lee is on the same floor and playing also in Brisbane that night.
That evening we shoot Ben off to do his guest radio spot on Crucial Cutz with Brisbane dance music godfather Peter Mogg.
Passion has begun and Jay R is spinning some nice progressive breaks to kick the night off. The mood is exciting and the beers come out (again). They are a little harder to take this time around but we manage…
After Jay R, we have Jay P bringing the night on and pushing more punters to the dancefloor. Ian Nearhos steps up to the decks next to do his thing. At about 12:45 It is time for Ben Korbel to make his Brisbane debut. Need I say it….he kicked ass. By the end of his set the whole place was jumping and pumping; savouring every beat and melody. Allan Ho carried the vibe on and Jeff Drake and Chris Tisdell finished the night with a back-to-back set.
At 5.30am it was time for bed for most of us. Ben and the promoters however thought it worthwhile to celebrate the success of the gig. He rocked up at the motel room at 11.00am on the Sunday morning and we shot out for a quick lunch and met Declan for an afternoon in the park before our flights.
2.30pm Qantas flight 535 leaves Brisbane. Expecting to back in Sydney by 4.00pm giving Ben enough time to get to Sounds on Sunday by 5.00pm. Unfortunately this was not to be. Due to closure of Sydney Airport we found ourselves in Melbourne at 5.00pm. Our request to leave the aircraft to make a phone call (to Sounds on Sunday) was denied and hence Ben Korbel was missing in action for the gig!
We ended up touching down in Sydney at about 7.30pm. A super fast drive to the Greenwood and Ben Korbel is on his merry way.
