In 2009, Melbourne-based dance music giant Future Entertainment added another festival to its formidable repertoire. Running in conjunction with We Love Sounds, the new all-nighter Winter Sound System boasted Armin van Buuren, Laidback Luke, James Zabiela and a host more.

With a stable that also includes the gargantuan Future Music Festival tour and Melbourne mainstay Summadayze, Future has been in the festival game as long as inthemix has existed. It’s fitting, then, that the inthemix 10 years arena will feature at Winter Sound System next month, headlined by the untouchable Underworld. To talk all things 10 years, we got on the phone to Future’s main man Mark James.

What are some of the most significant changes you’ve seen over the last 10 years in dance music here in Australia?
Coming into the last ten years, there was still a broader market perception that dance music was still a fad and would never be as large as rock ‘n roll. I think over the last ten years, it has developed into a medium that holds its own against a rock festival or a chart placement. A lot of music has merged. Ten years ago dance music was its own genre; now indie-rock and dance has sort of fused together into one music medium. That sort of only happened in the last two or three years I’d say – you can see with our festivals, where we have the likes of Franz Ferdinand, The Prodigy and Does It Offend You, Yeah? making it more of a mixed bag.

Is there anything you’ve seen fade away, then make a comeback in the space of the decade?
Yeah, the whole rave thing has made a resurgence. Glowsticks went away for five years, then now they’re apparently starting to sell again for some stupid reason. What’s old is new again. Which is pretty much the same as everything in pop culture – everything comes back, repackaged and redone. It’s sad but true.

Is that a healthy thing for dance music?
Look, it can be, with a creative angle and not as jumping on a bandwagon. If you can recreate something for the feel of a new generation, rather than just putting a different colour bandanna on a smiley face, it works.

Obviously Future has been instrumental in the festival boom; how do you think the festival scene has changed over the last few years particularly?
As the population grows, for the younger generation the world is at their fingertips basically. It has given people a lot more direct focus and attention on what their entertainment is going to be. Festivals play a big part in that, because they cater for large amounts of people. Where a club has 1,200 people a night, a festival has 40,000 in one day. And we do that in five states over two weeks, so we’re talking 400,000 tickets a year. It’s a lot bigger marketplace. There’s a lot more people around, and a lot more people open to electronic music and to festivals.

What do you think has opened people up to dance music on a much broader scale?
I think people like yourselves, inthemix, and every sort of viral medium and sites like Beatport and iTunes where you can download dance music. In a matter of 30 seconds, people can download their favourite DJ’s mix. That at people’s fingertips has made things go in leaps and bounds. You go back to when inthemix started at the Rhythm FM offices in Sydney, to where it is today – it just shows the power of the internet. I’ve got some stats right here, and inthemix is 35,484th biggest site in the world as far as hits go. From a couple of people working behind a computer to a multinational company almost.

What do reckon there is to love about inthemix, and what is there not to love about it?
[Laughs] Well, we all know the forums are the things you love to hate. ‘You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t’ would be my saying for the forums. There’s obviously the day to day news, both in Australia and overseas. The commenting and the social aspect is what inthemix has mastered over the last ten years. With the forums, everyone likes to have their say, whether good, bad or ugly.

There’s a lot of talk about a decline in the club scene in recent years, especially weekly clubbing. Have you seen that?
It’s not to do with festivals; it has to do with the whole entertainment bracket. Compared to back ten years ago when we were running large clubs, there are now so many other mediums. Someone can walk into a bar for nothing, hear a DJ play and have cheap drinks. Ten years ago, that wasn’t really happening. Bars weren’t clicked on to dance music. There are just a lot more things on offer than just nightclubs. Clubs have always been hit-and-miss anyway, and they always have a shelf-life. You have a great club night running for two years and all of a sudden something comes and takes over. It’s like the new Angus Burger taking over from McFeast, or something like that. I wouldn’t say it’s a demise. It depends on weather, time of year, fashion and music.

Where do you foresee the next ten years of dance music going?
Obviously things change a lot with technology. The invention of the plasma screen led to LED screens which led to soft LED screens, and now our productions are so visual-based and technically advanced. Soon it’ll be Godskitchen 3D. Technology and integration is obviously going to play a big part in the next ten years. For Future, our vision is still to grow and supply our punters with the best talent and production we can, within our own means. We’ve got a well-structured base with Future Music Festival, Summadayze and Summafieldayze alongside our events and touring. We’ve come pretty far and the next ten years will be exciting.

Do you agree the inthemix 10 years headline artists at Winter Sound System are a good representation of the past, present and future of dance music?
I think so – Underworld is obviously the past, but a great link to the future as well. Crookers have been around a while, but represent a changing style of music. It’s such a great mix of the old and the new. I think the whole line-up is really great. I’m looking forward to M.A.N.D.Y.’s new live show and Zombie Nation live, and having Tiga back, whose test-running his whole new showcase. I’m looking forward to a lot of acts. Like for everyone, seeing them all is a problem [laughs]. Lucky I’ve got a few festivals, so I have a few chances…

Stay up to date with all the inthemix 10 years new at inthemix.com.au/10years, and don’t forget we have a massive ‘festival experience x10’ competition up and running here to coincide. Be sure to get your entry in today, as there’s not long left!