- Though it was originally planned as a day cruise, 4our's Valentine's Day party ended up having to move to the Marrickville Bowling Club, home of fellow Sydney institution Mad Racket. But that didn't stop promoters Magda Bytnerowicz and Trinity from sticking to the Love Boat theme, decking out the otherwise sparse RSL with faux-tropical plants, building a DJ booth out of bamboo and encouraging all and sundry to dress up as sailors and deck hands. You can always tell when promoters put in the extra effort, and it lifted the vibe immensely.
Musically, the party was on point, too. Local acts Annabelle Gaspar and Trinity warmed up the dance floor perfectly, gently coaxing the wallflowers out of their shells and filling the air with a sense of anticipation. From Gaspar's quirky, leftfield rhythms to Trinity's stripped-back live tech house and deep techno, the tunes were subtle enough to give the headliners plenty of room, but with enough attitude to give the soundsystem and the crowd an early workout.
When Virginia took over, the floor was ready for her. Keeping it rolling, deep and warm, she worked her way through a mix of modern tracky house and the odd classic, occasionally adding in her own live vocals. Her mixing was functional and her sense of groove strong, though at times her transitions felt like they lacked a little in energy, which detracted from her solid programming. That said, the place went wild when she dropped hers and Steffi's "Yours."
Steffi followed, instantly upping the intensity with chunky electro and gritty acid house. There were plenty of growling 303s, percussive workouts and brain-bending synths, and though it would've been nice to hear her indulge her deeper side a little, she seemed keen to keep the crowd in as good a mood as possible. 4our has earned itself a reputation as one for heads over the years, and Saturday night was another well-earned notch in their belt.