- These days it's rare to see an electronic music event happening in Sydney that pushes the envelope. It's not that promoters lack resourcefulness or drive—far from it— but it's notoriously difficult to find new (legal) spaces that have an appropriate license, won't attract noise complaints and will ultimately be welcoming to a dance party. Last year, when RBMA debuted their Sydney Weekender, it served as a reminder that with the right combination of creativity, good taste and budget, the Harbour City can provide a stage for some genuinely unique events. The announcement of the 2017 edition proved the first was no fluke, gathering a broad range of acts—Midori Takada, Tony Humphries and Carl Craig's Synthesiser Ensemble among them—and hosting them at a refreshingly different array of venues.
Peven Everett's first full live band show in Australia was the jewel in this year's crown. The Saturday afternoon show was originally scheduled to be held at an "outdoor location TBA" but was moved onto a boat, presumably because of all too predictable challenges with activating an outdoor space in Sydney. Nevertheless, the first Saturday of spring delivered some picturesque conditions for music on the water, with summery shirts dotting the dock. Onboard the two-story luxury yacht, things quickly got logistically perplexing as people were shepherded around the large but segmented boat. A long and stagnant queue formed for the smaller upper deck, where local 7-inch encyclopaedia Boogie Monster played sunny soul, funk and disco. Frustratingly, the queue remained until after sunset.
The more sparsely attended live stage downstairs featured three bands (Everett included) stitched together by upbeat slots from Adi Toohey, who spun jams like Linkwood's "Who La La?" and Ron & Chez D's "Don't Try It." Midnight Mutants played an impressively varied set that darted between LCD Soundsystem-style disco-punk, harmony-rich vocal pop and a Red Hot Chili Peppers funk blaster, culminating with a faithful cover of Talking Heads' "Once In A Lifetime." Four-piece outfit The Possé slammed out 45 minutes of modern live disco (the acid-laden "Season's Greetings" was a highlight), before CC:DISCO shifted into top gear with huge party bombs like River Ocean's "Love & Happiness" and something that had the fiery energy of The Originals' "Down To Love Town," which I caught the nearest dancer furiously Shazaming.
At last, Everett and his three bandmates—including members of the absurdly gifted Australian group Hiatus Kaiyote—boarded the boat, jumped onstage and got to work in front of a now-full lower deck. They kicked into a nimble version of "Stuck" that traded the original's 4/4 house footing for a sprightly, ultra-tight groove that both flaunted the players' technical prowess and Everett's soaring voice and keywork. His charm, too: the boatful of sun-kissed, sea-legged dancers responded lovingly to his engaging mic chatter with whoops and cheers. The set was a flurry of jazzy solos and intimate party energy that climaxed with a hands-in-the-air rendition of "Gabriel" as the boat docked alongside the Sydney Opera House. A fitting spot to remember that this city really can put on something special.
Photo credit /
Ken Leanfore