- At around 2 AM on Saturday morning, a large birthday cake covered in sparklers appeared in the DJ booth to a crowd-sung rendition of "Happy Birthday." Melbourne promoter Cool Room was celebrating its third anniversary, with Melbourne artist Kate Miller playing alongside Ectotherm founders Courtesy and Mama Snake. Complimentary party bags were also included, which might seem a touch self-indulgent to some, but it's all part of Cool Room's commitment to making clubbing more accessible, a conviction that has inspired a loyal following.
For nearly a year, Cool Room has gone down at Northcote's 24 Moons, a former strip club seven kilometres north of the CBD. Like many of the city's best party spaces, it's not the kind of venue you'd expect to hear electronic music in, with high ceilings and a feeling of decayed grandeur that lend it a special atmosphere. Cool Room use the space well, decking it out with posters of in-depth artist biographies and information on their safer-space policy, as well as video projections showing footage from previous parties and a large homemade fan that hangs above the crowd.
On Friday, the DJs also used the space well. As the cavernous room filled, Miller went deep and dubby, with J. Albert's "No Longer Me (Dub)" going down particularly well. By the time Mama Snake took over, the party felt more like a squat rave than a club night—the vibe was hedonistic but respectful. The Copenhagen native went appropriately hard, moving from the absurdist electro of Duran Duran Duran's "Drap Jam" to Da Hool's "Meet Her At The Love Parade," via Reflec's "Layer Process" and DJ Bone's "We Control The Beat." There was even time for some Eurodisco and Italo, as she ended with Sheila & B. Devotio's "Spacer" and My Mine's "Hypnotic Tango." It was the set of the night.
Despite the birthday cake interruption, Courtesy continued where Mama Snake left off, her set packed with acid lines and breakbeats. Her measured mixing style meant even unreleased tracks, like Peach's "Silky," sounded timeless, both futuristic and evocative of a rave past most of the crowd never experienced. At the end of the night, as bleary-eyed dancers piled down 24 Moon's grand stairway, I overheard someone say it was their favourite Cool Room yet.