- What do you do when a DJ with a great collection of rare disco comes to town? Cancel your plans and get to that party. That's what 150 people did, at least, when Al Kent came to Sydney recently. Kent is a man responsible for a great many things in the music world—after years of record collecting he began producing house music, but then turned back to his first love, disco. He then went on to launch his own label, Million Dollar Disco, and has produced hundreds of re-edits of classic, rare and obscure tunes since.
The Glasgow resident's Sydney debut, hosted by People Must Jam, was sold out well in advance, and by 11 PM it was already packed, a rarity for Sydney crowds who are usually nowhere to be seen before midnight. Walking in to the warehouse space hosting the party, you could see why. It's one of Sydney's most unique spaces—with an inconspicuous entrance, high ceilings and a quirky interior—situated in a residential area not too far from the city centre, and had been closed for several months after a series of noise complaints from neighbouring locals. For the venue's return to the Sydney music landscape, The People Must Jam residents and promoters Peter Taylor and Matt Trousdale welcomed the arriving crowds with smooth selections of disco and house, before handing over the decks to the headliner at midnight.
When Kent made his way to the DJ booth, the dance floor quickly filled, and stayed that way right until the night's end. He was noticeably enjoying himself from start to finish, playing upbeat disco tunes—most with a love theme—for the duration of his set, the standout tracks including "Dream World" by Don Downing, Pete Heller's "Big Love" and Dimitri From Paris's rework of "The Love I Lost " by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. Originally booked for four hours, Kent played for a full five-and-a-half, with the organizers having to literally pull the plug on the DJ equipment and turn on the lights to bring the set to a close. Although there was a piercing moment of stark reality when the lights came up, it seemed that everyone left the warehouse with a sense that they'd experienced something quite special from one of disco's true connoisseurs.