Phil Smart: Philpower.

Phil Smart plays the R Bar on February 6.

Veteran Sydney DJ/ producer/promoter Phil Smart, jet setting cultural ambassador representing Australian clubland to the world is sounding tired, but excited:

“Its quite a big weekend actually. The Big Day Out, of course, and Vibes (On A Summers Day) on Sunday.”

Being from Brisbane, I’m confused. Smart has only recently returned from overseas, and he has TWO plum gigs in a row?

“I’m not actually playing.” He laughs, “That’s just what I'm doing. Well, not playing this year anyway. I've been away for six months and I didn't organize my return very well. But it is good to go out every now and again just as a punter.”

As clubbing is Smart’s bread and butter, what does he notice when he attends as a regular Joe, compared to when he’s the entertainment?

“I pay attention to crowd reactions, sound systems, set-ups, that sort of thing, because I promote as well. But the Big Day Out is great ‘cause I get to go and see rock and roll bands, which I don’t get to see very often. I wanna see Jurassic 5, that’s who I’m looking forward to.”

Since 1988, Smart has been one of the most consistent faces in Australian dance culture. While Pee Wee may have the big profile and the more commercial flava, Smart has been synonymous with sophisticated, yet underground electronica. His residency at Tweekin’, long recognised as one of Australia’s premier club nights, won Phil the coveted Australian DJ of the Year 2000 gong at the National Dance Music Awards and he has twice appeared in dance music bible DJ Magazine’s list of the Worlds Top 100 DJs. Like our own Kazu Kimura, Smart is one of a handful of Australian DJs who tour overseas regularly. Where did Smart tour this time around?

“Mostly in America, San Fransisco, mostly west coast. I got out to Chicago, then I did Vancouver, Phoenix, Denver, places like that.”

Is dance music as underground in America as it appears, given it’s such a big country?

“It’s not necessarily underground, but there are all these cities all with their own little scenes.” He offers “Somewhere like Denver, you go there for a week and play there four or five times in loads of little clubs but nobody would have heard of any of the clubs. But I’ve always travelled, it's good to learn how to deal with different situations and play different music. Cause I play, like everything, y’know?”

Since returning to Australia, Smart has concentrated on DJing, (he visited Vegas a coupla weeks ago for Horny at Moskva) and his production work, which he is keeping mum on.

“Nothing that I should say now, because…well, you know what it’s like. I could jinx it. I’ve been home a month and I’ve probably been in Sydney for about two weeks.”

And the flava for the launch of Bed at R Bar will be: “Something a little more classy maybe, probably a bit housey, a little something for the hips, y’know? It’s mid week, you don’t want to take it too hard or driving. We’ll keep it fun and housey and have a good time.”