Live Review: Strange Fruit

Not to be confused with the Billie Holiday track, this past Friday saw the launch of a new monthly event called Strange Fruit. Hosted at Gilkinsons Dance Studio, the night had potential to be large. Selling out pre-sale tickets, it was clear there was interest from the Perth masses. Taking over the venue that hosted past large-scale event Syrup, Strange Fruit certainly had big shoes to fill. Let's just say the launch reached that potential and then some.

The small amount of promotion that was put out there claimed Strange Fruit would be 'a delicious assortment of oddities, rarities and cultural consciousness' and 'dedicated to forward thinking ideas and honest connection between the DJ and the dancefloor'. With a line-up including some of Perth's most 'forward thinking' DJs, including Clunk, Starks, Rex Monsoon, Mike Midnight, Ben T & Ben M, Emerald Cabal & Reece Walker and Pnewo, the night was destined to explore a wide musical palette.

A small line outside the venue at opening hour was a testament of things to come. Walking in to a tribal installation above the stage was just the visual icing on the cake that Strange Fruit needed. Rex Monsoon opened the night featuring Jimmy Murphy on horns and drums followed by Pnewo who continued on with his breed of classics with a twist. Covering the middle portion of the night, Mike Midnight, Ben T and Ben M (from the Move crew) and Starks continued on with lots and lots of dancefloor house. Emerald Cabal & Reece Walker closed the event, playing tech classics for the last hour of the night.

Any new event aims to reach capacity but exceeding that expectation and having at least 100 people on the dancefloor until close (5am) would put a smile on the face of any event promoter, especially after such sparse promotion leading up to the launch. The end game for the promoters of Strange Fruit was always to try and push something more progressive. There's no doubt that this goal was achieved. The night well and truly explored some rare sounds and a new breed of party that the likes of Perth have never seen before. If the momentum is maintained, Strange Fruit is set to be around for some time to come, perhaps even the 'new and improved' Syrup? A big congrats to the promoters and to all involved on the success of the Strange Fruit launch.