The black clouds look ominous out the window of the Surfside bus as we drive down The Spit towards the annual January dance pilgrimage on the Glitter Strip that is Summafieldayze. Numbers seem down on last year and the event site feels smaller, perhaps due to the fact that each of the main stages this year are situated under tents, like a trio of Boiler Rooms all built for moves. However, what is clear is that this reviewer hasn't done the necessary amount of lifting to lose his shirt, nor has his partner got enough arse hanging out to make shorts completely irrelevant – it's 24-carat Gold Coast, alright. Stepping into the Jack Daniels shed makes us remember why we don't drink the danger syrup anymore, while dodgem cars, giant claws and other barf-inducing contraptions dot the centre of the field.
Walking through towards the Broadwater side of the grounds we hear a familiar sound coming from the Summa stage; it's the GC's favourite dance siblings Stafford Bros. The former Billy's resident DJs are bashing it out, playing far deeper house than their partner-in-brass Timmy Trumpet can cope with. Dust is getting kicked up everywhere and things are in their right place. A short walk to the other end of the tent line brings us to the Field stage where Kimbra is just about to come on. A young girl, no older than 18, stumbles up to her friend, saying, “I haven't seen you in like 20 years”, while other punters try and remain together as they come on for the first time today. Dressed like a peacock and looking like a lipstick-adorned doll, the Kiwi commands the stage, and her four-piece backing band are equally locked in. Two Way Street is beautiful enough to bring on goose bumps, while Settle Down shows off two things: Kimbra's vocal prowess and her massive mouth. Seriously, it would be impossible to give her resuscitation.
Adrian Lux looks every bit the Swede that he is, all perfect complexion and high cheekbones – it's gotta be the water up there. His big uplifting trance numbers make sure the love-in at Summa continues, while his fellow countrywomen Icona Pop turn out to be way better than expected, the young duo mixing up their pop smarts quite literally, showing plenty of productions skills throughout their set before leaving on the summer cheese of I Love It. Then it's straight from the new to the old skool as Krafty Kuts & A-Skillz make you remember why break nights were such a gas back in the mid-noughties. It's mash up city, with everything from Queen's We Will Rock You and AC/DC's Back In Black to House Of Pain, the Chili Peppers and a dubstep hit of Fatboy Slim's Praise You. Turntablism isn't dead, it's just getting a bit long in the tooth. Hudson Mohawk is making a similar, albeit darker racket at the Cross stage but getting nowhere near the response. To salvage the set he calls on some hot chicks to gyrate on stage. Solid move HudMo.
Mark Ronson is in DJ mode today, spinning party favourites and jams from his popular third LP, Record Collection. He's got Baltimore's Spank Rock along for the ride, acting as hype man and providing vocals on a few tracks, but without a live band bringing it all together Ronson could literally be any club DJ. Scuba, meanwhile, is rupturing veins with his no-apologies set of heavy dub and techno next door and sounding all the more dangerous and inviting for it. Fake Blood is on the other side of the Scuba sandwich and continues what would become the trend of the day: British heads killing it. He has a skip in his step and a bounce in his beat, and the tent gets deeper in his corner as the set progresses. The predicted storm has also proven to be a non-event – yes! Black snot for all!
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UK sibling wunderkinds Disclosure are in Australia for the first time and the anticipation in the crowd is apparent, however, they aren't going to cave in and give the gurners a free ride here. If you want to hear Latch, you are going to have to come on the god damn journey. This involves the English lads offering 2-step and post-dubstep in spades, while the live electronic percussion is all kinds of '90s. Their banter highlights the fact that they are younger than just about everyone in the crowd, but if you've got the skills to pay the bills then age doesn't make an iota of difference. Those that stayed with them are rewarded with their aforementioned single, the initial chorus drop seeing hands raised far and wide.
Omnia is creating probably the best sounds heard from the Melbas On The Park stage all day. He no doubt had a karaage chicken skewer from a nearby vendor before stepping up to the decks – those things make you feel like you can do great things. Perhaps SBTRKT had a few too, because the producer and his vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Sampha deliver by far the best set of the day, in what would be the last gig of their two-year touring cycle. The duo are mere shadows in front of the LED screen as it flashes through bright reds and blues, their skulls punctuated by tribal headpieces, worn in line with the imagery off the Brit's debut record. Facing each other like Disclosure, the tracks are synth rich with plenty of tribal percussion, created both electronically and live. Aaron SBTRKT Jerome, at some points, simply remains seated on his drum stool, keeping bass rhythm with the kick, while he triggers loops and effects. Some bloke goes the goat from atop another guy's shoulders AND even that can't take away from the euphoria on stage. Wildfire and Pharaohs receive the biggest response, but if you're looking for pinnacles then it has to be Hold On and huge closer Right Thing To Do.
Dodging staggering punters in the dark is proving fairly problematic by this stage, but with heavy hitters lined up at every tent the dance of the drunk has to continue being played out to mixed results. Booka Shade are operating out of two distinct work station: one a stand-up drum kit, the other featuring all the electronic fiddly bits. The German duo are clinical in their delivery, while the point of view camera footage on the screens gives a further human element to their performance. M.I.A is holding a full-blown dancehall party over at Summa, the diminutive lass remaining at higher ground, standing in what appears to be a miniature boxing ring as 50 or so buck wild Aussies lurch about with glee. Footage of Somali pirates keeps shit political, yo.
Erol Alkan is looking a bit unloved in the Field tent as The Chemical Brothers position themselves in front of their colossal rig. Tom and Ed are in high spirits, opening with a regulation Block Rockin' Beats before getting heady. Layer upon layer of industrial-strength techno is then applied to the swelling crowd, and with each key change, every tempo movement, the tracks become greater until the overall sound is just completely overwhelming. It feels like we're in a tin shed during a hail storm and there's simply no respite – it's fucking amazing.
Our lungs are feeling tight though and we're short on breath, so it's back over to Field to cut a disco groove to the sounds of Hot Chip. Alexis Taylor is dressed like Punky Brewster before he loses his jacket and gets a little more comfortable in his surroundings. The other crew: Joe Goddard, Al Doyle and the extended co. (there's seven on stage tonight) aren't as curiously put together but look like they're having just as good a time. The Londoners take the best party tracks from their previous four records (Over and Over, Night & Day, etc.) and combine them to create one hell of a rockin' techno disco. Even with tired legs it's impossible not to jiggle to the beat. Then we're back under the cloud-speckled sky, suddenly looking at a girl float expressionless in an inflatable ball. It's clear that Summafieldayze is done for another year, but once again the journey down Seaworld Drive has been all but worth it.
