It's the summer of '99 and the line for the club is around the block. Inside, shiny shirts reflect fluorescent lasers, low-waisted jeans pair with platforms and Adidas track tops, and frosted tips are all the rage.
As the hits of Darude and Fatboy Slim flow down from the booming sound systems, a new track emerges from one of Australia's own, stopping the whole club in its tracks.
Madison Avenue's 'Don't Call Me Baby' put the Australian DJ scene on the world map, exploding across the globe in a matter of weeks.
Followed by 'Who The Hell Are You''s strong chart performance, the duo made up of writer-producer Andy Van and singer-lyricist Cheyne Coates were cemented forever in club music legacy.
As the duo inevitably pursued different musical paths, Andy Van went on to form Vandalism and continued playing to millions at numerous festivals and shows the world over, including Creamfields, Ministry Of Sound and Summadayze.
Now Van is setting out to recreate all the glory of the Y2K era, joining a stacked line-up including DJ Kyle, Darren James, and VJ Peter Brown to keep the '90s anthems pumping through ears and hearts at La La Land in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley on Easter Sunday.
Presented by noted promoter Peter Brown (The Globe, Universal, Soho), BANG! 90s Club Anthems event promises full-floor energy and all the classic '90s club vibes.
Clubbers can expect to hear classic tunes from the likes of Nightcrawlers, Moloko, Daft Punk, Fatboy Slim, Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, Underworld, Orbital, Faithless, Leftfield, Groove Armada, Moby and so much more.
Van stopped by scenestr to answer some pressing questions and recount his experience of the great clubbing era.
Let's start at the beginning. What were you dancing to in the club when you started going out?
Interesting question. I couldn't exactly say, I'd have to say it was a '90's house classic. Likely 'Gypsy Woman' by Crystal Waters I'd imagine.
'Don't Call Me Baby' and similar songs shaped the sound of the '90s into the 2000s. Do you remember the moment you realised it was connecting globally and how did that feel?
I definitely do. It had already been successful in Australian clubs and we were getting loads of messages at Vicious [record label Andy co-founded with John Course].
We flew to London and we had a whole bunch of labels wanting to sign it, chasing myself and John for meetings and literally handing us contracts in the meetings. Then once signed, we saw it getting played by DJs all over the UK, Europe and the world.
What do you think makes a track timeless?
It's definitely a combination of a great vocal hook or chorus and a great musical melody.
How has technology changed the way you approach your artistry?
It's changing all the time, from the early days in the '90s where I made music on external hardware, like samplers and synthesisers, to now I make pretty well everything in the box – on a Mac laptop with Ableton, but I still love to use session musos with actual guitars and keyboards.
Which song in your catalogue best represents your artistic identity?
That's a super hard question to answer. It's somewhere between 'Don't Call Me Baby' and what I'm doing now with Super Disco Club, my energetic, French-styled disco tracks with vocal hooks.
How have you seen the club scene change over time, in ways both good and challenging?
I don't think clubs have changed much at all. They are still a room full of people wanting to hear a good DJ drop some good music. Although now, clubs seem to want a mixture of club classics and current hits.
If you were starting your career today, what would you do differently?
Social media is definitely the big change. Now you can't really exist in the DJ or music scene without having a good social media presence.
You have a great line-up of DJs for this show, why did you choose this particular line-up?
The line-up was chosen by Peter Brown, and I think it will be a great event full of fantastic club classics and anthems!
Adds Peter: I choose DJ Kyle and Darren James because of their extensive knowledge of great '90s tracks. Kyle is a seasoned DJ who has played many of the great clubs in Brisbane throughout the '90s including Heaven and Visa. And Darren James was also a promoter who played many of the great clubs of the '90s including the Site and Grand Orbit.
The '90s were such an amazing time. What do you personally miss the most?
I'd definitely say the reactions from the crowds to big anthem tracks. Now everyone with a phone has access to every song and can listen and get bored with songs.
Back in the '90s, a lot of the big club tracks could only be heard in a nightclub, so when people heard their favourite club track, they reacted like it was a peaking moment – screaming, hands in the air. It was ELECTRIC! BANG!
BANG! 90s Club Anthems featuring Andy Van, DJ Kyle, Darren James and VJ Peter Brown plays at La La Land (Brisbane) on 5 April (Easter Sunday).
