With a clear, blue sky above and the sinking sun filtering through the newly laid-out Port Beach Brewery space (7 December), the luscious beats of Sylph and Nicora had the quickly swelling crowd grooving along.
The new space, in Fremantle, was a coliseum for sound with no bad spots: ground level was an intimate space for the dancers and the mezzanine perfect for the chin-strokers.
A remix of Depeche Mode's 'Never Let Me Down Again' upped the ante and turned groove into move, with Sylph and Nicora closing with the Above & Beyond classic, 'Surge'.
Ezequiel Arias started with a bouncy track that featured some playful technical moments, then slam, straight into a driving beat with some incredible, chicken-skin-inducing breakdowns.
Chris Cargo's 'Chemical Dreams', Redspace's 'Neuroleptic', and more followed. The adoring, heavily South American-weighted crowd lapped it up; the dance floor was now a mass of bodies.
The pace slowed ever so slightly, allowing everyone to get into the groove and recover from the intensity of the first 30 minutes.
Image © Daniel Holgate
Remixes of Above & Beyond's 'Thing Called Love' and Will DeKeizer and Maze 28's 'Cornerstone' kept everyone in the grind.
As the set's journey continued, Arias raised the temperature with some pulsating basslines and started once again to build the breakdowns, all with beautiful melodies layered over the top.
A remix of 'Need To Feel Loved' gave the crowd a sing-along moment, expertly followed by his own current banger, 'ReAnimation' – what a bassline on a proper sound system.
The intensity continued with Guy J's 'Alive Again', Rezident's 'It's All On You', and Arias & Durante's 'Dream Controller'. The crowd's hands were in the air, and the Argentinian flag was flying high and proudly up the front.
Blasting well past the allotted three-hour set time, Arias was enjoying himself as much as the crowd. The dance floor hadn't lost a soul all evening, and why would they leave?!
The set peaked with his remix of Sasha's 'Bring On The Night'; goosebumps! Arias is often described as the future of progressive house, the future is here.
There is nothing like a progressive house gig: the nicest people, a friendly atmosphere, and music that moves the body. It's guaranteed to leave you with sore legs, new friends, awesome memories, and a massive smile.
Props to the Above All Else and Bioma crew for bringing the world's best to WA. Perth, this is the future of dance music; get out and experience it.
- written by Daniel Holgate
