By Henry Walsh
Last weekend I attended The Trocadero in Newtown for a very special party.
Southern Steppa is an Eora-based crew dedicated to showcasing the emerging sounds from South London, mainly dubstep, UKG, grime and drum and bass. This year marks 20 years of the crew’s existence and therefore called for a celebration.
I got home from TAFE and was feeling tired but optimistic as I loaded up my USB with new tunes downloaded the night before.
I left home and jumped on the bus to Newtown, alighting on King St only to be caught in the middle of a flash thunderstorm that had rolled through only moments before. As I sought refuge below a shopfront awning the traumatising thought of having to endure wet socks and shoes for the remainder of the night loomed in my mind.
Luckily the storm passed as soon as it came and I continued my commute on foot to Quakes’ house. Upon arrival he cracked me a warm Grifter and said “let’s do this” as he fired up his decks and stereo system. Two hours of solid mixing passed before we decided to make a move to The Trocadero, it was a short but important walk and soon we found ourselves entering the beautiful cocktail bar.
To our horror the dancefloor was completely covered with tables and chairs; obviously relaxed cocktail vibes were expected for the evening but not on our watch. We loaded up on a few rounds of beer and enjoyed some games of pool on the venue’s new pool table while DJ Eli and Kodama warmed up the decks.
By 10pm the tables were history and the dance floor was packed, the balloons at the front of the decks gently buzzing as the frequencies from the speakers pulsated through them while the turntables spun a collection of old-school UK breakbeats and dubstep.
Zerodub busted out the vinyl and played a great selection of classic dub before Anomie then Lorna Clarkson stepped up to the decks for two amazing sets.
As the night went on the punters got louder and the tunes got heavier. It was a real special experience having so many awesome punters enjoying such timeless music.
The night came to a close with a final set of classic UK breaks and Quakes and I were extremely pleased with the evening’s proceedings. We left with ringing ears and big smiles as per usual.
Featured image: DJ Eli & Kodama warming up the decks. Photo: Henry Walsh
