Words by Sofia Perica
You get to a random hole in the wall at the end of Johnson St in Fitzroy, and you find yourself at Milney’s bar, a tiny, intimate space that makes you feel like you are in a bar in downtown Paris or New York. The coolest people you know are smoking cigarettes outside with their pixie cuts and a glass of wine. Then you go up a small staircase that feels like an alternate dimension. It’s a space carved out for the underground DJ; I felt so lucky that I was witnessing the subculture of DJ history being made. It presents as the sort of place that only friends of friends and event organisers are invited to. However, it turns out that, even if you are a stranger, you are immediately welcomed with a hug and a dance.
I came up the stairs just in time to catch homegrown DJ LahLah, otherwise known as Taylah Simpson. With my orange wine in hand, slightly spilling over, I felt the music rush over me. It was steamy; it was dancey. Someone in the crowd, who turned out to be LahLah’s sister, said she normally favours trance music, and these were her more classic, boppy beats. LahLah was leaning more into groovy or tech house. There was a tinge of uk garage and there was a slower pulse from her, which was perfect as a warm-up for the rest of the night. With perfect company, I felt so alive and happy to support such talented DJs, especially since they were female DJs, not just an upper-middle-class dude that does it in his spare time –a sight we see all too often.
I went downstairs for a small break as I was getting sweaty from dancing right up front for about an hour. I saw familiar faces, and some new ones. That’s the thing about the underground music scene: it feels like connecting with old friends, people who share the same values – they just want to dance, enjoy life and be present with each other.
Then it was time for Anastasia, who really amped up the energy as the crowds started spilling in. The beat was fast and driving; there was more of a techno influence, with hard and trance-filled tunes sprinkled in. I was so hyped for this. People were packed around the DJ booth, moving to the same beat. It felt like we all became one entity – soaked in the purple lights and smoky haze. With some bass and heavy dance music, I had never felt so good. The bass was sending a chill down my spine, and you could tell that Anastasia was really feeling the music.
Finally, the set we were all waiting for. Rising all the way from Alice Springs, I knew exactly what I was in for as GiGi came up to the decks. What ensued was, what she calls, “the best yummy dance music.” I saw GiGi at Sonder festival, and it was an extremely surreal experience. She leans towards the techno or hard dance genre, although she doesn’t like to force herself into any one box. Her music is so atmospheric; it’s the kind that takes you to cloud nine at a 3 am bush doof with your mates. It was really high energy at this point; everyone was sharing the same beat, brought together by GiGi’s talent. She creates this immersive experience that makes you feel like you are in a sweat-soaked club – in the best way possible. You can’t help but let loose to her music; she is so focused on groove and momentum, and the way she approaches the decks is incredibly controlled yet somehow effortless. The crowd was right there with her the entire set, and we even got a dance lesson from an instructed crowd member who taught us coordinated dance moves that really got the crowd pumping and bouncing.
GiGi is set to play A3 Festival later on in the year, and you best believe I will be front and centre. She is definitely a DJ to look out for – you can see that she is already on the rise.
All this to say you should support your local DJs. Stuff the Dom Dollas of the world and opt for the obscure DJ set where you have no idea what to expect. Melbourne is so lucky with the amount of sheer talent we have in the electro scene, so it’s about time that we take advantage of it.
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