Following a massive year for Sydney DJs, Bag Raiders, I was keen to check out the act in their ‘been there, won that and steadily cruising period’. Thankfully then, Strike bar/nightclub/bowling alley had the decency to throw them a bash and let the Shooting Stars hit-makers do their stuff at this one-off industry/competition winners gig. Promoters/organisers Nova held a strong presence at the entrance to Strike’s QV venue, their staff keen to welcome and tag us all and get the line moving through fast as possible made for a positive start to the festivities.
Inside the underground room, a high sense of pace is already noticeable thanks to the level of distractions on offer: ten-pin bowling to Michael Jackson’s Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, the guest/warm-up DJ’s set an unbroken flow of familiar, fairly commercial hooks, and a more animated crowd than I’ve seen at a lot of dance gigs recently. What was missing however was an old-skool style chill-out room in which one could discuss their failure to hit any pins was down to trying to co-ordinate a bowling ball to the strains of Modjo’s Lady (Hear Me Tonight). Instead, Strike’s specially set-up VIP lounge wasn’t quite the inner sanctum. The PA belts an unbroken medley of mostly ’90s house hits while my guest and I scream at each other about how sad it is the karaoke machine has been disabled for this event. Okay, so we only wanted to swap one racket for another, but we agreed the place needed a change of atmosphere from the main room.
After necking a couple of beers and shouting out famous historical speeches, such as “I have a dream” to fit with whatever jams where playing, (come on, who doesn’t do that?) my guest and I took to the lanes once again where the stage had been suspended directly above the strike zone ensuring great front-row views for anyone playing. The fun really kicks off as the Bag Raiders’ un-relenting electro-house monsters clash with scattering pins and loads of air-punching from punters enjoying the only sport you can really ‘do’ while intoxicated.
Meanwhile Bag Raiders – whose set could pass for an Aussie-fied 2ManyDJs – do their best to demonstrate why they are so beloved around the country and overseas as a top party acts. Their sense of fun and better still, momentum, is engrossing, but in reality Bag Raiders are not so much prompting wild dance-off’s as they are soundtracking boozey attempts to get some big scores on the screens above the alleys. Funny thing about those hideous shoes bowling alleys normally make you wear, but were not on offer tonight – they actually serve the purpose of keeping you from sprawling across the well-polished floor. Who knew?
To end what’s been a vibrant and easy to enjoy gig, final act DJ Air Wolf doesn’t fail to please with a funk-heavy set as the crowd starts to thin out and only the truly mashed carry on their battle with a weighty ball and suddenly very wobbly floor.
After a number of dance gigs witnessed where the main act has tried in vain to squeeze a decent response from its audience, it was such a relief to be in the presence of Bag Raiders and even more so, their crowd who unified in a want to bring it for the Sydney lads. Put simply, Bowling, booze and Bag Raiders was a total hit combination (and they’re doing it again with Ruby Rose at Strike Chapel street on June 16).
Loved : Great crowd really into the vibe. Makes all the difference.
Hated : No karaoke in the VIP room. Jeez!
Drank : Heineken – but only because they didn’t have Pabst Blue Ribbon.
