One of the things missing from modern club culture is the physical paraphernalia such as flyers, posters, cassette/CD covers and street press. They’re rarely produced any more as everything has gone digital, which is a shame because pixels can’t be put in a shoe box to show your grandchildren one day.
Here’s a quick journey through a little bit of rave history told through flyers…
ORGANIC
The first parties I put on in Sydney, bringing guest DJs like Derrick Carter, Mark Farina and Spun to Australia for the first time
DEEP JOY
Malcolm and Michelle from Deep Joy gave me my first break into the early ‘English’ rave scene in Sydney
AZTEC
The much anticipated debut of Sasha in Sydney and an epic party by Children of the Vortex
EARLY SYDNEY RAVES
Psychosis 3
Beyond
BOUNCE
Sunday night residency at the Tom Tom Club in Kings Cross
VIBE TRIBE
Another side of the rave scene, evolved more from the free party ‘crusty’ scene in the UK
*Note the use of the word Doof in 1994 Sydney;)
LOVE
Original rave series by Sugar Ray. These flyers are from the late 90s
SABOTAGE
Ray and I did so many Sabotage parties, with some amazing artwork by very talented humans and some amazing international guest DJs
TWEEKIN
All time best club night ever
JUS’ RIGHT and LOADED
Precursors to Tweekin and Sabotage
WILDLIFE
A series of pretty crazy parties at The Rooftop. Lugging the sound system up all those stairs wasn’t much fun though
THE PROJECT
Weekly Saturday night at the Globe in the city, and one of my favourite flyer series’
THUNK
Record label I ran with Brett Mitchell and Tim Harrison, releasing music from Infusion, Pocket, Head Affect, Dillon St Rangers, our own Earthlink project and more
THUNK LIVE
Very special gig at the Metro with all the Thunk crew. One of the only times I ever played live with Earthlink. I even got the trumpet out!
CRYOGENESIS
Series of ambient and chill out parties put on by Seb and Luke from Sub Bass Snarl. I really enjoyed playing these events, they even held a couple on an island in Sydney Harbour!
FLASHBACK
Looking back on 10 years of rave in 1998 and 1999. Love these flyers:)
FUNKY TEKNOTRIBE
My San Francisco family, I travelled all over the states with these guys, from SF to Portland to Texas and New York.
E-WERK
First time playing in Berlin at this legendary club
LEISURE LOUNGE
One of the early London superclubs
BEDROCK
Very lucky to be invited to play the Bedrock in London for John Digweed
PS1
This was amazing, to play at the PS1 Summer Series in the courtyard of a contemporary art gallery in New York with Doc Martin and Monolake
*Much of the art for the above flyers, especially for parties put on by Ray and/or myself, were created by Paul Findlay, Timon Harrison and Michael Killalea, often with art direction by yours truly.