The female focused 4our gang returned to their successful BYO & TBA warehouse formula to hostMichelle Owenfor their first party of 2014. A new venue was a major drawcard, particularly in light of the looming last drinks and lockout legislation, which suggest a potentially warehouse-filled winter ahead. Ultimately though, the effort 4our puts in to ensure good vibes is the guarantee punters have gotten used to, and their strong track record remains intact.
Up until 6pm, the plan for Saturday night had been Andrew Weatherall's One Night Stand at the Oxford Arts Factory. On initial inspection, the world class selector playing all night long was the clear choice for the night, but a phone call from Sydney DJ and 4our fan James Walsh had me coming around to my senses: great local DJs, new warehouse venue, BYO and 4our vibes - plus I needed to show a friend from Dresden the other side of Sydney, the alternative to higher profile CBD venues like Oxford Arts. I almost didn’t give 4our a chance, but when I did it turned out to tick more boxes.
An hour later, I checked the 4our tumblr to find out the TBA address. From the bus stop we wandered past the Marrickville Bowling Club, home of Mad Racket, and for a minute I felt like a tour guide for Sydney's Inner-West house and techno scene. Pointing at the unassuming and empty lawn bowls club, I told my friend who has been interning in Sydney for four months without finding a great party, “Can you believe I was here for New Years Eve? Imagine it totally full - it's one of Australia's best parties!" I was fairly confident tonight would be similarly alternative and dynamic.
Thirty seconds later we turned onto a desolate, industrial block. It looks almost totally deserted, but halfway up the street we find one hundred-odd folks sprawled outside, looking in great spirits. Into the new venue and surprise! It’s not the typically grungy warehouse that I had in mind, in fact it's a photography studio by day, modern, clean and open plan. A structure in the middle of the room is curtained off, leaving a walkway to the back half, where we find Magda Bytnerowicz spinning jacking deep house vinyls to a well warmed up crowd.
We stow our stash of cider with a friends esky and patterned lights sweep across the dancefloor, illuminating friendly and familiar faces that invite us in for a dance. There are plenty of people and still lots of space, perfect for spreading your wings and doing your thing. The crowd is right for making friends, as is the volume, so that's what we do. Unfortunately the system didn't have the headroom I'd hoped for, but for a first time set-up, the sound system was forgivable. The heat had most people taking regular breathers out front, where barely a car drove past all night. Friendly security helped maintain a balance between good mood and mischievousness, while inside Magda made way for Michelle Owen.
Owen has just returned to Sydney after eight years being based in Berlin and touring around Europe. She has collaborated with Kruse and Nurnberg, played at Panorama Bar, releases on Rejected, Moodmusic and Exploited and hosted parties at Watergate in Berlin. Her Deep House style slots in nicely with the sounds of Sydney and Berlin, particularly in the summer. With 4our having hosted a handful of Sydney’s best female DJs, not to mention the stellar Eli Verveine and Steffi, Michelle seemed to be a fitting, if not requisite booking.
Owen's tunes were as hot and sweaty as the room and a non-stop supply of move-inducing grooves had grins on every face. Kate Doherty picked up the intensity and had the heads on their toes, throwing down a typically turbulent yet tasteful late night techno tyrade. My friend, not knowing about 4our's female theme, expressed surprise and admiration at yet another woman winning over the dancefloor - I could only smile at her knowingly. The closing slot was billed as "Who Dares Spins", however we didn't dare push our luck and left while the going was good.
The 4our parties manage a surprising consistency - whether headlined by international dudes like Eric Cloutier, Luke Hess and XDB, or local ladies like Lorna, Kali or Claire Morgan, in a warehouse or at GoodGod, Magda and Trinity always get an open-minded and up-for-it crowd together for a footloose and fancy-free evening. Berlin's Mareena continues the female theme in March, with 4our returning to its secret location for another round of fun.