There's extensive debates about the future of techno in Melbourne too, ie does it have one, so I'm not dissin' Sydney, but a lot of that was when Richard Maher, who pretty much created a scene for the Detroit ethos of techno here, left os and there was a vacuum for a year. The momentum was lost then. I guess no one wanted to jump in as Richard could be back at any time. He was the main promoter working those acts and putting on large yet credible events and making them *financially viable*. What remained were people who understood bang-bang techno and nothing else. Punters got sick of that and there was a violent backlash. Then everyone got into "deep house" - or nu-skool breaks - while the techno underground fortified itself. Now if Richard were to come back the underground scene would be unrecognisable as there's a new generation of players - DJs, producers and agents, promoters, etc - and possibly more fluidity between genres (electro, house, etc) and more of a community spirit. There's ideological differences - eg 'do we like Freaks new album or not?' type issues, is seamless or choppy mixing better, is so-and-so worthy of supporting so-and-so or not - but people agree to disagree and work together. The old generation of techno promoters still here who did techno are reaching out to the hard house faction while the young ones are doing club events, not raves, and showing the affinity between Detroit techno, electro, deep house, etc. I think the latter is the way to go in terms of maintaining some credibility. Reaching out to the hard house kids is more financially viable but short sighted. The main problem is that the new techno posse are accused of being overly purist - I think they enjoy playing up the elite thing myself for fun - for a low tolerance to hard house so you get some fun internet threads on Oz web sites.
---------- >From: "Benn D. Glazier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "313 Detroit" <313@hyperreal.org> >Subject: Re: AW: (313) Techno clubs in Sydney >Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2004 11:52 AM > >> >From: David Gillies <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >To: Katrin Richter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >Subject: Re: AW: (313) Techno clubs in Sydney >> > >> > Yes Voodoo is still going (at home) but I'm not sure it would really cut >> > it for techno (well of the 313 variety anyhow). I'm guessing the Taylors >> > on Central night you are thinking of is Beef. That's a semi-regular >> > electro night. I've never been, but I guess it could be worth a look >> > into if it was on. > > I don't think you'd call the music at Voodoo techno these days. Not even > that 'tekkno' music. > > If you love your breakbeat or your hands-in-the-air house, then Sydney's > the place for you. > > I've been living in Sydney for almost 4 years now after living in the two > Australian cities which could hold claim to the title of techno capital > through the 90s, being Melbourne and Adelaide, and in that past 4 years, > there's been not a lot to speak of (on the 313 tip) bar Chinese Laundry > and The Dendy (S*P*R), which as mentioned has both now passed on. It's > also not through lack of trying by promoters and djs, Sydney has what > could only be described as a superficial dance music 'scene' which is > more focussed on the things that don't involve the music so much. > > That said, the resistance is growing. ;) > > -- > > Benn Glazier > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > phone: +61 (0)413 316 618 > http://www.royaltech.net
