As we walked up the stairs of Northcote Theatre, we were instantly immersed into an amber lit room buzzing with energy.
A thick haze drifted through the venue as warm light radiated from the stage, giving the theatre a dreamlike feel.
Before Turnley had even fully taken control of the room, there was already a sense of anticipation, with everyone bouncing around to the beat.
Deep house filled the theatre, the bass bellowing off the walls, and one beat drop bringing out the melodic sound of a sax.
Turnley’s signature blend of house and techno fuelled our dance moves, singing along to 00’s tracks like DB Boulevards Point of View.
An uplifting groove and jazzy piano chords got the crowd whistling, hands up in the air.
Lighting brought the atmosphere to another level, with vertical spotlights flashing over the crowd to the beat, together with deep crimson lights filling the hall.
Teasing us with snippets of Actin’ Tough throughout the set, whenever we got a taste of it you could feel the energy in the crowd grow.
The scaffolding on either side of the theatre added another dimension, with people boogying from every angle. The 360 set up made me reminiscent of Pitch Black, with the 360-sound system.
From the nostalgic 2000s vocals to the relentless grooves, Dean Turnley delivered a set that perfectly captured why he remains one of the most exciting names in Australia’s underground dance scene.
