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History of House - Sydney Fringe Festival (2024)
Presented by Groove Terminator and Soweto Gospel Choir
If you love music, dance, and the spirit of community that house music represents, this is the show for you
Reviewed by Juliana Payne
Sydney Spiegeltent, Moore Park
Until 29th September, 2024
Even though it was the middle of a warm sunny afternoon, the live show History of House went off like it was 3am in a club somewhere in 1999. It was an absolute hoot! Within about a nanosecond of the lights dimming and the first beat dropping, the audience was on its feet with hands in the air - it was as if it had been rehearsed. But none of us in the Spiegeltent (who I think by the look of us were all dancing to these songs the first time around in the 1990s) needed a moment to think about it. The music started, and we were there. Dancing like there was no tomorrow, to stunning renditions of songs we know so well it’s like we’ve always known them.
The atmosphere was electrifying, thanks to the presence of the Soweto Gospel Choir. We all know and love Groove Terminator, who curated an exceptional playlist that masterfully took us on a journey through the evolution of house music, celebrating its origins in Chicago's underground clubs to its global rise. But it was the raw vibrant energy and passion of the Choir that emanated through the venue and kept everyone up and dancing. Their clear perfect voices and harmonies blended with the iconic tracks we heard, and showcased just how diverse and adaptable house music is as we moved seamlessly from disco and funk to techno and soul. The Choir were just as adept dancers as singers, and with their infectious enthusiasm and effortless moves, transported us to the dance floors of the past.
The music came alive in every corner of the venue. It was impossible not to get swept up in the infectious rhythm; with a diverse audience of all ages, parents danced with their kids, and also with their own parents. All we wanted to do yesterday was dance and groove to the beats. Hope was in the air, capturing the raw emotion and freedom that house music embodied for us in those heady pre-9/11 days. Everything had seemed so positive and promising – the Berlin wall was down and Gorbachev had opened up the Soviet Union; surely everything was going to be great, wasn’t it?
This show is a love letter to house music - a celebration of its history, its impact, and its future. It left me feeling inspired, uplifted, and grateful to the Choir for their incredible tribute to a genre that continues to unite people from all walks of life. Go to this show if you love music, dance, and the spirit of community that house music represents.
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