Hoop earrings, check! Glow sticks, check!! Reebok high tops, check!!! White denim, check!!!! I ticked off most of my mental list of 90s fashion must haves before I’d even crossed the foyer of Trak. Obviously I’m not the only one excited to bust out some running man tonight and I’m relieved that the venues air con is cranked full force against Melbourne’s ridiculously humid Saturday night.
The 1990s started with the launch of the Hubble telescope, mapping the human genome and the internet. It saw Nelson Mandela elected President of South Africa, witnessed the collapse of the Soviet Union and closed with humans capable of cloning sheep and sending pictures from the surface of Mars. To be fair it also spawned alcopops, The Macarena and The Titanic so lets not get too sentimental, but 20 odd years later it’s still hard to forget how watching the ladies from Snap! in latex bodysuits on MTV made me feel like the future of music was HERE.
The 90s saw Europop give underground electronic dance music a place on public airwaves and as C + C Music Factory lets their most famous three words “everybody dance now” rip there’s a ripple of insanity across the venue. It seems a critical mass of us are remembering what it was like to discover the magic of a packed dance floor as a teenager. Watching the group of guys beside me who can’t stop hugging each other in excitement I even forgive Nick Skitz for playing Blue (Da Bay Dee) during his signature high energy opening set.
There’s one slightly awkward moment as Culture Beat “slow it down” and start playing a B side no one knows the words to. We’re here to dance, standing around swaying is a waste of the champagne and Jaeger bombs that seem to be in everyone’s hand. I’m not sure if I’m relieved or disappointed there isn’t a Bacardi Breezer in sight, but as they play Mr Vain it’s obvious there isn’t any dampening the room’s enthusiasm.
It’s not just 30 somethings reliving their youth making things so boisterous, at least a third of the crowd would have been in kindergarten when Corona‘s Rhythm Of The Night spent 20 weeks in the Australian charts but they know every word and as Snap! (minus the latex bodysuits) wind up the night it’s clear Rhythm Is A Dancer has a place in the hearts of even those who barely scrape into generation Y.
Unlike the scrunchie I pull out like a dirty secret to wash my face when I get home, I have a good feeling the 90’s icons I saw tonight will stand the test time yet.
-Brenton Spink & Alice Yeah
Brenton Spink is a social Melburnian who loves a good feed, drink, dance, and other related shenanigans. Find him on Twitter at @SoSpinky.
’90s Mania’, the 20 track CD can be yours from March 25, so you can relive the 90s in your home and car whenever you want. Hoop earrings not required. Available at all major retailers.
