Melbourne, alongside Sydney, is one of Australia’s major cities that’s widely renown for both its progressive social attitudes, and its role as a LGBT & Queer Dance Music Mecca for the whole country. Melbourne provides a diverse and inclusive sense of sexually liberated expressivity and creative freedom to all those club patrons and techno fans for whom identity and acceptance (within the community) is paramount to their enjoyment of their partying. Over the past decade, the city has played host to dozens of event series and club nights that are cornerstones of the Queer dance music scene – including the likes of Poof Doof, Beaút, Honcho Disko, Le Fag, and Trough X – just to name a few. And more recently, numerous event promoters and major music venues are vying towards incorporating safer dancefloors, improving diversity within DJ lineups, and fostering more of an inclusive club atmosphere in general for their patrons: which is concrete proof that Melbourne’s techno crowds are fully invested in sharing the love and passion of loud, pounding electronica to whomever wants to experience it on a night out – regardless of their sex, race, or background.
Spectra is one of those groups who enthusiastically and adamantly stake their name behind these concepts and the values for which they stand for.
Kicking off with a Sunday Soiree on the 14th of October at South Melbourne’s increasingly popular nightclub, Groundfloor, Spectra hopes to invite “Bears & babes, gals & guys, queers & queens, the weird & wonderful and everyone in between”.
The goal is to be a haven for carefree self-expression, a place that’s full of dark rooms – yet ever so colourful people.
All sorts of characters and personalities, From all ends of the spectrum, joining each other together inside an inclusive, immersive environment, all under the banner of house and techno music.
Earlier in the week I spoke to Chris Cornelius, one of the minds behind Spectra, for some more information:
Q&A with Chris:
All sorts of characters and personalities, From all ends of the spectrum, joining each other together inside an inclusive, immersive environment, all under the banner of house and techno music.
Question 1:
What is the underlying philosophy and core ethos behind ‘Spectra’? What are you all about?
Answer 1:
The idea behind spectra is to flip what we perceive as the current model of techno. We believe that techno shouldn’t have to be for only those that fit the model, but rather, be open for people from all different walks of life.
Knowing that you can enter a spectra party looking however you want, being whoever you want and expressive yourself in a care free and liberal environment is paramount to what we believe in.
More than anything, We aim to use Spectra as a platform for creating a community of like-minded and open people to actively promote self-expression, reducing the need for exclusivity.
Our statement sums it up nicely:
A haven of carefree expression under the guise of house and techno.
A place of dark rooms and colourful people. That’s what we’re all about.
Question 2:
You’ve chosen DJ Kiti and Salvador Darling as the headlining acts for the upcoming debut event:
What was it that led to you choosing these artists in particular to perform for, and represent, Spectra?
What was it that led to you choosing these artists in particular to perform for, and represent, Spectra?
Answer 2:
Each time I’ve seen these guys play, I’ve been incredibly captivated by their sets.
(They have) Eclectic selection, plenty of personality, and brilliant technique; everything we’re about at Spectra.
Between the two (of them) they have an expansive and wide-spread sound that covers every end of the house and techno spectrum: which is what we’re really aiming to achieve musically.
They’ve also been on the same line up many times before, particularly at Salvador’s own club night, Beaút, so it made perfect sense to have them both come play for us.
Question 3:
Who makes up Spectra? When was Spectra first founded, and when did you originally come together as the crew that makes up the core of the operations?
Have you worked together before in the past?
What was the idea that brought forth the creation of this group? Or, has Spectra been a project that’s been stewing behind the scenes for a while now?
Answer 3:
I’d been stewing on this kind of idea for a little while, but it’s only really become a real thing in the last few months.
My dear friend Magi and I were chatting about how cool it would be to have this kind of event and we quickly realised that we could be the ones to deliver it.
I myself used to run parties in Sydney before I moved to Melbourne, so I have a bit of insight into what it takes to run an event. Magi brings a fresh perspective and personality, which I believe will be an amazing addition to what Spectra is all about and the Melbourne techno community as a whole.
Question 4:
What are your artistic and creative inspirations, influences, and so forth? Labels? Artists? DJ’s? Musicians? Elaborate.
Answer 4:
If Berghain and Elrow had a baby: it would most certainly be Spectra (in my mind). The 90’s techno and rave scene looked like what we envision spectra to be, despite being a bit before my time.
Colourful, easy-going, anything goes type vibe.
Techno has steered heavily towards the ‘all black everything’ aesthetic and an exclusive environment, which is totally cool for some, but obviously off putting for others.
Artists such as Honey Dijon and The Black Madonna really inspire us, As they’re artists that weave their own unique tapestry through both their music and personalities alike.
DJ Nobu is also another one we really love. Have you ever seen that guy play?
His energy is so infectious: it’s hard not to love him.
His energy is so infectious: it’s hard not to love him.
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