Favourites fill dancefloor for Mr. Scruff
Mr. Scruff
Chevron Festival Gardens
3.5 stars
REVIEW MATTHEW HOGAN
Every year the Perth International Arts Festival contemporary culture manager books at least one DJ for a massive all-night party at the Chevron Festival Gardens. This year, Manchester DJ Mr. Scruff proved he was up for the challenge with a marathon set.
Following in the footsteps of the likes of DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist, who in previous years brought the good vibes to the gardens, the Ninja Tune signee had no trouble packing out the open-air venue. He even managed to convince the organisers to add an extra hour onto his set and hit the stage at 8pm instead of the previously advertised 9pm.
You’d have to be a real aficionado to be able to name half the songs he played as he spun an array of rarities from the Afro-Caribbean, funk and Latin genres for much of the set, bring a constantly building groove to the dancefloor.
The seated chin-scratchers were also sated with his choice selections of Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers’ Psychedelic Pucho and Brassroots’ big band take on Good Life, originally a Detroit techno hit by Inner City in 1989.
Playing equally from a small selection of his vinyl collection along with lossless digital rips, the DJ born Andy Carthy was accompanied by a video journalist who stood in the shadows and filled the massive onstage screen with Carthy’s crude animations of friendly bacteria playing pulsating drum kits to add to the celebratory atmosphere.
An extended exploration of The Clash’s Rock the Casbah proved to be the winner of the night, causing the loved up Valentine’s Day crowd to get sweaty one more time.
Mr. Scruff showed on Saturday night why he has such a cult following, effortlessly educating the up for anything masses with a wide array of party favourites from every corner of the globe.
