Next month will mark Sassquatch's 9th birthday. Almost a decade ago, Ri and I teamed up to play our first set as Sassquatch and Data Takashi at "The Secret Pirate Party".
Playing alongside The Klassikist and King of Town, Ri and I had the best possible time on these Thursday nights. Fueled by adoration for the wave of new bands (LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture, !!!) re-inventing dance music, classic bands who'd created the blueprints (Gang of Four, Talking Heads, A Certain Ratio) and cheap alcoholic frozen-ice beverages, these nights were, week after week, pure magic. Alongside the music and slush that made these times so great, the final ingredient was the people involved. Wits students that wouldn't miss a night, young professionals in business wear turning into sweaty messes, Pretoria kids that would drive all the way to Melville to dance with us; week after week, the people that packed out that tiny venue made us the happiest guys in Joburg.
The scene would inspire a whole generation of new DJs (Brother Grimm, Nathan Scott Phillips, Kodiak and so many more joining our ranks) and surely had a heavy hand in how night-life changed in the years since. But, like all good things, the nights would come to an end. Tokyo Star would leave Melville, along with it's lack of dress-code, alternative spirit and our ragged gang of DJs and dancers. I focused more on throwing parties in cities beyond Joburg. Ri would land up creating multiple alter-egos (Data Takashi, Plaat Japie, Danger Ingozi) for his expanding musical tastes. Kids grew up and time moved on.
Now, we're casting our gaze back to this golden era. Ri, Cam and I are throwing one of our Hi5 nights next Thursday, with a classic lineup and cheap alchoholic frozen-ice beverages in tow. We're mega excited to put on "An Indie Thursday Throwback" and can't wait to get slushed with all our old friends!
