Sounds like a party

There’s going to be lots of trance, anthems, dirty house favourites, disco classics, and even Duran Duran and ABBA.

According to Mardi Gras party producer, Brad Wright, there is something to keep every set of feet moving at this weekend’s party.

This is heading back to the mid-90s parties when people walked in and just went, -˜This is stunning and looks amazing,’ Wright says.

The RHI, Wright promises, will be camp, camp, camp.

It is the gayest I have seen this space look in a long time. What goes in this room will be camp anthems that you can sing along to with your hands in the air.

The Hordern Pavilion has two themes this year -“ trance and the cosmos. It is full-on trance -“ trance everything, Wright says. And the theme of outer space fits very well with trance. It is all about flying through space, with your arms up in the air and losing yourself in the clouds.

The Dome will return to its darker past, with heavier beats and a new floor design.

All the music is dirty, darker house, with some tribal sounds also in there, Wright says. We are also breaking the room up with areas to explore and dance in. It won’t be just one big open space, which will make things very interesting.

As for The Forum in the old City Live, Wright says the word retro has been banned. In the past, retro meant all kinds of modern remixes of old disco hits. This year, we are playing the original versions of disco classics from the 70s, 80s and 90s.

The top floor of The Forum will also be the Women’s Space, which will be decked out in white and accessible from a side entrance.

The parade’s lead float, a pirate ship, will be parked between the RHI and the Hordern Pavilion to create the fifth dance space.

Star performances will be from Jimmy Somerville, Jan Johnston, Baby Marcelo, Mary Kiani, Xenza, Eric Heynatz and Therese from Stonebridge.

… then it’s recovery time

The term recovery usually denotes a return to health, or the regaining of something lost or taken away. None of these definitions apply to the wild recovery parties that will take place this Sunday, when thousands of revellers continue their Mardi Gras celebrations from the night before.

It’s been said no city does recovery parties like Sydney, and all the bars and clubs along Oxford Street will be doing a brisk trade on Sunday.

The official Mardi Gras recovery party is Toybox at Luna Park. One of the most eagerly awaited events of the year, tickets sold out long ago. It gets under way at 10am on Sunday morning with free admission to all rides, and the dance party starts at noon.

Other venues throwing their doors open early on Sunday morning include Phoenix at 6am and the Flinders and Manacle at 7am. Arq and Midnight Shift Club are trading from 8am, as is Colombian which is holding Arveaux Deluxe. Stonewall and The Oxford are also sure to be packed with punters straight after the Mardi Gras party.

Come Sunday afternoon, those in the mood to get down and dirty will head to the recovery party at men’s sauna Kens at Kensington. DJ Seymour Butz will be playing from 4pm and also launching his new CD Sauna Sessions: Horizontal Dance Anthems.

From 5pm Deckbar is bringing together its two popular parties, Odyssey House and Bitch, for a massive event over three levels. Slide will open at 6pm which is when the Tilbury Hotel will start filling up with boys, as it always does on a Sunday night.

At 8pm Manacle will start its On The Prowl party, while Arq holds its big recovery, Endurance, from 9pm featuring performances by Paulini and Candi Stratton.

The other big parties get under way on Sunday night when the clock strikes 10. The very popular DTPM is on again at Tank and is expected to sell out. Phoenix is holding Wasabi and leather party Indulgence is happening at Midnight Shift Club.

For those still looking for some fun on Monday morning, a couple of venues will be kicking on. Manacle will have their day party Bent from 7am, while Midnight Shift Club is holding International Underground with some foreign DJs. Arq will be open from 9pm.

For tips on looking after yourself this party weekend see our Perfect party preparation story.