Freaky Loops (1996-2001)

(from Wikipedia – since deleted)

Freaky Loops were a series of seminal dance parties held in Sydney Australia between 1996 and 2001.

They are notable for two reasons. First, they were non-profit fund raising events for community radio station 2SER.[1] Second, Freaky Loops were the largest underground parties for several years in Sydney in terms of number of acts performing and also in terms of audience. For a short period the different tribes of late 90s dance music were united.

Freaky Loops were organised by a group of people involved in doing underground dance music shows with 2SER.

These included Sebastian Chan and Luke Dearnley from Sub Bass Snarl, Gordon Finlayson and Chris Bell from Clan Analogue, Gemma Yared and Johnny Taranto from Club Kooky, Vaughan Healey, and Nick Gebhardt from 2SER and an absolute mountain of volunteer helpers.
There were 6 Freaky Loops parties in total and they raised over $130,000 for the radio station, with all performers and organizers volunteering their services freely.

The first one was in the UTS theatrette on Harris St. Freaky Loops 1 was 6 September 1996 and was a two room event with the main room having live remixes of the soundtracks of feature films including Samo Hung’s Moon Warriors and Jean-Luc Goddard’s Alphaville.

The second (5 July 1997) and third (13 December 1997) were at the Manning Building in Sydney University. These had 5 stages each running from 10-6am. The film remixes took place in one room whilst the other stages showcased the best underground sounds of the time – techno, trip hop/breakbeat, jungle.

The second and third parties had about 2500 people at each event.

The fourth (12 September 1998 ) and fifth (30th October 1999) were at the Wentworth Building in Sydney University. These had 6 different stages and ran 10-6am.

These two parties had 4500 people at each event.

After #5 venues became very hard to secure and there was a long hiatus between Freaky Loops 1999 and the next party. Sydney University was refurbishing Manning Bar and removing the capacity to run multi room events and the Wentworth Building management didn’t want any more parties of that scale there.

The final one (Sunday 25th March 2001 ) was held at Bondi Pavillion and was a daytime event with 5 stages.

There were two double CDs released as well featuring acts from the parties. The first was released through Australian distributor/label through Dancenet/MDS and the second through Creative Vibes. The second compilation won Best Compilation at the 2000 Australian Dance Music Awards.

First CD (1998 ) tracklisting – http://www.discogs.com/release/399679
Second CD (1999) tracklisting – http://www.discogs.com/release/356990

The parties captured a particular Sydney underground sound for 5 years and the CDs are still a good snapshot of that highly creative period.

The full lineups were as follows.

Freaky Loops 1: 6 September 1996 (UTS Theatre)
Sub Bass Snarl, Biftek (live), DJ Florian, All Funked Up (Simon Caldwell, Kid Dolphin, Trevor Parkee), Atomic HiFi

Freaky Loops 2: 5 July 1997 (Manning Bar Building, Sydney University)
Manson, Nag Champa, Lush Puppy vs 8-Bit, Full Contact, Psychic, Abel, Bass Bitch, Patrick HAF, Sir Robbo, Grimace, LL Static, Mark Ottignon, Sheriff Lindo, Crucial D, The Purdy Experience (live), Ju Ju Space Jazz, Simon Caldwell, Dave Edwards, John McLean, Jon Hardy, Paul Corban, Trevor Parkee, Dario (live), Sub Bass Snarl, Seymour Butz, Gemma, Florian, Shannon O’Neill (live), Trapezoid Amoeba (live), Pastel Green, Atone (live), Carrier (live), Holysmoke (live), Homologous Fent (live), Deep Child (live), Hypnoblob (live), The Telemetry Orchestra (live), HC11, Zeitgeist, Sub Bass Snarl, Matt & Kayla, Geoff Da Chef, The Cleaner, Syndicate (live), Raised By Wolves & Rekindle (live), Bonez vs Jay)

Freaky Loops 3: 13 December 1997 (Manning Bar Building, Sydney University)
Nasenbluten (live), Mark N, Lush Puppy vs 8-Bit vs Dr Jacoby vs Zootie (8 decks), Patrick HAF vs Colour vs James Bond (6 decks), Sinclair, Nag Champa, Florian, Ding, Size (live), Rekindle (live), Nutcase & Puppachubba (live), Matt vs Kayla, DJ Vision & MC Jackal, Dave Edwards, Sub Bass Snarl, Nasty Tek Posse, Torque, Ben Pierce, Sir Robbo, Purdy (live), Tooth (live), Mellifluus, Grimace vs Rusty, Simon Caldwell, Jon Hardy, Nick Law, John McLean, Paul Corban, B(if)tek, Biz E, Seymour Butz & Gemma, Quark Kent (live), GenLevel (live), Mellow Allstars, Psychic, NVE, Starlite 7, Neural, Zeitgeist, Pavo Christatus

Freaky Loops 98 : 12 September 1998 (Manning Bar Building, Sydney University)
Quark Kent, JD, 5000 Fingers of Dr T, Sub Bass Snarl with Peter Hollo, Kazumichi Grime, Seymour Butz and Gemma, Sir Robbo vs Neural, Atone vs Professor Stanislavski, Torque, S7, Kid Kenobi, Purdy vs Tooth, Seymour Butz, Mark N, Matt L and Kayla, Rekindle, Sulo and Zymotic, Vaughan, Nasenbluten, Zeitgeist, Sub Bass Snarl, 4th ‘n’ West, Simon Caldwell, John Hardy, John McLean, Head Affect, Biz E, Ken Cloud, Boo Boo n Mace, Visceral, Ming D, Manson, Psychic, Ding, Patrick HAF, Speaka Freaka, Mutante Frequante vs The Cowgirls of Flaming Oblivion, B(if)tek vs Artificial, Friendly with MC Tiger Lu Lu, Disco Stu, Gemma, Scoot Girl, Bass Bitch, MASH, L L Static, Telemetry Orchestra, Crucial, Moadeeb

Freaky Loops 99 : 30 October 1999 (Wentworth Building, Sydney University)
Seymour Butz, Gemma, Pavo Christatus, Coda, FC Europa, Ju Ju Space Jazz, Funky Terrorist, Atone vs Professor Stanislavski vs Jeff Dred, Kazumichi Grime, Quark Kent, Sub Bass Snarl, Tooth, Purdy, Sir Robbo, 5000 Fingers of Dr T, James Bond, Nerve Agent, Biftek vs Artificial, Dark Network, Telemetry Orchestra, Disco Trash Allstars vs Clone vs Genlevel, Bass Bitch, Lush Puppy vs 8 Bit, Meem, Disco Stu, Miss X, Sasqulech, Psychic, Vic, Ding, Visceral, Terra Nine, Simon Caldwell, Biz E, Patrick HAF, Rekindle, Nick Toth, Meta Bass n Breath, V-Tek vs Cytochrome, Mimetic, Prince Andrew vs Nasty Tek, Vaughan, MC Nite (4th n West), DJ D, Areito, Explanetary, Pilfernators, Sulo vs H’Biki, Spanky, Deepchild, Ubin, Mainstream, Earwax, The Herd, ALF vs HC11

Freaky Loops 2001 : 25 March 2001 (Bondi Pavillion)
Jeff Dread, Sheriff Lindo, Nardo, Sir Robbo, LL Static, Mash, Caveman, Blaze, Dr Phibes, Koolism, Explanetary, Reference Point, Celsius, Deep Child, Multiball, MC Ronnie, MC Danny Rankin, Miguel D’Souza, Aakash, The Hive, The Geek Inc, The Bird, Rekindle, VTek, Mechwarrior, Ritual, Sulo, MonkFly, ALF, Cindii, The Coven, Matt & Kayla, MCs Ozi Batla, Antic, Kray and Ego the Nomad, Jedi Knights, B-Boys, Simon Caldwell, Ju Ju Space Jazz, Sub Bass Snarl, Itchee and Scratchee, 5000 Fingers of Dr T, B(if)tek, Seymour and Gemma, Prop, Fatt Dex, Buggin, Alphatown Collective, TechIone, Mutante Frequante, Patrick HAF, Ding, Lush Puppy, Little Nobody, Kazumichi Grime, Funky Killcoré aka Visceral, HPS, DJVic Dase Team 5000, Gordon Finlayson, Telemetry Orchestra, Dark Network, Nerve Agent, Robokoneko, Disjunction Reunion, Lalila, Quark Kent, Pear Shaped/Atone, Alex Davies