In the early weeks of March 1993, Australia’s urban music culture was a vibrant and rapidly evolving landscape. From the grassroots energy of Sydney’s burgeoning hip hop movement, showcased at landmark events like “Hypnotical Gasses,” to the high-energy dance floors of Adelaide’s thriving club scene, the period was defined by a surge in local talent and an influx of international sounds. This report archives the key artists, events, releases, and cultural moments that shaped this dynamic era.
The Australian Hip Hop Movement
The Australian hip hop scene of 1993 was in a formative and crucial stage of development, building its identity distinct from its American origins. Live events were the lifeblood of this movement, serving as essential platforms for artists to connect with a dedicated audience and for the community to solidify its presence. Showcases like “Hypnotical Gasses” in Sydney were not just concerts; they were strategic gatherings designed to put the nation’s best talent on one stage, fostering a sense of unity and national pride within the genre.
Event Spotlight: “Hypnotical Gasses” Showcase
On Saturday, 13th February, Sydney’s Sight night saw the cream of Australia’s hip hop talent converge for the “Hypnotical Gasses” showcase. While the crowd size was noted as “disappointing,” the energy and support from those in attendance were immense, making the event a landmark moment for the local scene. The night was a powerful demonstration of the skill and passion driving Australian hip hop forward.
- Performers: The lineup featured a formidable roster of the scene’s leading and emerging artists, including Def Wish Cast, Fonke Knowmadds, Urban Poets, Noble Savages, The Dream Girls, and DJ Fink.
- Performance Highlights: Def Wish Cast delivered an incredible performance, with their raw stage presence and fresh A.U.S.T. cassette proving to be a standout. Fellow Sydney-siders brought “phat” sounds that were enthusiastically received. From Adelaide, the Fonke Knowmadds made a significant impact, with the review noting that they “came and indeed conquered.”
- Event Atmosphere: Accounts of the evening describe an electric vibe, characterized by overwhelming support for the performers. Despite the smaller-than-hoped-for turnout, the night was a resounding success, culminating in a powerful set by Def Wish Cast that left a lasting impression.
- Perspective: MC Quoromystix provided an important perspective on the event’s significance, highlighting the unity and collaborative spirit of the scene. He noted, “It was a straight-up hip hop jam… It’s just like, everyone’s traded.”
Artist Profile: Def Wish Cast
Group Origins
Def Wish Cast emerged as one of Australia’s most self-contained and hardcore hip hop acts. The group, consisting of Def Wish, Ser Wrek, Die C, and DJ Vame, had its roots in the graffiti and hip hop posse “The Parastyles.” Their journey began in the mid-1980s, evolving from a crew known as “Just Us” and solidifying their musical direction through years of collaboration and dedication.
Musical Philosophy
The group’s philosophy was centered on authenticity and a commitment to their core audience. They resisted the urge to commercialize their sound, focusing instead on creating music that resonated with dedicated hip hop fans. As vocalist Ser Wrek articulated, their goal was clear: “It’s all about selling records to the hardcore audience… if you change the music the way you want it, then that’s all it is, people wanting to pump it out the way you want it.”
Their final messages in an interview from this period were direct and revealing of their individual perspectives. To their fans, Ser Wrek urged, “Keep supporting Australian music. Don’t lose it.” DJ Vame offered encouragement to writers and chroniclers of the scene: “Keep going, man, and it will come.” Finally, Def Wish reflected on their role as mentors: “All of us broke and did graffiti, we still live by that, it’s just now we have eight-year-olds lookin’ up to us… we’re just bringin’ up boys!”
Artist Profile: Fonke Knowmadds
The Adelaide-based duo Fonke Knowmadds began their musical journey in 1987, crafting beats in a bedroom. Comprised of Teop and Pushmaster Soup, their path reflects the patient, do-it-yourself ethos of the early scene. Their performance at “Hypnotical Gasses” was a culmination of years of work, finally breaking ground on a national stage. Reflecting on their journey, Teop stated, “It’s taken us a while… but we’ve got lots of demos.”
Artist Profile: Urban Poets
Describing themselves as “wandering souls,” the members of Urban Poets came from Perth, Auckland, Canberra, and all convened in Sydney to form the group. Their sound was described as fresh and original. At the time, they were preparing to release a four-track tape and were working with Phat Stuff productions, who managed and produced the group. The grassroots, collaborative energy of this burgeoning hip hop scene provided a stark contrast to the more structured and commercially driven world of dance music, where clubs competed fiercely for patrons with new theme nights and international DJ sets.
Developments in the Dance and Club Scene
The Australian dance club scene in March 1993 was a dynamic and competitive ecosystem. Promoters constantly launched new club nights to capture evolving tastes, while the arrival of international DJs brought global sounds directly to local dance floors. This period was marked by a constant churn of events, relaunches, and trend shifts, reflecting a community hungry for fresh electronic music experiences.
Upcoming Events and New Club Nights
PowaHouse at Tonsley Hotel
On Thursday, 11th March, the Tonsley Hotel hosts PowaHouse, promising “straight up dance” music. The night features resident DJ ATB joined by Brendon and Angus. Doors open at 9 pm, with a $3 cover charge, but entry is free before 10 pm.
Discover Discovery
A new “early soiree” launched on Wednesday, 10th March, at Discovery. Promising a place for those who like to start their night early, the event runs from 9 pm to 2 am and features DJs Brendon, MPK, Uzi, and PMA.
The Ark Dance Club Relaunch
Adelaide’s premier dance venue, The Ark, held a relaunch on Friday, 12th and Saturday, 13th March. The event promised “retro-inspired grooves with the freshest dance tracks” and featured a “Denim Iniquity Fashion Spectacular” to mark the occasion.
Rage or Rave at Heaven
Heaven nightclub on West Terrace hosted Rage or Rave every Thursday. The night was dedicated to “High Energy Dance Music” and offered free entry before 10 pm.
House of Love at The Synagogue
Every Friday, The Synagogue transformed into the House of Love. The night, featuring DJs X-citement, JK, and Eeze.G, focused on “the sexiest in garage and rare groove.”
Equinox at University of South Australia
The University of South Australia’s Underdale Campus Union presented Equinox on Friday, 19th March. The event took place in the E-Building and featured DJs Groove Terminator, HMC, Matt, Code One, and MPK.
Jigsaw’s Easter Reunion
Adelaide’s leading dance music promoters joined forces for Jigsaw, a major Easter reunion party scheduled for Saturday, 10th April. The event was set to feature an all-Adelaide DJ lineup, including DJ HMC, Groove Terminator, Uzi, Brendon, MPK, and PMA.
Retro on Rundle Launch
A new club bar was set to launch on Sunday, 21st March, on Rundle Street. Titled Retro, the venue’s stated purpose was to provide an exclusive concept “catering for the non-existence of quality dance music on Sunday nights,” featuring DJ Groove Terminator.
Club 151 Launch
A new club night was forthcoming on Melbourne Street called Club 151. The night was advertised to feature a mix of garage, house, and hard house.
Live Reviews: On the Dance Floor
Frank De Wulf at The Ark
On Friday, 5th March, Belgian DJ Frank De Wulf took to the decks at The Ark. His set was described as “hard, trancey, driving, absolutely relentless,” a stark contrast to the more predictable commercial sounds of the time. The performance polarized the crowd; while some complained it was “not hardcore enough for me,” others were profoundly inspired. DJ HMC was quoted as saying, “This is the most inspirational night I’ve heard in a long time… Kevin Saunderson’s good, but he didn’t play enough techno.” The reviewer’s final verdict was clear: “this is European sound of ’93, so you’d better get used to it.”
The Second Coming at The Synagogue
The Saturday night event at The Synagogue on March 6th was well-received. Reviewers noted a “freshened up” atmosphere with significant improvements to the sound and lighting systems. The music was described as “chilled-out,” contributing to a cool and friendly vibe, though it was noted that there were fewer people in attendance than on previous nights.
Funk Dance Competition at Luna
The first heat of the Funk Dance competition at Luna saw a battle between the boys and the girls. After some impressive moves and crowd enthusiasm, the boys were declared the winners of the heat.
Hip Hop Haloumi at Rumours
A night of hip hop at Rumours featured an apprentice DJ who, despite his youth, showed impressive style and skill. He “vented all his beats,” and though his set included some work to be done, he was praised for his potential.
Industry Trends and News
The Call for Longer DJ Sets
A growing sentiment within the UK and, by extension, the global dance scene was the desire for longer, more immersive DJ sets. DJ Dave Seaman voiced concerns over short, one-hour “guest” sets that left little room for risk-taking or musical journeys. He expressed a desire to play “seven-hour sets, deep, trippy and experimental,” arguing that this format promotes “diversity and unification, not homogeny and ghettoisation”.
Dance With A Message
The European dance community was actively engaging in social messaging, particularly anti-racism movements. The “House Against Hate” event in Rotterdam, featuring artists like Fierce Ruling Diva and Quazar, was a prominent example. An associated album was released to spread the message, and a similar project called “Putting Our House In Order” was underway in the UK.
DJ Profile: DJ Uzi
A profile of local DJ Uzi was accompanied by a photo with the amusing caption: “DJ Uzi after his mum spotted his first tattoo.” This vibrant live scene and its evolving industry trends were directly fueled by a constant stream of new music from both international powerhouses and emerging local artists.
New Music: Releases, Reviews, and Artist Spotlights
The musical landscape of March 1993 was a rich tapestry woven from global and local threads. Australian audiences had access to a diverse array of sounds, from the polished funk-rock of Sydney bands to the cutting-edge techno and hip hop arriving via import. This period saw a flurry of new singles, albums, and artist activity that defined the sound of the era.
Artist Spotlight: Sydney Funk Band SWOOP
Sydney’s funk band SWOOP was gaining traction with a sound designed to bridge the gap between genres. Vocalist Joshua Beagley explained their philosophy and audience: “people are becoming more aware of funk — people who thought they were techno and rave heads.” Deeply influenced by funk legends like Parliament and Sly Stone, the band aimed to capture the raw energy of a live performance on their recordings, emulating “the natural result of people playing live.” SWOOP had upcoming shows scheduled for Zuluz and the Virgin Megastore, with their current single “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” released on Phantom Records.
Global Music News
- David Bowie: The legendary artist was set to release a new single, “Jump They Say,” from his forthcoming album Black Tie White Noise. The track was receiving remix treatments from top dance acts Leftfield and Brothers In Rhythm.
- Whitney Houston: The powerhouse vocalist’s latest track was enjoying significant chart success across the globe.
- Stereo MC’s: The group’s single “Connected” was a notable hit during this period.
- Bobby Brown: It was announced that mixing was underway for Brown’s second concept album, with a planned release date of Monday, 13th April.
New Release Summaries
Local Releases
The Australian music scene was buzzing with new material. Vicious Vinyl announced the upcoming release of “Feel My Love” by Melbourne act Quench. Other notable local releases available now included:
- Dave Seaman and Phil Healey – U Love
- Deep Forest – Deep Forest
- Digable Planets – Reachin’
- Def Wish Cast – Mad As A Hatter EP
- Plus tracks from Innocence, Mi-People, Soul II Soul, and more.
Import Releases
A massive wave of import singles was hitting the shelves, offering a taste of the latest European and American sounds. Key releases included:
- The Good Men – Give It Up
- Aphex Twin – On EP
- Orbital – Lush 3
- Depeche Mode – I Feel You
- Plus dozens of other tracks from artists like Underground Resistance, Masters At Work, and Dr. Dre.
Album and Single Reviews
Import Reviews Table
| Artist & Title | Review & Rating |
| Masters At Work – I Can’t Get No Sleep | Swinging new NY style from Gonzales and ‘Little’ Louie Vega. Features three mixes, including a dope rap mix. +++ |
| Brand Nubian – Love Me Or Leave Me Alone | The latest from the Travel Jam… +++ |
| Underground Resistance – Shockwave | Q. What do you do if you find a record like this? A. Listen to this and find out. +++ |
| Curtin, Tommy Kelian and Herb B – Got To Have It | Funky house with a Miami style vocal. ++1/2 |
| Highlander – Excited / Stop Suicide | Hard trance straight outta Europe. The sound of ’93. +++ |
| 3MB featuring Eddie ‘Flashin’ Fowlkes – Godfather EP | Jeff Mills continues his pro with another German collaboration. +++1/2 |
| Microglobe – High On Hope (Remixes) | A very catchy song. +++ |
Local Reviews Table
| Artist & Title | Review & Rating |
| Paperboy – Ditty | A doped up album with a good, original sound, with lotsa interesting noises goin on. Easy to drink to, easy to dance to. ++1/2 |
| State vs Usbad – One In Ten | A cover of the UB40 original in various mixes, ranging from pop to trance, with vox and dub versions. +1/2 |
| Zest – Lionheart | Exactly what you’d expect on a track with this name. If you can ignore the “no-nonsense” lyrics, you might get into the sound. + |
| Kam – Peace Treaty | From Pulse 8, this sounds like The Old Lion on a Friday night. It was just numbers in the crowd, because the Old Lion is dead. |
As artists released new music, the industry created platforms to celebrate the technical skill of the DJs who brought those tracks to life on the dance floor through high-stakes competition.
Competitions and Industry Awards
The professionalization of the Australian dance music scene was significantly advanced by organized competitions and industry awards. Events like the DMC DJ Championship provided a stage for turntablists to showcase their technical prowess, while the national Dance Music Awards offered a formal system for recognizing excellence across all facets of the industry, from artists and labels to clubs and radio shows.
The 1993 DMC DJ Championship
The search for Australia’s top DJ was officially underway with the announcement of the 1993 DMC Championship.
- Entries: Entries were declared open, with conflicting advertisements in the publication listing the deadline as either 6 pm on Wednesday, 24th March or at the close of business on Wednesday, 27th March.
- New Rules: The competition introduced new rules for 1993, allowing entries from groups of up to three people. Contestants were also permitted to use up to four turntables and other extra equipment, opening the door for more complex and creative performances.
- Venue & Dates: Both the heats and the finals were scheduled to be held at The Ark Dance Club, with the first heat kicking off on Thursday, 8th April.
- Contact Information: Aspiring champions could get more information and entry forms from Central Station.
The 1993 Dance Music Awards
The international dance music organization DMC also announced the launch of the 1993 Dance Music Awards and DJ Convention, a landmark event for the Australian scene.
- Categories: The awards featured more than 25 categories designed to recognize the breadth of the industry. These ranged from genre-specific awards for Australian hip hop and techno to accolades for best local radio show, record shop, and club DJ.
- Voting Process: The awards were open to public vote. Voting cards were made available in record stores across the country, allowing fans and industry members to have their say.
- Timeline: The five finalists in each category were scheduled to be announced on Wednesday, 14th April.
While the music community was focused on its own stars and accolades, the broader cultural conversation was also being shaped by major releases in the world of cinema.
Film Reviews of March 1993
The cinematic offerings of early 1993 were both artistically ambitious and commercially significant. Audiences were treated to sprawling biographical epics, tense political thrillers, and sweeping historical dramas from some of the era’s most acclaimed directors. This section reviews four key films that were capturing the attention of critics and moviegoers.
Malcolm X
Spike Lee’s epic biographical film Malcolm X was praised as a monumental achievement. Starring a powerful Denzel Washington, the film charts the life of the influential and controversial Black leader. Despite its lengthy runtime of 3 hours and 20 minutes, the reviewer noted that its pacing, visual effects, and musical score keep the narrative engaging throughout. The film’s core message is captured in a quote from Malcolm X himself:
We declare our right on this Earth to be a man, to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being, in this society, on this Earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary.
Rating: (M) 82%
The Crying Game
Neil Jordan’s film was described as an intelligent and deep IRA thriller that defied simple categorization. The story follows an IRA member, Fergus (Stephen Rea), who befriends a captured British soldier (Forest Whitaker) and later seeks out the soldier’s girlfriend, Dil (Jaye Davidson). The reviewer highlighted the film’s complexity and its now-famous “surprise,” which challenges audience perceptions.
Rating: (M) 70%
Last of the Mohicans
Set in 18th-century North America during the French and Indian War, this historical epic stars Daniel Day-Lewis as Hawkeye, a man raised by Mohicans, and Madeleine Stowe. The film was noted for its sweeping cinematography and romantic storytelling, drawing on both the original novel and the 1936 screenplay.
Rating: (M) 80%
Voyager
This pre-WWII story, starring Sam Shepard and Julie Delpy, follows an engineer whose life is changed by a series of chance encounters. The review suggests a complex, if perhaps not entirely successful, narrative that left some plot points unresolved.
Rating: (M) 64%
Moving from the grand narratives of cinema, the focus shifts to a more personal and direct form of feedback: an unvarnished voice from the club-going community itself.
From the Community: A Reader’s Voice
This final section captures a direct perspective from the heart of the club scene. A letter to the editor of a weekly music paper highlights a persistent issue faced by patrons, offering a look at the friction that can occur between a venue’s security and the community it serves.
Concerns Over Club Security
A letter submitted by a reader identified only as “The Little Purple Troll” raised serious concerns about the “attitude” of club bouncers. The central complaint focused on overly aggressive and zealous security personnel whose behavior was seen as alienating to club-goers. The reader argued that such conduct was not only detrimental to the atmosphere of a club but could also jeopardize a venue’s license. In a moment of frustration with what they perceived as nonsensical rules, the reader posed a pointed rhetorical question: “why do they put green streamers in a packet when no-one reads them?” This comment aptly summarized the feeling of being subjected to arbitrary authority, a sentiment that resonated with many in the clubbing community.
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