I expected Max Grahams set to be akin to an organ grinders performance: a simpleton cranking out a tinkle of repetitive uplifting beats while we, the monkeys, hopped from one foot to the other.



I was so wrong. He was sheer brilliance and by the amount of cheering during and after his set, Id say that almost everyone present would agree with me.



First of all, the music was awesome. I thought hed restrict himself to his progressive niche but his set was an explosion of great tracks of varying styles. He started out calmly with some friendly house but then stepped it up by throwing on some interesting progressive house tracks. This first part I didn't like; the music was mundane and the tempo was so inconsistent that I found it hard to dance. However, the progressive house steadily grew more complex and excitable 'til it gave way to a steady storm of rad tech-house which seemed to go on forever. Throughout the main part of his set, Max also mixed in some breakbeat and progressive trance and house which worked quite well since it was a break from the tech-house yet still kept the energy high and the tempo similarly paced. Near the end he started mixing in some dreamy trance. Usually I would scoff at a dj playing such cheese but he wasn't overdoing it (it was almost like he was just sampling it in) and I felt that he was only playing it in a conscientious effort to decrease our heartbeat before the house lights were brought up.



But he didn't even allow the house lights to be turned on. Two seconds after he ended his set he started back up again. He sent an electric shock throughout the club by throwing on an awesome remix of Snap's "I've Got the Power" and then delving back into the madness for some fifteen minutes.



It goes without saying that his mixing was spectacular. He strung 2.5 hours of varying bpm's into one impeccable and satisfying ride. As well, he scratched. I guess I should have assumed he would since he started out as a hip-hop dj but I was totally stunned.



Three cheers for Benson & Hedges for bringing this talented organ grinder out to Vancouver and three more cheers for Vancouver because the club was packed with monkeys and stayed that way right 'til the end.