Overview
Plenty of different noises have echoed across South Bank over the years, from the excited splashes of folks swimming around in the precinct's manmade beaches through to the echoes of jazz by the river, food festivals filled with munching Brisbanites and everything that the piazza has ever hosted. The next sounds that the inner-city spot will hear: the Ministry of Sound, thanks to its huge dance music orchestra show.
When anyone hits 30, they tend to look backwards — to reminisce, lament leaving their twenties behind and avoid accepting that they've just hit a big milestone birthday. Ministry of Sound marked that occasion last year, and it's also getting nostalgic. The brand that started as a London club night back in 1991 has been touring an orchestral gig around Australia, in fact, that's filled with three decades of dance music bangers.
First announced last year, and finally heading to Brisbane's Riverside Green from 2–10pm on Saturday, November 19, Ministry of Sound Classical is the answer to a question you didn't know you had. Ever wondered what classical renditions of Basement Jaxx, Darude, Röyksopp, Robin, Underworld, Moby, Fisher and more — played by an orchestra, and with live vocals — would sound like? This is your chance to find out.
On the bill: the Ministry of Sound Orchestra, of course, as well as Groove Terminator, Sneaky Sound System, Touch Sensitive and John Course. Other DJs and performers set to do their thing include Vinyl Slingers, GRVES, Rousey, Jen E and Matt Kitshon.
Conductor Vanessa Perica will lead the musicians, while live vocals will hail from Sneaky Sound System's Miss Connie, plus Reigan, Rudy, Karina Chavez and Lady Lyric.
There'll also be food trucks slinging bites to eat, picnic hampers for you to graze through while you listen, a champagne bar pouring the obvious and cocktails to sip, too. Oh, and a killer riverside backdrop.
As for what you'll be listening to, the list of tunes getting the orchestral treatment also spans songs by Robert Miles, Cafe del Mar, Laurent Garnier, Shapeshifter and Temper Trap.
And yes, it all sounds a lot like Synthony, which does the same thing — but who doesn't love getting multiple opportunities to hear dance-floor fillers given a classical spin?
The Ministry of Sound Classical tour will hit Brisbane, playing Riverside Green at South Bank Parklands, on Saturday, November 19. For further details — and to register for pre-sale tickets now, before they go on sale at 8am on Tuesday, July 12 (ahead of general ticket sales at 8am on Wednesday, July 13) — head to the tour website.