Reliving the early hours of Limbo

The heady days of Limbo Dance Club (1987-91) will be celebrated at The Rechabite this Sunday, September 22. The special event will feature original club DJs Colin Clark, Dave Jackson, JJ and Adil Bux, alongside special guests Greg Packer, Rhys Evans, Chase, Paul Clarke and Marnie Kent. BOB GORDON chats to a few of the old skool Limbo crew about the legendary Northbridge club.

Limbo Dance Club was an institution in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s. What were the origins and lead-up to the opening of the venue?

Paul ‘JJ’ Chate: John Masel and Murray Peter bought the venue around mid-1986, I think. It was previously a seedy little gambling den. Anyway, we ripped into it—a new lick of paint, a new name, ’Limbo’—and a fresh, younger vibe. The music vibe was a bit all over the place. House music wasn’t a thing yet. We had a couple of guys from Dada Records playing alternative, while Adil Bux and myself played electronic/synth and disco classics.

Over 12 months, the alternative music vibe was holding the club back, and John and Murray sold the club shortly after to brothers Damien and Phil Laughnan. I was kept on and elevated to manager. Now I was pretty hip to what was the fledgling dance club scene. Immediately I wanted to strengthen the club’s brand and identity, so I designed the new logo, making sure ‘Dance Club’ was prominent. I DJ’d as much as I could, but having to manage and run the club meant we needed new DJs, Roy Jopson being one of the first.

During my time as manager, the house scene really evolved. House music was going off. Street culture/art/fashion was the thing, and I embraced it wholeheartedly. I got artists in for graffiti work and the TV wall for the MTV look, theming each night a bit different from each other. The club went from strength to strength, from three average nights a week to six banging nights.

I recall walking in one night and Acid House had exploded with everyone dancing with their hands in the air. That was a time, wasn’t it?

Colin Clark: Limbo really took off going into summer late ‘88. We saw a huge influx of backpackers from the UK who had experienced the 1988 summer of love. They gravitated towards Limbo as it was one of the few clubs that was dropping early acid tunes. Acid House was a youth movement of music and fashion, just like mods, rockers and punks were to previous generations.

What other musical styles did Limbo’s DJs pioneer in Perth?

Colin Clark: DJs covered a lot of ground. Nothing like today. They all did long sets, sometimes up to nine hours on a night. There was a 9pm to 6am licence back then. Saturdays were a mix of everything from 100 bpm soul, piano-driven Italo house, early Chicago house, Detroit techno, blissful Balearic beats, Belgium new beat, and the indie band dance crossover.

Early in the night, it was the anthems. From 3am onwards, DJs experimented with new music, pushing boundaries and playing more underground house and techno. DJs who worked the Saturday nights throughout this time were JJ, Adil Bux, Roy Jopson, Guy Ornadel, Colin Clark, Wayne Lewis and Dave Jackson.

Weeknights also saw queues around the block. ‘87-‘88 Wednesdays were massive, with Curtis J and Adil Bux playing a mix of ‘80s dance and funk.

‘89-‘90 saw Colin Clark and Wayne Lewis team up on a Friday, playing back to back all night. The hugely successful night predominantly focused on early New York garage, Chicago house and UK street sounds.

As per the blurb, the DJs on the night will be playing in spirit and remembrance of Limbo’s legendary resident DJ Roy ‘The Boy’ Jopson (RIP). Who else were the great characters—behind the decks and on the floor/at the bar—of the Limbo era?

Dave Jackson: The people I met at Limbo DC were the main reason I decided to stay in Perth and not go back to the UK. In 1990, the music was upfront and underground. The atmosphere in the club had a similar feel to some of what I had already experienced in the north of England as the club and rave scene exploded across the UK. People went there not because they knew all the songs but because they knew each other or wanted to be part of something special.

From 1990-91, a couple of aloof characters had a big presence on the dancefloor, wanting new music and a journey. Shane and Gavin would usually be the last two to leave the dancefloor every weekend. Joe Greensmith, who had a heart of gold and left an impression on everyone, often taught trendy dance moves to newcomers. Danielle Lewis wasn’t there for a long time but had a huge impact on the legendary vibe, supplying infectious energy and ecstasy to get the room jumping.

All the DJs played an essential part in orchestrating the club. Colin Clark stood out for me as an uncut diamond. He held that club together professionally when all around him was chaos.

In the late '80s, ‘alternative’ meant something. I recall a mix of people, though it was mainly a dance club. The early days seemed a mix of Underground/Red Parrot/Meccano’s/Firm clientele all in one. What are your thoughts on the crowds that Limbo attracted?

Colin Clark: Limbo attracted the early party crowd, but it was in the early hours that the club came to life, with queues around the block as late as 5am. It was everyone’s destination after 2am, regardless of where you started your night or what your musical preference was, the final destination was always Limbo. Other clubs at the time could not hold a crowd past 2.30am.

In the history of the Perth club scene, where do you think Limbo’s stands? 

Colin Clark: Limbo changed the format. Most other dance clubs at the time catered for the mainstream crowd and had one resident DJ where most of the music they would have been beat matched. Limbo introduced two-to-three DJs in one night, often playing back to back.

There was no music policy or rules as such. DJs were given the freedom to experiment and work a crowd. Mixing was not the priority; it was always about the selection. DJs weren’t afraid to stop the decks or play huge intros or a cappellas. Limbo was the first to have DJs playing extended underground house and techno sets.

Most of the resident DJs did not use the club records; they would trudge up those stairs with boxes of records night after night. There was no internet back then, so they would have to hunt down records; the costs would often exceed more than what they ever made from DJing. Unlike today, you could not download a set the night prior to a gig; it took time and dedication to build a collection and an identity as a DJ.

Limbo was instrumental to what followed in Perth after it closed. The DJs were left with very few options for playing out. Venues were limited, and most clubs in town still had the one or two resident DJ policies; guest DJs were a rarity.

As a consequence, a few of the DJs and regulars from Limbo started Source Productions. This venture was hugely successful, so much so they were emptying clubs in Northbridge every party they put on. It was at this point that clubs caught up with the evolving scene in Perth and started booking and promoting DJs as the main attraction instead of trying to compete with underground parties.

It’s an impressive line-up. What can people expect on the night at The Rechabite?

Colin Clark: Expect something for everyone; every sub-genre from the era will be covered and some. Expect a big sound and light production in the main room to complement the big room anthems. The rooftop bar will take you down memory lane in a setting to savour as the sun sets. All the DJs have their own unique style, but more importantly, every one of them will be playing to the crowd, not themselves.