Review: Classical by Ministry of Sound at Kings Park and Botanic Garden

Ministry of Sound: Classical at Kings Park and Botanic Garden
Friday, December 13, 2024

What do you do when one friend is all about the thumping beats of dance, trance, and house music, while the other prefers the grandeur of orchestral arrangements? Classical by Ministry of Sound at Kings Park is the answer! On Friday night, a sold-out concert brought together fans of both genres under the stars and towering gum trees for an unforgettable fusion of electronic beats and orchestral power.

The evening kicked off with high-energy sets from Stanton Warriors (UK), Sgt Slick, and Micah, providing pumping background music for picnickers to catch up with friends. The renowned DJ opened the night shouting, “I am Groove Terminator. This is how we begin,” before launching into the beats of Michael Gray’s The Weekend by the amazing Lady Lyric and Show Me Love by Karina Chavez. Pink Floyd’s Brick in the Wall, featuring all the guest artists, was an inspired choice for celebrating the last day of school for all the teachers and parents in the audience.

Act two had the crowd going even harder, with standout performances of The Bucketheads’ 30-year-old classic The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall into My Mind) by Rudy, Delerium’s Silence performed by Reigan, and Right Here, Right Now by Fatboy Slim featuring all the guest artists. It was wonderful to see all the guest artists acting as backup singers for each other, providing a rich harmony of sound. Special mention to Tell Me Why by Supermode, which showcased Luke Antony’s incredible vocal skills with a fabulous high falsetto.

Unfortunately, these outstanding artists were let down by the design choice to use the big side-of-stage screens primarily for graphics, rather than feature the performers, creating a disconnect between the widespread audience and the artists. Even when the artist was on-screen, they applied a slow-mo strobe effect that made it difficult to focus on their face and connect with the performer. When the audience disconnects, they are more likely to stop dancing and sit down, breaking the dance floor vibe.

Those who love the orchestra were even more left out, with the first close-up on the violins and conductor Vanessa Perica coming near the end of Set 1 with Heaven’s Got A Plan For You, and those located towards the back of the lawn could see very little at all. In previous years (see 2023 review), the camera work was exceptional at showcasing the orchestra, so it is certainly possible to achieve. Fancy graphics may be fun to create for the designer, but standard concert close-ups would be much more appreciated.

With a crowd ranging from 18 to 68, Classical offers something for everyone. Whether you still hit the clubs on Saturday night or your dance moves have slowed down to the occasional living room shimmy, this event is an unmissable highlight on the Perth concert calendar.

MELISSA MANN

Photos by Linda Dunjey