On Friday, November 28, the industrial interiors of West Footscray’s Wool Store played host to one of the most anticipated events of the year. Billed as an exclusive ‘one-night-only’ DJ set amidst their massive arena tour, the sold-out event saw electronic titans RÜFÜS DU SOL trade the polish of Rod Laver Arena for the grit of a heritage-listed warehouse. Organised by Untitled Group, the night promised a return to the trio’s club roots, a raw, stripped-back affair for the purists.
There is a notable difference between a RÜFÜS DU SOL live show and a RÜFÜS DU SOL DJ set. The latter features just the duo, performing without vocalist Tyrone Lindqvist, and the music played is vastly different. If you were looking for the vocal-focused, hit-filled stadium performance, then the DJ set is not for you. Instead, the set was filled with special IDs and hardly any of their own known tracks. These sets provide an opportunity to mix things up, dig through their collection, and present a different side of the project; one as tastemakers, not performers. The track selection was terrific but felt flat at moments, where bigger, more engaging anthems could have better hooked the significant crowd.
Earlier in the night, SG Lewis set the tone perfectly. His set was a masterclass in disco-infused house, warming up the cold concrete space. It was the ideal primer for what was to come, bringing a feeling to the industrial setting that felt both sophisticated and exciting.
While RÜFÜS DU SOL were notable, in a venue like The Wool Store the space is just as much the main attraction. Having operated events here such as Dom Dolla B2B Solomun in the past, event organisers Untitled Group have the experience to succeed in this environment, and that they did. The production was terrific, with lighting filling most of the huge venue. The concrete layout was the ideal setting for a night that leaned heavily into melodic techno and deep house. It was stripped back compared to RÜFÜS DU SOL’s live shows, relying on elements that bounced off the steel pillars rather than elaborate video walls and pyro.
However, the sound quality was noticeably poor. While it is understood that achieving crisp acoustics in a cavernous, concrete warehouse is a difficult task, the audio did struggle to find clarity in the space. On the other hand, the spacing inside and outside the venue was well done, as packing that many people into a warehouse is not a simple task. A downside seemed to be lines for the bar which would have resulted in a significant wait for the thousands of punters.
It’s not often RÜFÜS DU SOL play a DJ set, especially in a venue like The Wool Store. That in itself made this event an incredible experience that is not coming around again anytime soon. The Wool Store will soon return, with X CLUB. taking over the venue on December 20th.