Standing among the writhing bodies dancing carelessly to the heavy beats, it was hard to believe I wasn’t at a summer festival; this was the pit of the Hi-Fi Bar, swarming with people who would have looked more in place at Rainbow Serpent or a bush doof. Drawing them all to this venue was the event dubbed ‘BADA BOOM!’, featuring an incredible line-up, as far as Australian-made electronic music is concerned.

As I descended into the thick of it, Damn Moroda were kicking things off with a promising set of electronic beats, incorporating synths and funk-fuelled, dubstep underlays. The crowd were just getting into their groove at this stage, and the sold out event was not nearly at its capacity. The set up of this night presented by Omelette Records included a smoke machine and two screens on either side of the stage, framing each artist with trippy visuals and lighting.

Mista Savona Sound System hit up the decks next, with a set filled with the reggae, dub, and hip-hop infused electronica that they are known for. Though there was a little too much verbal interaction with the crowd for my liking, Mista Savona ensured the set was versatile, with plenty of guest appearances from musicians such as Vida-Sunschyne and an MC (who I think was Mantra) who freestyled alongside. Though this style of music is one I can only handle in small doses, Mista Savona is undoubtedly a talented artist for this genre.

Following on was Circuit Bent, a duo who successfully breaches the barriers between genres, and rose far above both their predecessors on this night. Their sound combines dubstep, glitch and breaks, and the result is awesome. It was edgy and raw, yet very polished, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many Macbook Pros on stage... They had a sound similar to that of Opiuo’s, yet slightly less intense.

Up next was one of the headliners of the night: Spoonbill. On the back of a slick tour of Canada, Spoonbill has come back to Melbourne with a vamped up set, filled with visuals and theatrics. Though his sound remains largely the much-loved same, he employed the support of a number of extras, who certainly livened up the ‘performance’ value, but detracted from the essence of the music itself. Dropbear provided some astounding visuals alongside every single drop and beat of Spoonbill’s. These kept me utterly absorbed for the duration of the set, despite the distraction of the cabaret-esque antics going on to the left. The vocal presence of the... Erm... Eclectically-adorned lad and lass was great, but definitely in small doses. Unfortunately, they were included in the set that little bit too long, and some of the theatrics by the other actors were slightly over the top and unnecessary. Nonetheless, Spoonbill still has it – in himself. He doesn't need the help of all the rest.

Finally, Opiuo left no punter in doubt about who really owned that stage. Decked out in some serious bling and a baseball cap, from start to finish, this set was perfect. Yes, perfect. Having heard mixed reviews about his new EP, Squiggle, I was ecstatic to see this man live up to my very high expectations. Due to an overload of mud and hyperthermia, I missed his gig at Shine On Festival, but the wait was well worth it. He set off at lightning speed, straight into that glitch-hop sound, which seems to bend all the electronic rules to defy genres. The dances from the crowd were becoming more wonderfully erratic as he progressed, bringing back Mista Savona for support on synth, and even banging away on his own electric drums simultaneously. He included many tunes I’m familiar with from his last EP, Slurp and Giggle, and I couldn’t conceal my happiness when a hula hoopist came out to accompany my favourite song, "Robo Booty". She was the best guest appearance all night – charismatic and talented, but not overwhelming the power of Opiuo’s beats. Overall, the set was insane in the best possible way, and left me in no doubt of this producer’s value to the Aussie beats scene.

Up and coming Omelette Records artist The Mollusk, aka Shane Vigo, impressed those who remained at these early hours of the morning, with a glitchy, trippy set that was pretty amazing. His reputation preceded him as one who ‘breaks convention’, and he stays true to this claim. Funky, yet still a dubstep feel, The Mollusk could be a more cruisy version of Opiuo, but in a very good way. He played it out 'til the last of the crowd remained, as each person danced off into the night to a Warehouse party, or another club, or back to the wilderness...

The fact that my ears are still ringing suggests this was a great night, and that the HiFi should chill out on their speaker system... But a great night, regardless.