Academy has worked hard for the last decade to become one of Canberra’s leading nightclubs. This weekend marked the 10-year anniversary of Academy Nightclub and it did not disappoint with the celebrations. With Melbourne’s Will Sparks kicking off the all-weekend party on Thursday it was going to be hard to follow that up! Have no doubt that Academy came through with the one-and-only Eric Prydz.

Eric Prydz – a Swedish DJ based in LA – is a DJ and producer famous for his huge hit Call On Me as well as his label, PRYDA. With a unique sound, once Mr Prydz took to the stage I couldn’t help but think of cake. Surprised? Well, to put it in context, it wasn’t due to hunger but because Mr. Prydz makes his music by adding layers…. Starting off with the most basic of beats, they progress as he adds more and more until you have this amazing song! It’s as though he is letting you inside his mind to show you how he makes his music!

Combining Eric Prydz’s infectious music with the surrounding light show meant we were all in for one loud and bright night. Academy’s lighting seemed to lift to another level, using blues and purples of the strobe with flashes of red and yellow to make Academy feel it feel like a huge concert meant only for you.

Eric Prydz easily pumped up the crowd by throwing in the occasional extra synth or a repetitive beat… and the crowd loved it! The music reached your heart to beat in time with the pulsating bass. I saw countless amount of phones being held up to record Prydz, making it look like a rock concert where cigarette lighters swayed with the music. The phones jumped to the music that Prydz mixed and, as the set stretched on until the early hours of morning, the crowd just kept going and going.

Prydz wasn’t just mixing while in Academy – he was also teaching some of the other DJs. Throughout the set he took time out of making the music to turn to those behind him to point out a few things, demonstrating how he added the synth or beat. The DJs watched as this accomplished DJ showed the tricks of the trade. It was nice watching Prydz share his knowledge and show how he does things – especially in a business where it is very hard to make it ‘big’.

All-in-all, Academy proved their importance across their 10 years and prove they definitely know how to put on a show. Here’s to many more years to come (especially if they have acts like Eric Prydz!).