© Luke Sevior 2026. This webpage and all attached images, writings and components have been produced by Luke Sevior//CVR. Exemptions exist for collaborative projects with designers, record labels and other creatives, all of whom are referenced under each project and have individually granted permission for inclusion on this webpage.
Tepid Rhythm, Live at Whitehart Bar, Melbourne - December 20, 2025
In traditional Tepid Rhythm fashion, it was another beautiful Saturday afternoon in the CBD. Four consecutive Tepid Rhythm events and the weather was a lovely, blue sky day, top of 25 degrees. A nice balance between the extreme heat and cold temperatures experienced just in the same week.
The festivities are high, it's the festive season, and the CBD is about with large functions, christmas parties and end of year gatherings. It was shaping up to be an exciting event. Whitehart bar is a gem of Melbourne, hidden down a inner city laneway, this leafy and lumounescent space was going to pain the stunning picture of the next Tepid Rhythm installment. A beautiful beer garden space with industrial seating, a mezzanine and stunning led and visual projections which turned the space into a glowing night time oasis.
On setup arrival things were very relaxed and the space was calm and spacious, capable of welcoming many sizes of groups in the early afternoon. As the needle dropped, it became evident that most of the inner city revellers had likely enjoyed their staff event the night before (Friday) and if a work break out was anything to go by, not as many corporates would be venturing back into the city for their first weekend off work.
Melbourne DJ and resident Kovac was on opening slot duties and nailed the Tepid Rhythm broadcast format superbly. Downtempo, Balearic sounds which was warmly received by one prosumed ex-pat which was a healthy start (we feared the worst on his approach to the booth). Show favourite Aqua Marina weaved its way in and out of the opening set more than once if my ears were correct. As the dancefloor remained mostly seated between 5 & 6pm, it was great to converse behind the booth and discuss the research Kovac had put into the Tepid Rhythm show which was humbling to hear. A truely lovely DJ of the city who is certainly someone who deserves more credit for her selection skills, certainly not that she seeks for it. After the opening hour, the beat began to switch into a consistent four to the floor pattern which was hidden to the listeners amazingly. A joyful sonic entry for those in the room..
Setting himself up for a combined experience of vinyl and digital selections, underground producer and activist Olypso began to display the sound capabilites of the venue. It occured to me in the early hours of his slot at large speakers were embedded into the roof of the dancefloor creating a directional downward sound that was warm and driving but didn't affect any of the guest relaxing away from the DJ booth. Olypso brought with him plenty of delightful gems that are rare to find in any reputable record stores. The music style could aptly be described as " Nurtured Rollers ". It was nice to talk about how many shared catalogs we both share in our personal collections, these two a hallmark favourites of mine. The music progressed, it got deeper, it built up the atmoshpere perfectly as slowly more and more groups trickled into the bar to order their drinks.
The space had still been for the most part spacious which certainly played on my anxiety a bit, but credit to some of the friend's and family in the venue, they populated the dancefloor along a few groups searching for a good time towards the backend of Olypso's set. By any stretch it was not a crampt space which was a delight, a perfectly intimate and special dancefloor was forming and remained throughout Luke CVR's slot from 9-11pm. By this point, the sun was down, the lamps were on and the rhthym transformed into an energitic steel and glass cavern.
The crowd remained for the beginning of Ruby Lou, who as I learned on arrival she had just performed at the Woolshed in support of Brisbane raised, Australian Techno superstars X-CLUB. I alluded in the event preview emailed that her skills were progressing her into so many big venue clubs and spaces, but this news was amazing. To read of her progression from her first downstairs Tepid Rhythm involvement at Angel Bar to now was a delight, I couldn't have been prouder to welcome her back for the closing slot of the evening.
Cautious of exploring speeds out of bounds, she asked if it would be okay to "get people dancing and play 'The Trip'." I was delighted by this, of course giving her the ease of playing to her style and she kicked off her set with ease. She of course was a hidden talent I was eager for people to hear. A set energetic and lifting with transitions that appeared effortless, it was great to marvel at her skills. Friends of the dancefloor revelled in additional selections like Sally C, Known Artist, Laidlaw and more fantastic progressive sounds. Groups danced in unified joy to the music as the friendly dancefloor moved into the morning. A lovely throwback closing tune from Lood's was one I had not heard for a long time, and swayed everyone to the end. There were number of dancers asking me the name of the DJ they had just been dancing to as Whitehart began to close.
While some view the lack of heaving dancefloors as a failure, for the entire night, all of the performing DJ's displayed their passions through their music. The sets were crafted with honesty and dedication to provide beautiful dance music, and that transfered into the joy of those there. Intimate dancefloors hold some of the most euphoric moments. The crowd though small was friendly and considerate and it was apparent that everyone was enjoying the music. I look forward to many more chances to create this environment in the near future.
- Words by Luke Sevior
In traditional Tepid Rhythm fashion, it was another beautiful Saturday afternoon in the CBD. Four consecutive Tepid Rhythm events and the weather was a lovely, blue sky day, top of 25 degrees. A nice balance between the extreme heat and cold temperatures experienced just in the same week.
The festivities are high, it's the festive season, and the CBD is about with large functions, christmas parties and end of year gatherings. It was shaping up to be an exciting event. Whitehart bar is a gem of Melbourne, hidden down a inner city laneway, this leafy and lumounescent space was going to pain the stunning picture of the next Tepid Rhythm installment. A beautiful beer garden space with industrial seating, a mezzanine and stunning led and visual projections which turned the space into a glowing night time oasis.
On setup arrival things were very relaxed and the space was calm and spacious, capable of welcoming many sizes of groups in the early afternoon. As the needle dropped, it became evident that most of the inner city revellers had likely enjoyed their staff event the night before (Friday) and if a work break out was anything to go by, not as many corporates would be venturing back into the city for their first weekend off work.
Melbourne DJ and resident Kovac was on opening slot duties and nailed the Tepid Rhythm broadcast format superbly. Downtempo, Balearic sounds which was warmly received by one prosumed ex-pat which was a healthy start (we feared the worst on his approach to the booth). Show favourite Aqua Marina weaved its way in and out of the opening set more than once if my ears were correct. As the dancefloor remained mostly seated between 5 & 6pm, it was great to converse behind the booth and discuss the research Kovac had put into the Tepid Rhythm show which was humbling to hear. A truely lovely DJ of the city who is certainly someone who deserves more credit for her selection skills, certainly not that she seeks for it. After the opening hour, the beat began to switch into a consistent four to the floor pattern which was hidden to the listeners amazingly. A joyful sonic entry for those in the room..
Setting himself up for a combined experience of vinyl and digital selections, underground producer and activist Olypso began to display the sound capabilites of the venue. It occured to me in the early hours of his slot at large speakers were embedded into the roof of the dancefloor creating a directional downward sound that was warm and driving but didn't affect any of the guest relaxing away from the DJ booth. Olypso brought with him plenty of delightful gems that are rare to find in any reputable record stores. The music style could aptly be described as " Nurtured Rollers ". It was nice to talk about how many shared catalogs we both share in our personal collections, these two a hallmark favourites of mine. The music progressed, it got deeper, it built up the atmoshpere perfectly as slowly more and more groups trickled into the bar to order their drinks.
The space had still been for the most part spacious which certainly played on my anxiety a bit, but credit to some of the friend's and family in the venue, they populated the dancefloor along a few groups searching for a good time towards the backend of Olypso's set. By any stretch it was not a crampt space which was a delight, a perfectly intimate and special dancefloor was forming and remained throughout Luke CVR's slot from 9-11pm. By this point, the sun was down, the lamps were on and the rhthym transformed into an energitic steel and glass cavern.
The crowd remained for the beginning of Ruby Lou, who as I learned on arrival she had just performed at the Woolshed in support of Brisbane raised, Australian Techno superstars X-CLUB. I alluded in the event preview emailed that her skills were progressing her into so many big venue clubs and spaces, but this news was amazing. To read of her progression from her first downstairs Tepid Rhythm involvement at Angel Bar to now was a delight, I couldn't have been prouder to welcome her back for the closing slot of the evening.
Cautious of exploring speeds out of bounds, she asked if it would be okay to "get people dancing and play 'The Trip'." I was delighted by this, of course giving her the ease of playing to her style and she kicked off her set with ease. She of course was a hidden talent I was eager for people to hear. A set energetic and lifting with transitions that appeared effortless, it was great to marvel at her skills. Friends of the dancefloor revelled in additional selections like Sally C, Known Artist, Laidlaw and more fantastic progressive sounds. Groups danced in unified joy to the music as the friendly dancefloor moved into the morning. A lovely throwback closing tune from Lood's was one I had not heard for a long time, and swayed everyone to the end. There were number of dancers asking me the name of the DJ they had just been dancing to as Whitehart began to close.
While some view the lack of heaving dancefloors as a failure, for the entire night, all of the performing DJ's displayed their passions through their music. The sets were crafted with honesty and dedication to provide beautiful dance music, and that transfered into the joy of those there. Intimate dancefloors hold some of the most euphoric moments. The crowd though small was friendly and considerate and it was apparent that everyone was enjoying the music. I look forward to many more chances to create this environment in the near future.
- Words by Luke Sevior