
SYDNEY HOUSE & DISCO ICON STEPHEN ALLKINS PAYS TRIBUTE TO FRANKIE KNUCKLES AT SOUL OF SYDNEY (FEB 2026)
We were honoured to welcome the legendary Stephen Allkins [Love Tattoo] โ one of Sydneyโs true pioneers of disco and house โ for a special afternoon tribute set at our Frankie Knuckles Tribute Jam earlier this month.
Stephen has been spinning records since the mid-1970s and is widely recognised as one of the first DJs to introduce Sydney to the sounds of disco, house, and garage long before they took over the clubs. Celebrating an incredible 50 years behind the decks, he brought deep energy, soul, and history to the dancefloor for this rare appearance.
This 90+ minute live mix (Podcast Show #439) captures the moment beautifully โ a heartfelt journey through late-โ80s Garage, early-โ90s House, classic Disco, and the seminal sounds that shaped the era of Frankie Knuckles, the Godfather of House. Every track is mixed with the same love and intention that fuelled the early days of Sydneyโs underground club scene.
๐ง Listen now: Soul of Sydney Podcast #439 on SoundCloud
๐ Stay tuned for our next event: soulofsydney.org/events
Much love and respect to Stephen โ a true Sydney icon whose passion and devotion continue to inspire generations of dancers, diggers, and dreamers. For this specialย Frankie Knuckles Tribute Jam, we invited one of our cityโs most important musical pioneers,ย Stephen Allkins [Love Tattoo], to share his story through sound.
Stephenโs journey is woven into the very fabric of Sydneyโs dance music history. From the late โ70s onwards, he helped lay the foundations of our club culture, introducing disco and underground dance music to a generations hungry for new grooves and unity on the dancefloor. As a resident at some of Sydneyโs most influential venues & parties through the โ80s and โ90s, and later known for his work asย Love Tattoo, Stephen championed the same uplifting, soulful house sound that Frankie and the Chicago scene made famous.































































































































































































