Madness aka Tom Cotter

Madness, aka Tom Cotter, has been part of Adelaide’s dance-music story since the early 1990s. His journey began as a guest at the Arkaba, where he progressed to regular opening and closing sets before becoming a familiar presence across the city’s clubs and dance events. In 1996, his professionalism and technical ability earned him Best Up-and-Coming DJ at the South Australian Dance Music Awards; he later served as house DJ for the ceremony. Madness became known for precise key mixing, control of sound levels and an ability to move between dance styles, building a reputation as a dependable and adaptable selector. More than three hours of his work were captured during a May 1997 appearance on Triple J’s Mix Up, preserving his sound from that era. Still connected to Adelaide’s old-school community, he continues to appear at reunion events and vinyl-led celebrations, including Origin and Vinyl Destination’s Come Together 6 at the Arkaba—a fitting return to where his DJ story began.