Stanton Warriors at Chinese Laundry – Gig Review

Christmas came early this year for Sydney’s breakbeat heads as Stanton Warriors smashed through the sweaty walls of Chinese Laundry on the 23rd December.

Fellow pro-warriors seemed to be a little apprehensive and tense about the night upon entry to the venue; the level and vibe seemed different to other Stanton Warriors’ gigs. Judging by the people who were leaving the crowd outside due to the length of the queue, giving their bands away for free entry, I really didn’t know what to expect from this gig.

Inside, the venue was much like the outside. It felt over-crowded and over-capacity, but who would expect anything else at a Stanton Warriors gathering knowing how vast their following has become over the years. It felt dark, underground and things started kicking off when the first beat was dropped. The three hour set was everything the crowd wanted; spot-on every time the Warriors fused one mind blowin’pumping tune to the next effortlessly. MC Hollywood Holt’s performance got the crowd banging their hands to the ceiling like an amphetamine heartbeat, creating those ‘good vibrations.’

They played an eclectic mix of both massive hits and some deeper, harder house sounding tracks with too many personal favorites to single any out.

The Stanton Warriors could not have had a warmer Sydney welcome and you can tell that they ABSOLUTELY know how to make a crowd lose their shit. After all, they have been spreading their love for breaks with their unique sound for over 10 years. From their birthplace in Bristol, UK, across thousands of miles of ocean to Sydney, the Warriors continue to perfectly please and show off their effortless live mixing.

They were obviously eager to show their skills, especially as breaks have been starting to shy away from the music scene. But if this gig is anything to go by, the Stanton Warriors aren’t going anywhere whilst they’re still making the crowds “shake it like its Tropicana.”

By Frankie Salt @ Chinese Laundry Club Sydney