Eastpak Throwdown

As soon as the doors to Brixton’s ‘Plan B’ open, walking through is an accident waiting to happen. With b-boys and girls practising their moves across the floor, it’s hard to approach the bar without incurring a collision. Having said that, it shouldn’t be any other way. The perfect snapshot of what’s to come, once you’ve got your drink and found a good seat there’s not much else to watch until proceedings begin except the practising dancers. However, as the evening draws on, the relatively small venue gets jam packed so it’s best to arrive early to ensure a good seat with an ideal view of the lino.

Having long been associated with street activities such as dance and graffiti , luggage and clothing brand, Eastpak, bring this brilliant dance night to South London on the second Thursday of every month. For 6 years, Eastpak have been combining various forms of entertainment from month to month, making each Throwdown completely different and constantly engaging.

For April’s Throwdown, Kwake, the Speaker’s Corner Quartet drummer, provided the musical entertainment to start the evening. An incredible drummer, without the rest of the quartet, Kwake plays a fast-paced, complex solo alongside electronic melodies from the DJ booth. Making the most of the live music, the b-boys take to the lino yet again to practise their battling skills.

Once Kwake has whipped the audience into a frenzy and brought more people through the door, EastPak Throwdown’s regular compére, Charlie Morley, starts off the first battle of the night with the beat boxers. Beat boxing is something I’ve never understood but there’s no preparing you for the talent on display at the Throwdown. And that goes for all events, as tonight’s 1 on 1 b-boy battle shows. A massive 26 entries gave all they could to be crowned the champ (a mere one of them a rare b-girl) but it eventually came down to a fight between Spin and Manni, with Manni crowned eventual winner. May’s Throwdown will prove to be even more exciting with the b-boys going 2 on 2 for the title.

Alongside all this action, there is a monthly showcase, with April’s performance being by the London Waaktitioners. A dance group of 3 guys and 6 girls, the Waaktitioners put on a phenomenal Waaking routine with members gradually appearing from the crowd throughout the routine. Next month will see a Locking showcase at Plan B, as well as TWO amazing guest appearances in the form of The Cuban Brothers, a hybrid of comedy, hip-hop and breakin’, and the B-supreme All Stars.

The Eastpak Throwdown is an event that really shouldn’t be missed and if you have yet to go, May is going to be the month not to miss. Throwdown will be on May 13^th at Plan B in Brixton.

www.throwdownuk.com

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