Official Soundclash Championships
The Official Soundclash Championships turned out to be a riotous affair with eight teams competing against each other (Crookers, Sinden and Martelo, Girlcore and Bugged Out amongst them). Previously known as the I-pod Battle, a concept initiated in Paris by hip hop group TTC’s Teki Latex who judges tonight, two groups at a time step up to the ‘battle ring’ armed only with their I-pod and musical nous. Their fate lies in the noise of their supporters as only the loudest hollers will carry them through to the next round. Looking like a scene from Alice in Wonderland (as if imagined by David Lynch) Bloomsbury Ballroom is awash with vibrant battle wear, facepaint and glitter. Hostesses from La Clique flutter about team Girlcore (who are dressed as Robert Palmer-esque backing singers), while Matthew !WOWOW!’s team look to the heavens for luck and opt for priest’s attire. The stakes are high as are tempers as the teams compete as AC/DC’s Back In Black usurps Jay Z’s 99 Problems, Beastie Boys Intergalactic gets the better of Gala’s Free From Desire. The steel barrier around the stage bends with over zealous supporters as their favourite teams are slowly kicked out. First Shitting Fists, then Crookers, then Sinden until it’s head to head in the final for Girlcore and Bugged Out. Girlcore bring the noise and snatch the winning title in a battling clash of epic proportions. As a shower of paper butterflies fills the ring, supporters file out with their broken horns and hoarse voices – a perfect barometer to reflect tonight’s hype. Charlotte Hotham
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