Time To Block Party

Battle City’s man behind the scenes, DJ Bacon, says Brisbane’s hip hop scene is stronger than ever, and now’s the chance for b-boys and b-girls to show this city what they’re made of. “The hip hop dance scene has just exploded as an artform over the past five or so years,” says DJ Bacon – or Scott Barker to his mum.

“(The hip hop and breakdancing scenes) have merged and that’s given a lot of cred to the local dance scene. Brisbane has an amazing history with b-boys. B-Boy Allstars were one of the world’s best crews in the early 90s and they were Brisbane-based. There’s always been that high level of commitment. Brissie b-boys always have an energetic, powerful style.”

All this talent will make for tough competition at the 9th annual Battle City dance competition, which is part of ‘Get Loud!’ National Youth Week. It’s open to four-dancer crews of all-ages and is totally free to join, or go along and watch.

The event has moved from the Turbot Street overpass back to its birthplace at King George Square, and this year DJ Bacon says the stakes will be high as crews sweat it out for the $400 cash prize. “I think last year we had about 1,000 people attend. The music’s really loud and because there’s a competition going on there’s a lot of tension between the crews. Everyone’s trying to outperform each other.

“It’s a great spectacle for the crowd because the athleticism is absolutely amazing. The crowd is always really enthusiastic and gets behind the dancing and there’s lots of yelling and screaming, which is what you want at these events.”

Queensland’s longest-running b-boy and b-girl jam has gone from strength to strength over the years and DJ Bacon would know, because he’s been involved right from the start. “We try to incorporate all the elements. The dancing is the main attraction but there’s always the DJing and the MCing as well. We try to make it a proper old-school block party where the DJs and the dancers run the show.”

Tons of local and international acts have performed in the past and DJ Bacon says this year’s line-up won’t disappoint the fans. “Rainman and Yuin Huzami from the Coalition are both going to be performing – they’ve been representing the Brisbane hip hop scene for many years. We’ve also got a 12-person crew of junior dancers between the ages of five and eight. They’re called Mini Crew and they’ll be doing a five-minute dance set.

“B-Girl Demolition, aka Demi Sorono, who’s been on ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ … will be judging and performing. She’ll be doing a showcase and dance performance with her brother Carlo. He will also be judging (along with) B-Boy Riot, who has been around for years as well, so he’ll be a great judge.

“There will be a popping, locking cipher too, which is the traditional style of dance where it’s more electro beats. Myself and DJ Mathmatics will be holding down the decks and we’re going to have four decks in action.

“It’s going to be classic old-school hip hop and funk breaks, it’s going to be that traditional style with lots of heavy 70s funk and up-tempo hip hop grooves.”

And if crews want a training space in the lead-up to and after Battle City, the city council has introduced The Warm Up, which is on from 4-6pm at King George Square on Saturdays. “Dancers of any age can come down and access it for free with a professional DJ and professional tutor. It’s great because it shows that Brisbane has got some amazing dancers and it shows them off in the city centre,” DJ Bacon says.

“Whether or not they enter Battle City doesn’t really matter, it’s a training space for b-boys and hip hop dancers to come down and have a bit of fun, network and jam.”  

Battle City will be held at King George Square on April 16 at 7pm. It’s a free, all-ages event and crews can only sign up on the night.