SECRET WARS: LONDON 3 - AMSTERDAM 0.

So last week Friday Secret Wars Euro League got off to a flying start when London took on Amsterdam in a live clash of creative wits. The battleground was the basement of Shoreditch’s very own Bookclub, which served as a great setting to host the inspired event. Filling up in no time at all, the venue was rife with high sprits, an atmosphere of excitement, chilled vibes and this being London, patriotic musings towards the home side.

The crowd was treated to a slew of choice underground hip-hop cuts and a performance from UK beat-box champ and regular Secret Wars affiliate Reeps 1 before the impending battle commenced between the 3-man teams.

Applause ensued as the contestants from both teams made their way to the front stages and a unified audience countdown signalled a thrilling start to the 90-minute competition. Confident, composed and focused, Team London’s Mr. Gauky, Alfa, and Wen wasted no time and dived straight into the challenge; a stark contrast to the Dutch boys who spent the first 5 minutes playing to the crowd, dancing drunkenly and drawing on each others’ faces before making their first marks.

It was a great feeling being at the front of the action, watching each individual artist make their first marks, judge notions of space, scale and shading, leaving very little margin for error. It was a thrill to watch the characters and the overall image develop right before your very eyes. Due credit has to go to both teams for putting on an incredible show, creating what they did in such a short space of time with the added pressure of competition AND annoying media types shoving cameras in their faces (err sorry lads). A truly inspired performance from both sides.

You couldn’t help but feel that Team London wanted it more though; knocking back a succession of beers and talking very little amongst themselves you could sense that they were very much in the zone. It shows in their final image, amusing, creative, possessing a much higher level of complexity than their opponents’ piece. The boys had no intention of losing – and champions on the night they were, receiving 2 votes from the judges and a unanimous ROAR from the crowd, sealing the 3^rd vote and sending the Dutch boys, quite frankly, packing.