For Brisbane fans of broken beats the acronym ADICTS has become synonymous with quality breaks and their regular event Breaks and Enter a mainstay for clubbing in Queensland. It should be no surprise then to discover that one of the worlds most renowned breaks acts The Freestylers were to be featured at an extra special event this Anzac day long weekend.

Far from the festival crowds that are usually associated with The Freestylers’ Oz appearances, the intimate surrounds of Barsoma provided a perfect backdrop. Having a plethora of DJ’s on rotation, The ADICTS crew defiantly had no shortage of talent to support these break beat elite and with two stages rocking out the finest that Brisbane has to offer, the recipe had all the ingredients needed for a party like no other.

When I first entered Barsoma, I was greeted with its renowned new sound system which I had heard so much about and yet hadn’t yet actually heard first hand. My oh my, from the moment I walked through that doorway, the clarity, crispness and the overall volume really hit me and I knew what I had been told was spot on. With Iyan supplying some down and out, funked up and booty shaking madness, the crowd where already simmering along nicely as he used that sound system to full effect. The whole club had a real party vibe atmosphere that even seemed to be affecting the bar staff who were shaking their groove thang and from the moment JI brought out Featurecast’s fresh retake on Michael Jackson’s classic Blame it on the Boogie, it was obvious that the crowd had their dancing shoes laced up and ready for action.

From the second stage, I was exposed to some funky break beat stylings, this time supplied by France native and down and out funk fiend Mr. Strom. His tune selection and mixing techniques had me getting down to the funky sounds with tracks from A list funkateers A-Skills, Fort Knox Five and Funkanomics all getting a well received spin.

Not wanting to miss ADICTS main man Sangers, I found him already in world class form, with his trademark bouncing and bass-heavy breaks bringing the crowd close to the boil. His set showcased his multi-dimensional skills, with tight mixing, accapella drops and many of his own re-edits and remixes all on display. Dropping his Sangers & Ra mix of Boris Dlugosh’s Bangkok gained a response from the crowd. The standout for me was when he blended the DJ Icey Re rub of Afrojack’s Daft Sound with The Plump DJ’s Remix of Deadmaus5’s Strobe, sending the crowd over the edge and into a burgeoning bliss of break beat goodness. Finishing his set with the killer Adsorb remix of Prodigy’s Invaders Must Die combined with the oh so perfect accapella drop of * Adam Freeland’s* We Want Your Soul, it was evident that every soul on the dance floor was captured. The club was perfectly primed for The Freestylers to “do their thing”.

The already packed dance floor grew even larger in response to the dynamic Freestyling duo as they stepped onto the stage and with an intro that included the epic theme from 2001 a space odyssey, along side many other cinematic samples, the tension continued to build until the first track dropped which triggered the club into a writhing and screaming mess. Matt Cantor and Aston Harvey worked their blend of clubbed up and party style breaks to perfection. Matt mixed and mashed up a storm whilst Aston supplied the accapellas, scratching and FX’s as they used the 2 mixers and 4 CDJ’s to perfection, wielding them like auditory weapons as they went about dropping dance floor destroying bombs from go to woe.

Their set featured many new and tasty treats but with the many recognizable accapellas, bass lines and synths mashed into the mix. It was clear why these guys have been rocking parties for well over a decade as they gave the crowd what they wanted whilst still keeping things fresh. The boys ventured all over the spectrum of broken beats as they delved into some Dub step and some seriously stomping drum & bass that featured the Freestyler’s collaboration with Aussie group Pendulum’s Pain Killer . With the blends, mashes and cuts coming so thick and fast, it really was hard to pick a lot of the tracks that were being played. The response from the audience left no doubt that those in attendance had got what they paid for.

Following The Freestylers was certainly difficult, but Slim Jim backed up with some electro banging goodness, keeping things moving with an admirable effort. More of The ADICTS crew were on display with Verner and MC Kitch hitting the stage and upping the amps. Vertical Transport followed with a more Psy Breaks approach that changed the vibe to see out the night.

Once more, ADICTS lived up to their standard of putting on high quality, high octane nights fueled by break beats. When you combine one of the worlds biggest dance music groups with supports from the cream of Brisbane’s crop in breaks, one thing is for sure: you are guaranteed one awesomely good time!