Academy is not always busy on Friday nights. However when *The Freestylers came past to drop a few beats, the roof of the club would lift with immense energy. Arriving early, my friends and I enjoyed some of the cocktails that The Candybar had to offer. The place was buzzing, though by no means busy. The bar was filled with people enjoying a few Friday afternoon drinks that had led into evening drinks. Gradually more and more people started to flow in and the main part of the club downstairs opened.

Making my way down into the club, it had the same atmosphere as upstairs: buzzing but not yet pumping. Michael O’Rourke was on the decks pumping up the mood in the club to get ready for The Freestylers. Michael O’Rourke seemed to be a bit of a nameless wonder for the night, the crowd clearly impressed with him though unaware of who he actually was. It was during his set that the dance floor slowly began to fill up. By the time The Frestylers were due on, the entire club was revved up and ready to get into The Freestylers’ awesome beats.

Coming on stage, they instantly had the crowd’s attention with their laid back attitudes and crafty beats. Their Rastafarian Skull Candy headphones made me smile, while their ability to weave and mix the tracks together and form an amazing set had the punters dancing until their feet bled. The dance floor was packed, with little room to dance or even move. Everyone in the club wanted to shake to the breaks. It has been a long time since a set dedicated to breaks had featured here, and The Freestylers brought that set on with a vengeance.

I actually had a migraine as The Freestylers performed, with the bright lights and loud music pumping up everyone else in the club Despite my pain, I could not leave. The Freestylers would just mix in another amazing song that kept me dancing and ignoring the throbbing in my head. Daft Punk’s Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger was in the mix closely followed by ‘Pon De Floor by Major Lazer featuring Vybz Kartel. The Freestylers did not stop, with more and more songs keeping their fans happy and on the dance floor. I did get home eventually, and though my head was full of pain, there was a smile on my face.