REVIEW: STANTON WARRIORS @ RED ROOM

There are some shows where it can be pretty difficult to separate work from play. In fact, the whole live music review schtick can have you walk quite painstakingly along a tight rope thin line between the two, especially if you were once an old party scene fiend like me. Throw in a bunch of old friends who are going full force forward into the evening’s festivities, as was the case for me this weekend with Stanton Warriors at the Red Room Ultra Bar, and things can get pretty crazy. I certainly raced towards 11pm on Saturday a little more booze happy then a solo mission or a week night. I also arrived with some relatively high expectations. My brother had recently remarked with a glowing intensity (and a little jealousy) how last time he caught Stanton Warrior fever in Vancouver they had forever burned a spot somewhere at the top of his all-time best list and therefore curiosity in me.

It was my first time ever to the Red Room, and boy was I met with a disastrously gruelling line up outside and the freaky deaky rumors that if you weren’t getting in soon, you may not be getting in at all! I hate to say it, but a Stanton Warriors tweet the next morning on Sunday apologized for the venue turning people away, so I will take this as confirmation that the rumors were true. Despite the dodgy over-sale of tickets, which IMO starts the night off pretty shaky and sour for party go’ers, I do want to acknowledge how awesome the on floor staff at the Red Room were. Everyone from the doormen to the bartenders, the coat check ladies to the random security guys on the floor, had a great sense of humor and were patient. Club staff often seem so indifferent, so the smiling faces were really refreshing! Unfortunately I doubt the ticketholders turned away at the door had either of those qualities or a smile! I count my blessings that I got in, just as I did when I watched 50% of my crew resign to the tail end of gargantuan queue while the privileged among us bypassed right onto a dance floor that was already rumbling to the beat styles of DJ Kraig Docherty.

Sometime around half past midnight (my best deduction evidenced by my excited tweets the night before) DJ of Stanton Warriors, Dominic Butler took to the helm to steer home the masterful breakbeat warship he has driven since the late 90’s alongside producer Stanton bro Mark Yardley. The Red Room sea of errant arms, banging heads and gyrating hips flanked the turntables from all sides and while it unfortunately did not part for me to pass through so easily (guess I am no Moses) the Warrior Butler was unfazed by the rowdies as he navigated the choppy and drunken waters in decidedly calm fashion and a quirky Snoopy T-shirt, spinning flawlessly amidst it all.

Luckily, most of the time I WAS one of the faithful flailing on the dance floor. There really was NO freaking way I was about to watch from the side-lines as old favourites like “Shake It Up” and new favourites like “Superstar” or “Shoot Me Down” flooded the booming sound system. All staple tracks on my workout play list, phewwww there is no denying I worked off all the drink calories as I tore it up that night; the only thing heavy about me the next day was my poor hung over head! For real, I had a warrior sized headache. It didn’t help either that I gave myself whiplash… again. I really need to learn to dance without hurting myself.

The night would not be complete without sampling the 1979 movie The Warriors, in theme with their 2011 album of by same title, and my night went blew up to epic proportions when I heard the call, “Warriors… come out and playyyyyy. Warriors! Come out a playyyyyyy!” That freaky bottle clanking noise and all. Anyways, I am sure you get the jist. If you don’t know what I am talking about, you can check the their “New York” music video where clips and audio samples of the movie (and that one effing awesome line) are featured. As far as I see it, the over-hyped pair of Prince William and Kate have nothing on this British duo who are royalty in their own right; Stanton Warriors certainly reigned supreme on Saturday in the Kingdom of Vancouver. I’ll also have to agree with my brother on this one: Stanton Warriors sure know how to conquer a crowd. If there was any ill will from barely surviving the line up from hell that wrapped around the venue block, not a trace of it was in the air once inside, as everyone got down and dirty to the banging breakbeats. I know I heaved a major sigh of relief when I finally located the rest of my crew busting out on the dance floor. Good vibes – complete! So, in the end, perhaps the Stanton fans were the real warriors of this story!

Review by: Lauren Dallas / Photos by: Kirk Chantraine