SECRET WARS SHAMPTON

Q - Final Battle Saturday 25th September

2010-09-08T08:59:00.001-07:00

The Secret Wars Euro League is coming to an end - The live art battle which boasted 17 European cities has only a few left and guess what....Southampton are still in it!!

Come on Southampton!!!!
Being the only team in the whole competition to lose only one battle, means team Southampton is a real threat and a serious contender to go all the way!! I think it was Samuel Jackson that said in the movie Coach Carter, "Just because we deserve to win, doesn't mean they're going to let us"! Great film and wise words.

So we need all the support we can get!! Remember as well as the judges votes, there's a crowd vote, which is where you guys come in!

There's some serious artistic talent on show, Amsterdam I bringing the big guns. You only have to google these names to get a load of stats and images - Mr K, Wayne Horse, Sjoco Sjon, Via Via, Zender and Chaz from the infamous London Police!!

But Southampton are more than capable of taking them out. Led by team Captain Hicks 54 (www.flickr.com/hicks54), Zadok, Gustav, Mr Dead, Sobac and Smurph are ready and waiting.

We're moving the event from our usual Thursday night slot to a Saturday night - SATURDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER!!

We're also changing the venue - The Monument Gallery -

The historic Bargate Monument, in central Southampton is run by arts organization 'a space'. The organisation strives to provide opportunities for emerging artists and audiences in
Southampton and the surrounding regions to make and engage with
high quality artistic experiences.

So just to clarify, that big castle in the middle of town, is a Gallery and YES you can go inside it. Due to the size, space is very limited, so make sure you arrive nice and early to avoid any kind of heartbreak.

Date: Saturday 25th September 2010
Where: The Monument Gallery (Opposite The Addict Store)
Time: doors open at 7pm - space is limited, so arrive early!
Price: £5 entry!

For more info email jay@monorex.com

How we do...

2010-04-11T05:24:00.001-07:00

Southampton and Barcelona artists let loose with paint

2010-03-23T12:23:00.001-07:00

Southampton beat Barcelona 3-0!

2010-03-23T10:49:00.001-07:00

There was a lot of pressure on Southampton to perform against one of the tournaments favourite – Barcelona. Added to Group 3 at the last minute, there were high expectations for the visitors to walk away with a victory.
The judges were carefully chosen to make sure nobody could accuse the home team of cheating. Three creative designers from ‘Sifer Design’ who are based in Portsmouth (If anyone is going to vote against Southampton, it’ll be someone from Pompey, local rivals!)

The second judge was Stephen Stafford, a reporter from the BBC, who’s completely neutral and has no ties to Southampton. Right, fair judges, selected, lets get the show on the road.
Southampton’s team on the night was made up of team captain Hicks 54, Zadok and Mr Dead. The guys had only met the night before and did really well to pull it together.
Polar Bear was the host for the night and I’m sure everyone that was there will agree, absolutely smashed it. He had the crowd hooked!

Both teams worked really hard and I think the Barcelona piece was great. But, everyone needs to remember that it’s not just about whether a team can draw. In Barcelona’s defence this was their first battle and maybe they didn’t grasp the concept. The Southampton team had two veterans and Mr Dead knew all about SW, so it was no surprise, to me at least that, Southampton seemed to edge ahead of Barca.

Sifer Design were first up to judge and they had a difficult time choosing a team. They loved Barcelona’s tattoo style, but it was Southampton’s bold lines and character designs that won them over. First point goes to SOUTHAMPTON!!
Next up, the crowd, Southampton were up first and hit a 1.17 on the decibel reader. Traditionally the last team to go always gets the highest scream…Barcelona scored, 1.16!! Southampton gain a second point.
Last judge on the night was Stephen Stafford, who was reporting on the event. He was amazed at both pieces and surprised they managed to produce the work in 90 minutes!! Again, he found it tough to choose a winner, but similar to Sifer, he preferred the bold lines and the sense of humour that came across in the Southampton piece…SOUTHAMPTON 3-0

A Big thanks to everyone who came down to support the artists. It was a great night!! Southampton are now the first team to win two battles in a row! Bring on the away matches, I say! We’re ready!

Hicks 54 doing his bit for Charity

2010-03-17T10:00:00.001-07:00

Whilst other teams prepared sketches and got ready to travel, Hicks spent his time whipping up a banging pair of custom Reeboks to be auctioned off in aid of Charity. The event was Style Society, held at the Orange Rooms, Southampton. A night celebrating all things creative. Run by Sarah Wade and Sophie Penn, the night was a huge success. The proceeds from the auction went to Oxfam and if that wasn't enough, Hicks found time to paint a piece ready to greet the Barcelona team this Sunday!!

Check out the finished piece outside Orange Rooms, Southampton

Southampton Vs Barcelona @ Orange Rooms Southampton Sunday 21st March!! Be There

2010-03-11T06:26:00.001-08:00

Secret Wars is proud to announce that Barcelona have joined Southampton’s group in the Secret Wars Euro League www.secretwarseuroleague.com
and we’ll be hosting the glamorous city on Sunday 21st March at The Orange Rooms, Southampton!!

Secret Wars began back in 2006, it was small, and intimate yet had the potential to be so much more. Years of hard work, dedication and a strong following has meant Secret Wars has pushed the boundaries and raised the bar for artists and promoters alike.

It’s all culminated to this, present day, present time, 17 European locations…The Secret Wars Euro League has finally arrived!

I’ll be honest; the thought of battling Barcelona worries me a little. These guys are packing some heavy artillery Check out the talent that will be showing at the Orange Rooms

***

Javi aka "Inocuo" old school graffiti artist and David aka "Dave" Barca’s local "Maestro". Both are formers of ‘Inocuo’ The Sign Studio, one of the leading design studios in Barcelona with Clients such as Nike, Volkswagen etc..

"Aryz", one of the youngest members, he’s Barcelona's rising stars in Street Art. Aged 21 he paints huge murals on abandoned factories with his giant characters and monsters. He uses both acrylics and spray cans with special care for details. – For more info: http://www.aryz.es

Juan Carlos Noria, aka "Royal", a very talented painter and street artist. His works always carry an anti-establishment message - more info: http://www.royal.them.ca

"Aleix" is an illustrator, he’s published a Comic for Montana Colors on the history of Graffiti and produced work for Vans. His characters –
Check out more of his work on: http://www.aleixgoho.com/

And Last but not Least, Tvboy, graffiti artist since 1996, Italian born, exhibited his artworks and painted in the streets of Italy, Spain, Lebanon, Cuba, Germany, Denmark.
Did some collabs with Fiat, Nescafé, Smart & bla bla bla bla, you get the point - more info: http://www.thetvboy.com

So there we have Barcelona’s strike force! The talent is good, but Southampton has got a line up just as good. Hicks54, Gustav, Zadok, Mr Dead, S0bac and Smurph are more than capable of matching Barcelona. So make sure you come down for a special Sunday Secret Wars battle.

**We’ve got special guest host Steve Camden, a.k.a Polar Bear who’s made a name for himself as one of the top spoken word poets in his field. An approachable, straight forward, yet insanely thought provoking, break down of real life and real people**
(www.myspace.com/polarbearspoken)
Check out the video!!

There's a load of drink promos on the night too

*******************************************************************
2-4-1 Bottles of Fosters
2-4-1 Thai Bombs
2-4-1 Brewacca Bombs
2-4-1 Sailor Jerry's
2-4-1 Vodka Redbull
2-4-1 Shooters
2-4-1 Original Bacardi Mojitos
*******************************************************************

It’s free before 7pm and £3 after

Orange Rooms Southampton
1-2 Vernon Walk
Southampton
SO15 2EJ
Tel: 023 8023 2333

For more info email southampton@secretwarseuroleague.com // jay@monorex.com

Southampton beat Paris 3 - 0!!

2010-03-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

I wasn't on hand for this battle. It was the opening of the Secret Wars Euro League tournament and the promotion was hit hard from every angle, which is probably why there was such a good turn out.

This report might come across one sided, but I'm sure the Paris guys will fill in the blanks. The Southampton team have named themselves 'The Titanics' making sure they stayed afloat for the next voyage against Barcelona on Sunday 21st March @ Orange Rooms Southampton (shameless plug)

The judges were Pascal (Lecturer at Solent Uni) and Christian (Soul Cellar manager and art graduate) both opting for the home side along with the crowd. A well deserved 3 points!

Bring on Barca!!

Photography by Russ Watts - www.flickr.com/photos/recrudesce

Winning Piece by The Titanics!!

Paris

Southampton Trials

2010-01-26T09:42:00.000-08:00

Images from the last trials at Southampton. There was a lot of talent and it proves that Southampton is a city with plenty of creativity!!

Thanks to Russ Watts for the snaps...pictured are three of the artists in the Southampton team, Mr Dead, Gustav and s0bac. If you want to see the rest of the team including smurph, Hicks 54 and Zadok then I suggest you get down to the Soul Cellar on Thursday 28th January

Euro League night!! Meet the Southampton Artists

2010-01-10T06:39:00.000-08:00

Southampton have been drawn in Group 3 with Dublin, Copenhagen and Paris! So come down and show your support as we reveal our artists on the night!!

SECRET WARS EURO LEAGUE DRAW RESULTS

2010-01-08T13:26:00.001-08:00

Ok, the draw has taken place, dates are being booked, sponsors are ready, tickets are being booked and artists are hungry for blood. The Secret Wars Euro league is going to go off!!

Here are the 4 groups. Each team battles Home and Away, so make sure you support your home team and of course welcome the visitors and show them what your city is all about.

Group 1
Glasgow
Bristol
Malmo
Warsaw

Group 2
Bournemouth
Birmingham
Berlin
Lisbon

Group 3
Southampton
Dublin
Copenhagen
Paris

Group 4
Cardiff
London
Hamburg
Amsterdam

We’ll update everyone with dates and venue locations….in the meantime, spread the word and keep checking back to www.secretwars.co.uk for full updates

SECRET WARS SOUTHAMPTON TEAM SELECTION

2009-12-02T08:01:00.000-08:00

Hello one and all,

a heads up on whats happening tomorrow night. This is the last of the Southampton qualifiers as we choose the final 3 artists taking part in the Southampton team. These guys or girls will join Gustav, Mr Hicks and Zadok to form the Southampton team for the Secret Wars Euro League.

We've got some great talent coming down on the night. Here's a sneak peak at one of the artists coming down

www.flickr.com/photos/andyprior

We've also got Reeps One (UK Beat Box Champion) coming down to perform....you really don't want to miss that

+

to top it all off we've got Secret Wars Southampton Champion Gustav painting live. He's been away working hard, so we welcome him back onto the main stage for his 90 minute solo show.

We've got DJ R-Kid + friends playing on night, so remember dancing shoes will be needed + a load of drinks offers on the night.

If you're an artist and you're not painting on the night, please feel free to bring a visual CV on disc along with you to hand in. We'll be looking through everything and will make our decision the following week.

Southampton Recruits Pt II

2009-10-12T15:26:00.000-07:00

Last Months event saw some great artists turn up, but we're after more talent. You might think we're greedy, but we want to make sure we have the best artists available for our team battles.

So make sure you turn up to show what you've got. For more info contact southampton@secretwars.co.uk or jay@secretwars.co.uk

Hicks Completes the Project

2009-09-23T15:12:00.000-07:00

Secret Wars Champion Mr Hicks came back to Solent Uni after graduating there over 5 years ago. Part of an ongoing project to update the Student Union area, Hicks completed the Monorex project, which saw a number of students, old and new give their thumbs up.

Look out for a number of other projects with Solent Uni. For more info on what we're up to, contact me on jay@secretwars.co.uk

Enjoy

Teck @ Solent Uni

2009-09-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

The Solent Uni SU bar has been in need of a major facelift for some years now and as part of the freshers week and the start of a new year, Monorex were commissioned to do what we do best.

Teck 1 took care of the first part of the job, the important welcome sign.

The next job was to paint the actual SU bar, which was left to Secret Wars finalist, Mr Hicks...report to follow.

In the mean time, enjoy the snaps

Southampton Team recruit!!!

2009-09-23T14:28:00.001-07:00

The global art event, Secret Wars is in the process of putting together a Euro League. For us at Monorex, it’s the next logical step. With a number of Secret Wars events sprouting up around the world and a load of hungry artists wanting to meet and battle fellow illustrators/painters, it seems the obvious thing to do.

The Soul Cellar will be stocked with pens and boards, ready and waiting for YOU to get involved as we try to seek out fresh new talent to represent Southampton. Whoever gets picked, will be asked to travel, all expenses paid. So if you’re an artist, no matter how good you are, please make sure you have a valid passport.

Doors Open @ 8pm, we’ve got a load of special drinks offers available on the night along with music supplied by
Stu Clarke (Hi My Name is) So make sure you’ve got some comfy dancing shoes on.

If you’re an artist and you’re keen to get involved, please drop us an email on southampton@secretwars.co.uk

Another wall at SU bar - Solent Uni, Southampton

2009-09-23T03:15:00.000-07:00

MrYeti (Moose & Yeti) was invited down to Southampton to paint a Secret wars promotional piece in the SU bar at Solent uni.

Quote from the artist
"Really happy with the piece but typically the party only really got going as I was finishing up!"

mooseandyeti.blogspot.com

If you fancy a trip to Brighton, why not come see us!!?

2009-09-16T15:29:00.001-07:00

Secret Wars Brighton
Its taken months of planning, but the time has come. Secret Wars will be hosting the Graffiti village at this years White air festival, Europe’s biggest extreme sports festival!!

Secret Wars is the World’s premier live art battle – working in similar ways to Fight Club, Secret Wars battles are set up / promoted through word of mouth.

These live art battles are being hosted in the darkest corners of each city, sometimes you might stumble across one in the basement of a bar in the East end of London or even in a deserted meat factory in Malmo Sweden...

This creative battle network grows bigger by the day, every month or so we add more battle locations while new and very exciting artists enter the frame...

Secret Wars is on a global mission to turn live art into a recognised sport – with your help we can slowly make this happen!

18th-20th September

The schedule
18th September 1/4 finals
1st battle – 12:00 – 1.30pm – Limbo Vs Mr Nord
2nd battle – 1pm – 2.30pm Made You Look Vs Sight 1
3rd battle – 2pm – 3.30pm Mist Vs Spit Sega
4th battle – 3pm – 4.30pm Oliver Harud Vs JOJENK

19th September Semi-Finals
1st battle 3pm – 4.30pm ? Vs ?
2nd battle – 4.30 – 6pm ? Vs ?

19th September Final @ Jam Bar
7pm – 11pm
Kings Road Archers,BN1 1NB
The final to decide the Champion will be held at Life. With Secret Wars Dj’s on rotation throughout this will prove to be a mad, hectic, crazy, bonza night!! So arrive early to avoid disappointment.
Reeps 1 UK Beatboxing Champion will be performing along with DJ Captain Crunch

20th September Showcase
All day
To finish off the event on a high, we’ve decided to put together a set of exhibition battles. There’s also an opportunity for other artists to get involved as we set out sights on recruiting local artists to represent Brighton.

For more info, please email us on studio@secretwars.co.uk or jay@secretwars.co.uk

**********************************************

Secret Wars would like to thank its sponsors and supporters for all their help
Edding pens and Art Republic, Exceptional art, perfectly framed. Discover an incredible range of rare, limited edition art prints from cutting-edge and established artists within our gallery at Bond Street Brighton (in the heart of the North Laines) or online at www.artrepublic.com. Spread the cost of your art with the Own Art scheme, full details at our gallery or website

Captain Bukioe's SW Billboard

2009-09-10T02:48:00.000-07:00

If you walk past the soul cellar, you might notice something different.

Captain Bukioe of the Undergrowth ventured down from Brighton to paint this Secret Wars advert.

Remember the art jam is a chance for artists to get on board the Southampton team, which will travel to battle other cities.

If you're an artist and want to get involved, please email us on southampton@secretwars.co.uk

ARCHIVE VIDEO - BIRMINGHAM vs SOUTHAMPTON

2009-09-03T15:25:00.001-07:00

Secret wars-Birmingham vs Southampton from Trav on Vimeo.

Calling all artists

2009-08-25T13:02:00.000-07:00

Southampton - Team Recruit
Secret Wars is happening right now, you just don’t know! Similar to Fight Club it thrives on word of mouth. Put simply, it’s a war between artists. The ultimate question however, is who will reign supreme? The only weapon they carry is the Edding pen they hold in their hand!

We’re on the hunt for artists to represent Southampton for team battles. This means any artist chosen could potentially be taken to Lisbon, Dublin, Malmo or New York to battle it out! We’re inviting ALL
artists, to attend and show what they’re capable of on white boards set up around the Soul Cellar.
Artists MUST register first by emailing their details to southampton@secretwars.co.uk.
We look forward to seeing you all there for a huge art jam as we get things started for SW series 3!

School Wars @ K2 Festival Southampton

2009-08-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

K2's yearly festival saw the first Southamptn School wars project come to town. Despite the weather being dismal, the introduction of School Wars to kids between 6-16 was a huge success.

With the help of Captain Bukioe (The Undergrowth) kids were given an insight into the live art battle and how artists prepare for the live stage. Supported by edding and run in conjunction with the Soco music project, this workshop proved to be a success and the first of many.

If you know of any schools or teaching organizations that would be interested in hosting a school wars, please contact us on studio@secretwars.co.uk

Enjoy

Get Shit Done

2009-05-22T10:38:00.001-07:00

Custom Reebok's @ Reskue Southsmpton

2009-05-21T07:40:00.001-07:00

We're pleased to announce that the Reskue Skate Store in Southampton are stocking a limited range of custom Reebok's by Monorex & Secret Wars artists:

Jimi Crayon - www.jimicrayon.com
Alfa - www.no1dork.blogspot.com
Teck - www.teck1.blogspot.com
Sticka - Site Under Construction

For more info on sizes and availability, please contact Reskue via their site

http://www.reskue.co.uk

or call on:(023) 80710 528

Tattoo Monkey Southampton

2009-05-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

Tattoo Monkey is a new studio, opening above the Reskue Skate store. We were approached by the guys to help paint the walls. With Alfa's distinctive tattoo style,
it was a no brainer to get him down.

Keep an eye out for more commissions down south as Monorex artists come down to make their mark.

Birmingham Vs Southampton 1st leg

2009-05-19T14:15:00.000-07:00

Southampton Final

2009-05-08T07:35:00.001-07:00

A huge congratulations to Gustav for winning his second Secret Wars Final and a massive shout out to Rem 1 DNK for reaching the finals.

It was another great night with everyone out in support. A big shout out to the Say Whoa guys for taking care of the entertainment downstairs. Check out their blog and the parties they put on. I'm sure they'll be in an area near you, very soon!
www.saywhoapartyprogramme.blogspot.com

A big thanks to Jimi C for hosting and of course Reeps 1, who pulled out all the stops. There was one point where I thought he wasn't going to finish. Not that I was complaining or anything, but it had been a long day and I've only just bought one of those memory foam mattresses. So really wanted to test it out.

Back to the report: With Rem 1 winning the crowd vote and Gustav winning the first Judges vote (Pascal UCLA Designer) it was all down to Andy from Reskue - who as you know chose Gustav.

After claiming his cheque, he announced he'll be retiring from Secret Wars, meaning Rem 1 DNK takes his spot in the London series. We're all expecting big things from him. So keep an eye out for him.

Again thanks to all the artists that took part, Edding pens who never get tired of my emails, the Soul Cellar and Reskue.

If you're interested in entering series 3, please send examples of wort to southampton@secretwars.co.uk

Oh and a big thanks to Cascade photography for the sweet pics

Art Sale

2009-05-01T08:34:00.001-07:00

Email: southampton@secretwars.co.uk for more info

7 panels remaining!! (Top two from the right side have been sold)
size: 2x4
Artists: Mr K and Jimi Crayon

Secret Wars Final 30/04/09 Soul Cellar

2009-04-02T03:04:00.000-07:00

Pykee Vs Rem 1 DNK Semi-Final

2009-04-02T02:51:00.000-07:00

Before I say anything, congratulations Pykee for being the first female artist to reach a Secret Wars semi-final.

Tonight we would find out who would be the next finalist to face Gustav. Even he was there to check out the competition. The Basingstoke massive showed up in force to support Pykee and Rem 1, who had impressed the crowd during his previous battle had a few fans in the crowd.

Both artists battled hard, and by the end it looked pretty even. But in the end both judges voted in favour of Rem 1 DNK.

Congratulations to both artists, see you all at the final!!

Photo credit - Luke Joyce / Archetype Images

London Vs Southampton SW Special

2009-03-08T15:16:00.000-07:00

It was a night to remember as Secret Wars went back to The Orange Rooms in Southampton for a one off special. Alfa and Teck were responsible for showing what London was made of, whilst Gustav and Brighton favourite Jeeba, were trusted to do away with the tourists.

There was a lot going on outside as Jimi C and Mr K painted panels outside, which were auctioned off at the end of the night....in fact there are still some panels available, so if you're interested, hit us back on southampton@secretwars.co.uk.

Anyway, back to the battle, it was great, both sides worked hard and afterwards, Teck played harder. The crowd vote naturally went to the home side, but both judges, Neil from the Orange Rooms and Andy from Southampton's Independent Skate Store 'Reskue' both voted in favour of London!!

So congrats to the guys - That makes it 1 - 1. See you again soon!!

A big thanks to Kyle for all his help, Neil for looking after everyone and of course, Reskue for supplying the paint. Check out their online store at http://www.reskue.co.uk/

How much people love Secret Wars

2009-03-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a message sent to me - Totally above board and true

bit of a random one but my housemates car got broken into last nite n due to having to pay out 4 a new window and tomtom she is poor n very sad, she was gonna come 2 secret wars 2nite but now doesnt have much money, is there and chance she could get in free? there is a possiblitiy she will wear wet look legging if she can (kinda noticed u had a thing bout them lol) her name is Laura Catherine Waddington. if u cld let me know that wld be wonderful.

best wishes

poor students housemate.
xxx

London Vs Southampton

2009-03-01T14:02:00.001-08:00

Email southampton@secretwars.co.uk or info@orangerooms.com

Email southampton@secretwars.co.uk or info@orangerooms.com for more details

Ain't no stopping the G man!

2009-03-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

Reining Champion Gustav seems to be unstoppable. As the winner of Series 1, I was hoping, wishing, someone would be able to knock him out and it was looking like Vents could be that someone. Both artists made sure they went all out.

There was a great crowd in attendance, all wondering who would make it to the final. In the end judges Andy from Reskue Skate Store and Dexter from Orange Rooms both voted in favour of Gustav. The crowd helped make it 3-0.

A big shout out to Vents and Good luck to Gustav in the final

The Semi's are here

2009-02-09T04:38:00.000-08:00

Rem 1 DNK Vs Derty Laundry

2009-02-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to say this was one of the best battles I'd seen in a long time. Firstly, I was looking forward to meeting Derty Laundry. If you'd read his email, asking to compete, you'd know why + his style and work meant this was going to be different from anything I or anyone else would have seen.

Secondly I knew Rem 1 DNK would be able to hold his own and he did in traditional Secret Wars fashion, by going big and hard (Note to self, stop watching porn, just before I'm about to put a post on the blog)

It was a great turn out and R-Kid played a Bonza set (Note to self, don't talk to Aussie Greg, just before I put up a post on here)

Anyway, the judges found it difficult to pick a winner. Both artists were of the highest quality, which meant it was down to the crowd!!! But for them it was easy - REM 1 DNK!!

He'll be up against Pykee on Thursday 26th March!!

Well done and good luck!!

Secret Wars Brighton @ Audio Fri 30th January

2009-01-17T14:08:00.001-08:00

Its finally here and on its way thanks to our hosts Audio Club. For more information email studio@secretwars.co.uk

Pykee Vs Mecha One

2008-11-30T13:54:00.000-08:00

Well, firstly I have to congratulate Pykee on her victory. That's right, getting straight in there with the result.

I honestly thought Mecha One was going to win the battle as he got off to a good start. Pykee, slow at first was taking her time to make sure her piece was picture perfect. Again, the tail of the Tortoise and the Hare has been re-told Secret Wars stylee!

The first judge went for Mecha one, the crowd vote went to Pykee making it 1-1. The second judge, Buffy from the Soul Cellar assures me her vote was down to artistic preference and not a vote for girl power as she put pykee through to the 2nd semi-final. She'll meet eith Rem 1 DNK or Oliver Harud.

A big shout out to both artists who battled hard and if anyone's browsing the world wide web check out the Mecha One website to see more work and a sweet clothing collection.

Peace

Pykee Vs Mecha One

2008-11-25T12:33:00.000-08:00

It's almost timer, just a quick reminder to get down to Soul Cellar this Thursday and show your support for the arts. This is going to be a manic round, with both artists bringing along with them plenty of supporters!! So see you there!

Gustoh Vs Vents - Round 2

2008-11-10T13:20:00.000-08:00

Oh what a night - well, it could have been better turn out wise. Another nearby venue was running a night with Beardyman as the headline act and our very own Reeps 1 supporting. (That reminds me, Reeps, do you still want your knife? The one that's lodged in my back? Joke of course) So there was a lot of competition bar wise. But regardless of that, we proved that we've got a load of supporters who turned out to make it another great night.

But enough of that, because the real competition was between Gustoh and Vents, which I can honestly say, did not disappoint!

Both artists worked really hard and it was honestly one of the best battles I'd seen in Southampton for a while. Both going BIG and making their points as clear as a shit stain on a fresh pair of CK's. However there can only be one winner and on the night both judges (Chorley from Say Whoa and Gabriel from Orange Rooms) both voted in favour of Vents, who will now go up against last years winner, GUSTAV.

Again a big shout out to the artists that made the journey down. You can check out more work from them via the Secret Wars website. Just click on the artists name.

2 for 1 in November

2008-11-03T13:03:00.000-08:00

We've got two big battles for you guys in November. First up Gustoh Vs Vents. Again fresh new faces joining the ranks. No doubt those faces will be looking a little wary afterwards. Post Traumatic stress is a possibility, but as everyone who takes part says, "It's worth it!" That's on Thursday 6th November - So get down to show your support

and following up on that we have another set of newbies to the Secret Wars game, but pro's in their own right, Mecha One Vs Pykee. Again this is set to be a huge battle similar to that of WWII, with a pinch of wrestle mania. So Be there on Thursday 27th November.

*for some reason the images come up with a hint of sky blue around the text. Make no mistake, Secret Wars is strictly all about the black on white. Maybe a hint of Royal Gold, but only to help emphasize the logo.

Lets get ready to ruuuuuuuummmmbllle!! Gustav Vs VoN

2008-10-02T12:51:00.000-07:00

Defending Champion Gustav took care of business once again as he beat new comer VoN 2-1!

The Soul Cellar was boasting a slick new paint job and a brand new sound system, so it was the perfect time to introduce the new students to the city of Southampton. It was a great night, the dead town that is Southampton felt like it'd been resuscitated. Finally we had a pulse and the venue was packed out.

VoN worked really hard and the detail of was impressive, but in the end it was Gustav's overall style and message that got him the two judges votes, but for the first time lost out to the crowd, who backed VoN.

The next battle has been lined up for Thursday 6th November between Gustoh and Vents. Followed by Pykee and Mecha One on Thursday 27th November.

Soul Cellar face lift...Secret Wars stylee!!

2008-09-23T14:02:00.001-07:00

Here we have it, the new Soul Cellar Paint job. A big thanks to Raymondo for helping, the guys at Soul Cellar for their support and of course Monorex and the artists...ENJOY!

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Here we go...Series 2 draw!!

2008-09-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

The draw has taken place and the dates are booked and set in stone. Make sure you get them locked into your memory, your diary, your Abi Titmus calendar, your swish iphone, your annoying blackberry, whatever your date recording device is, get these dates in there -

1st Round - Thursday 25th September
Gustav Vs VoN

2nd Round -Thursday 6th November
Gustoh Vs Vents

3rd Round - Thursday 27th November
Pykee Vs Mecha One

4th Round - Thursday 29th January
Rem1 DNK Vs Oliver Harud

1st Semi - Final - Thursday 26th February
? Vs ?

2nd Semi - Final - Thursday 26th March
? Vs ?

Final - Thursday 30th April
? Vs ?

We've got a batch of fresh artists, new to secret wars, but not to the illustrating game, all eager to draw blood from defending champion Gustav, who last year blitzed his way to the top spot. Trust me when I say, from looking at each individuals submissions, the bar has been raised. These artists are guaranteed to titillate your artistic taste buds...mmmmm tasty!

See you there, bring a bib!

Battle Royale...without cheese

2008-09-23T13:35:00.000-07:00

Like the opening event for the World Cup or Olympics, we decided to try something different. Sadly both Charlotte Church and Reeps were fully booked, so we had to make do without the national anthem.

There were two teams on the night. Team A and Team B. On Team A, led by defending Champion Gustav, we had Vents and Mr RoRo. On team B captained by Dirty 30, we had SU 1 and E.T.

Music wise, Mr Muffle and R-Kid decided to play a really filthy set. When I say filthy I mean bacteria infested, virus spreading filthy!!! I had to have 6 showers and a skin peel, down to my bones before I felt clean again. The crowd were feeling the tunes and the art work as both teams worked hard to out do eachother and after 90 min the first battle came to an end.

We decided to leave the judges out for this and left the decision down to the crowd. The calpometer, came out from its long slumber to help pin-point who had won....the winners were....TEAM B. Well done Dirty 30, SU1 and E.T.

One last note...because Southampton is a town dependant on the student community, we've decided to push the first battle back to Thursday 25th September. Despite being the most original night to hit Southampton, there just doesn't seem to be enough people around. So put the date in the diary. Artists and battle dates will be announced soon.

All Artists Welcome!!

2008-09-23T13:28:00.000-07:00

To kick off Series 2 in Southampton, we've decided to start off with a mammoth art jam! On Thursday 31st July we'll be giving artists the opportunity to get up and do their thang on the newly made wall. Music will be provided by residents Mr Muffle and R-Kid. Doors open @ 8, if there's anything else you need to know get in touch at Southampton@secretwars.co.uk.

Southampton Final...Gustav Vs Reeps 1...Get in there!!!

2008-09-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

Its taken some time, but here’s the report on the first Southampton Secret Wars Final. Gustav Vs Reeps 1!!

Originally when setting the dates, I didn’t take into account that the huge Southampton student population would be away because of the long, long Easter break. It wasn’t until the actual day of setting up that I realised it was a bit of a ghost town. I actually saw some tumbleweed roll passed the Soul Cellar. Needless to say the toilet and I became great, close friends as nerves began to take over me.

All was set and ready to go, I was adamant it wasn’t going to be busy. Everywhere else was dead, Zombified…extinct! I wish I could say it was down to luck, or thanks to a number of prayers made whilst on the toilet. But the truth of the matter is Secret Wars has developed a huge following resulting in a packed out venue. Students had come all the way back especially for this and artists from previous stages turned up to see who would be crowned winner. Would it be Gustav who reached the final through SU1 and Zadok or would it be Reeps 1 who debuted his edding fighting skills in the Southampton Wars??

Nobody can say there was one clear favourite, each artist had to battle hard knowing that if the judges came up with a draw, their fate would lie with an even crowd shout. Of course C-Monts was in control of the flow, again displaying why he’s such a favourite with the Secret Wars camp. Mr Muffle and DJ R-Kid kept the tempo going as it seemed pretty even on the boards.

After the 90 min and after a few extra seconds to mop up the sweat (We at Secret Wars believe in Health and Safety) the judges were announced. Mary Allen (Manager of Addict, Brighton and illustrator) and of course Seeds from Birmingham’s Secret Wars. The first vote rested with Mary – GUSTAV!!! The second vote went to…wait for it…..REEPS 1!!!

This meant the controversial clap-o-meter had to come out. However I can honestly say despite Gustav being on home turf, Reeps had impressed and captured the hearts of the audience throughout the tournament….awww, it’s like a Disney moment. So this wasn’t going to be an easy victory for anyone.

C-Monts built up the tension, tighter than Jackie Stallone’s face-lift! The first cheers were for Reeps – a high score. The second bout of cheers for Gustav were a little bit higher, meaning Gustav was crowned the Southampton Secret Wars winner!!

This had been a great start to which will lead onto Series 2. We’d like to thank everyone that followed it and supported what we were doing and a big shout out to the all the guys from Birmingham that came down, to our sponsors, to the guys at Soul cellar who let us get paint on their lovely floor, Lloyd for making the set up and cooking me food when I got hungry, Terry for coming up with the idea and of course to ME!

Until the next series…. ciao for now

PEACE!

Reeps 1 Vs sObac 2nd Semi Final

2008-09-23T13:17:00.000-07:00

Well, it’s finally drawing to a close and it’s getting extremely difficult to not quote from the movie Highlander, but, there can only be one….winner and that winner will either be Gustav or Reeps 1 after he defeated s0bac in the last semi.

Little is known about s0bac; in fact he’s the Secret Wars equivalent to Top Gear’s ‘Stig’ only more illusive. One thing we do know, he can definitely hold his own against any opponent. So this was always going to be an interesting battle.

The night got off to a good start, it always helps to have the artists turn up on time and the crowd were ready to be entertained. I have to say it wasn’t the best battle we’ve had. Don’t get me wrong Reeps and s0bac worked hard, but when it all ended it left people wondering what they had drawn. S0bac’s illustration was clean, detailed and nice, but I didn’t get it. Reeps again had covered his board with interesting and very abstract pieces, but again failed to deliver a killer blow. In the end the words, “s0bac…so what’ went in his favour and helped tip the balance as he was declared the winner by both judges.

Reeps did say afterwards he was in his own little world up there, but will be putting a lot of thought into his next piece against Gustav. He looks set to deliver a special move straight out of Street Fighter 2…Turbo edition.

As for s0bac, he was pleased to have come this far and it was a shame his final piece didn’t do him justice. Looking at his previous work, he looked like the possible winner. But it just wasn’t his night. However I’m sure it’s not the last time we’ll see or hear of him. But then again, he is the ‘Secret Wars Stig’

Watch out for the Southampton Final between Gustav and Reeps 1 on Thursday 27th March @ Soul Cellar…78 West Marlands Road.

JH

Zadok Vs Gustav 1st Semi-Final......

2008-09-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

The first Southampton Secret Wars Semi-Final was always going to be the talk of the town, but even I had no idea how controversial it was going to be. Zadok Vs Gustav was a battle all Secret Wars fans were looking forward to. Even King Terry made the journey down…the Soul Cellar was packed; the artists were ready and so began the show.

I’d love to tell you all, that this was a heated battle, but the truth is Gustav was the only one representing. With Zadok disappearing in the middle of the battle, it allowed a member of his 54 crew to scrawl over his piece. Gustav, not leaving the stage or loosing focus continued with his work, closely supported by the crowd and the rest of The Undergrowth Collective.

It was clear by Zadok’s piece he had no intention to go through to the final. If the Vote for Gustav suggestion wasn’t a big enough clue his final actions in the remaining minutes did more than prove it. With a couple more minutes to go, Zadok grabbed a pink spray can, and marked the words “graffiti is dead, secret wars killed it”.

Of course rules state that this is strictly a Black on White contest and no other colours are to be used, resulting in Zadok to be disqualified. An all time first for Secret Wars. The only thing missing from the night was a classic Eastenders cliff-hanger drum roll at the end, which would have been perfect.

The night raised a lot of issues, a lot of questions and many opinions, which is what makes this event stand out from anything else out there. As with anything that reaches the masses and becomes popular, there are always going to be those who have been in the scene for years objecting to what’s going on. Whether they believe Secret Wars has in some way taken away something important from the art form, like putting it up on a stage instead of a protected building, isn't certain. But it is in no way a crash course in graffiti techniques, open to all for admission. It's an illustrator’s battle, yes many of the guys who compete do come from a graff background, but the fact of the matter is, it’s completely different. It’s as far removed from the graff scene as Paul McCartney is to Heather Mills. Secret Wars gives artists a platform to launch themselves and show what their capable of. It also introduces a whole new art form to people that wouldn’t usually get to see something like that. Am I wrong? Answers on a postcard.

Anyway, enough of that…………..

The crowd carried on partying to the sounds of Mr Muffle and R-Kid and the rest admired and discussed the work up on stage. All in all, it was another great night for Southampton.

Gustav will now meet the winner of the next Semi-Final Reeps 1 Vs s0bac on Thursday 28th February @ Soul Cellar (78 West Marlands Road, Southampton)

Gustav Vs SU 1 Series 1 Round 2

2008-09-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

This was always going to be a tough battle, for whoever the winner would be, their next battle would be with Zadok. Putting that thought to the back of their minds Gustav and SU1 came face to face. Gustav - a secret wars veteran and member of creative collective 'The Undergrowth' was pegged as the favourite to win, but SU1 who has been a long time Secret Wars supporter and artist had a lot to prove.

After 90 min, a lot of sweat, a few tears and plenty of cheers from supporters of 'The Undergrowth' and the Basingstoke alliance (not actually known by that name, but sounds pretty cool) the job was down and it was all left in the hands of the judges. Vote 1 - Gustav Vote 2 - GUSTAV! Gustav wins and faces Zadok in the first Semi which is set for Thursday January 31st @ Soul Cellar.

Next up another Undergrowth favourite Chris Le Blanc battles our very own secret wars favourite Reeps 1!!!

Secret Wars @ Soul Cellar Series 1 Round 1

2008-09-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

This was the night that officially kicked off Southampton's very own Secret Wars tournament and what a way to go. First up was Zadok getting down and dirty with Basingstoke's very own Dirty 30. With Zadok's track record this battle was labeled the David & Goliath round, but sadly for Dirty 30 there wasn't a sling shot big enough to bring the man down.

Zadok was the clear winner, despite a mix up with the judges, both voting for Dirty 30 after they'd wrongly mistaken his piece. After a slap round the face and a quick explanation, victory was handed back over to Zadok, who will battle the winner of the next round between Gustav of the Undergrowth and another Basingstoke artist, SU 1, which will be held on Thursday 18th October @ Soul Cellar!!

However, just when the crowd thought that was it, good ol' Reeps 1 showed up, brandishing his deadly skillz and of course his harmonica. The crowd were more responsive than my grandad after a heavy dose of viagra. He rocked it harder than...well my grandad after another heavy dose of viagra!

Anyway, enough of my horny relatives, for more info on the Southampton Wars, keep hitting the secret wars website and make sure you check back at the monorex blog!

Extra, extra read all about it!

2008-09-15T12:25:00.001-07:00

SOUTHAMPTON SECRET WARS SERIES 2

All the latest news, artist features and sw reports will be posted here...