The Wailers / Andreya Triana / Homecut / East Park Reggae Collective / Iration Steppas / Gentlemen’s Dub Club / Broke‘n’£nglish / Kidkanevil / Exodus / Noah
@ Stylus
Aston Barrett, called ‘Family Man’ because of his 52 children, is the man who taught Bob Marley to play the guitar. He played with Bob Marley and the Wailers and also with Lee Perry’s band The Upsetters. As well as writing many of the basslines for Marley’s tracks he was involved in their production and arrangement.
Since Marley’s death in 1981 Barrett has taken on the role of musical director of the Wailers, and it was he who lead the band onto the Stylus stage in April.
The occasion was New Bohemia’s fifth birthday. To celebrate reaching primary school age Leeds’ finest hip hop, dup and broken beat night had laid on quite a spread, the cherry on the cake being the Wailers performing Exodus in its entirety.
Exodus was named the 26th greatest album of all time by VH1 in 2001, 169th of all time by Rolling Stone in 2003 and in 1998 Time magazine crowned it the greatest album of the 20th Century.
As the band took to the stage it was fairly obvious that this wasn’t the original Wailers line up that recorded the album - the drummer looked about 19. Another quite pressing concern was the question of the lead singer. Who would attempt to step into Bob Marley’s Pumas, avoiding the poisoned needles that the CIA had hidden in there?
Our front man for the night was Elan Etias, who, despite dancing a little bit like a five year old - lots of jumping up, down and around, was really quite good. He definitely did the songs justice and held the capacity crowd captive.
So the band worked their way through Exodus, playing extended versions of every song, and the crowd cheered, danced and sang along. The biggest reactions were saved for ‘Exodus’, ‘Waiting In Vain’ and Marley’s ode to brewing tasty preserves, ‘Jamming’.
Supporting the Wailers, who left the stage to well deserved rapturous applause, was a stonking line up of Leeds’ finest purveyors of reggae, dub and hip hop.
Andreya Triana has provided vocals for artists including Mr Scruff, Bonobo and Flying Lotus. Now she’s going it alone, with an album coming out soon. She was on stage before the Wailers performing her own songs, a gorgeous combination of soul, funk and jazz. This lady really does have a beautiful voice. Keep an eye out for the album.
Exodus & Iration Steppas joined the dots between the live acts. They played reggae and dub in their own inimitable ways, and generally kept the crowd on the up.
The apparently ubiquitous Gentlemen’s Dub Club continued their march to the top with a tight set. These guys seem to be playing everywhere in Leeds at the moment, but when it sounds this good, no-one’s complaining.
My personal non-Wailers highlight of the evening was the live set from Kidkanevil. The Leeds-based beatsmith is undoubtedly one of the most exciting hip hop producers in the UK at the moment. His sophomore album Back Off Man, I’m A Scientist was released last year, and he’s already got to work on the follow up. His tight, stark, bassy beats were accompanied by Laura J Martin on flute, and the two of them put on a stonking set. They played at around 11pm, providing a seamless segue from the blissed-out reggae party atmosphere the Wailers had created to a more late night, edgy vibe, setting up the smiling revellers for a long and happy night.
Showing posts with label New Bohemia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Bohemia. Show all posts
New Bohemia with Kidkanevil 31/10/08
“The power of Christ compels you”
Once upon a time there was a young girl called Georgina Bailie. One night while she was sleeping she was visited by the ghost of Adolf Hitler. He greeted her and told her “Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son” “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” replied young Georgina, and she and Adolf laughed heartily.
Georgina travelled far from her home, to Donnington, for the Download festival was in town. And lo! She gave birth in the mosh pit while Black Sabbath were playing. And Ozzy looked, and he saw that it was good.
She named the child Satan, as Adolf had instructed her. This precious child would grow up to be the devil. And that is the story of the first Halloween.
Instead they brought us the lovely Mr. Kidkanevil, with his shiny new live show. Kidkanevil is a local boy, straight out of Tokyorkshire and he makes the sort of bouncy instrumental hip hop you get from guys like DJ Shadow, RJD2 and Bonobo. In many ways he’s a bit of a maverick. He doesn't play by the rules, but dammit he gets results.
Kidkanevil really is very good live, and both albums are well worth a listen. New Bohemia is also ace, much better than Hitler.
Once upon a time there was a young girl called Georgina Bailie. One night while she was sleeping she was visited by the ghost of Adolf Hitler. He greeted her and told her “Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son” “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” replied young Georgina, and she and Adolf laughed heartily.
Georgina travelled far from her home, to Donnington, for the Download festival was in town. And lo! She gave birth in the mosh pit while Black Sabbath were playing. And Ozzy looked, and he saw that it was good.
She named the child Satan, as Adolf had instructed her. This precious child would grow up to be the devil. And that is the story of the first Halloween.
New Bohemia is a bit too cool (or lazy) to care much about Halloween. No cheesy flyers with blood dripping down them, no booking DJs just because they have spooky names and no lame costume competitions (if there was one, the winner would have been the guy dressed as a golden shower).
Instead they brought us the lovely Mr. Kidkanevil, with his shiny new live show. Kidkanevil is a local boy, straight out of Tokyorkshire and he makes the sort of bouncy instrumental hip hop you get from guys like DJ Shadow, RJD2 and Bonobo. In many ways he’s a bit of a maverick. He doesn't play by the rules, but dammit he gets results.
It’s always good when someone makes the effort to do a proper live show, rather than just hiding behind a laptop or sampler. The Kidkanevil band included the very fragrant Laura J on yazz flute, Justin Percival and Testament on the mic and a guy who looks like Huey Morgan from the Fun Loving Criminals who’s in a band I saw at HiFi the other week was on percussion (he did a bit of saxophone on one song too). During Black Bug the band were joined onstage by an extra special performer, the hobo Optimus Prime from the video (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bcZvMnNSwfg).
Actually, New Bohemia did offer a cursory nod towards the anniversary of the birth of Satan. There was a very half-assed ‘mad scientist’ theme, in honour of Kidkanevil’s new album Back Off Man, I’m A Scientist. It has collaborations with Taprikk Sweezee and Bonobo on it. It’s very good and you can buy it if you want. Also, you can get his ace debut album, Problems and Solutions, for free from myspace.com/kidkanevil. This one has collaborations with Yarah Bravo, Jeh5t, Lateef the truth speaker, and Andreya Triana.
Kidkanevil really is very good live, and both albums are well worth a listen. New Bohemia is also ace, much better than Hitler.
New Bohemia with Danny Breaks 3/10/08
I learnt a thing recently. The thing is as follows: MacDonald's will not let you have a Happy Meal after 11 at night. They've got all the various bits there, they just won't put one together for you. It's an active choice they've made, that there will be no late night happiness at MacDonald's.
By the sound of their name Northern Hostility should be the sort of nasty little pikeys the right wing press are currently soiling themselves about, a group of unpleasant spalpeens (look it up) running around putting knives into the elderly. All in all, not a very happy group of lads.
Actually they seem a fairly amiable bunch. Also, there are fucking loads of them. According to their myspace they are a collective of 17 mcs, 8 producers and 4 djs. They come across a bit like the Liberty X to Blazin' Squad's Hear'Say, they're not as pretty, but you get the impression that they may have a personality or two between them, and maybe even be capable of original thought.
Despite not nearly being able to fit on the stage at the Fav they were pretty good, doing that distinctively UK kind of hip hop you get from guys like Skinnyman, Mark B and Blade and fellow Leeds boy Kid Acne, and they talked in Yorkshire accents between songs, which is always funny., and one of their tracks contains the priceless line: "We get your attention like a pair of fake tits". For that I can only praise them.
New Bohemia is a lovely place where lovely people play lovely music to other lovely people. Tonight's lovely person in chief was Mr Danny Breaks, the rave pioneer (as 'Sonz of a Loop Da Loop Era') turned drum and bass pioneer turned hip hop experimentalist, turned actual proper legend. Recently he's done a (storming) collaboration on Mr Scruff's new album. Mr Scruff is a pretty good reference point for Danny Breaks, they both favour quality hip hop and share a love for a prize winning marrow of a bassline.
Just as Danny Breaks was getting into the swing of things, we were joined by some very special visitors. A delegation from the North Yorkshire constabulary paid the lovely people a visit, lured in by the splendidly wobbly bass line of Danny's track 'the jellyfish'. More numerous even than Northern Hostility, they sidled in, sealed perimeters, dispatched a posse in the direction of the toilets then just stood around for a bit. Then they left.
Either they quickly realised the futility of attempting a 'Dirty Disco' style drug bust or they were imposters, a stunt set up by Northern Hostility to make them seem a bit more edgy and gangsta. Perhaps we will never know. Or care. In conclusion, go to New Bohemia, it's great. Much better than MacDonald's.
By the sound of their name Northern Hostility should be the sort of nasty little pikeys the right wing press are currently soiling themselves about, a group of unpleasant spalpeens (look it up) running around putting knives into the elderly. All in all, not a very happy group of lads.
Actually they seem a fairly amiable bunch. Also, there are fucking loads of them. According to their myspace they are a collective of 17 mcs, 8 producers and 4 djs. They come across a bit like the Liberty X to Blazin' Squad's Hear'Say, they're not as pretty, but you get the impression that they may have a personality or two between them, and maybe even be capable of original thought.
Despite not nearly being able to fit on the stage at the Fav they were pretty good, doing that distinctively UK kind of hip hop you get from guys like Skinnyman, Mark B and Blade and fellow Leeds boy Kid Acne, and they talked in Yorkshire accents between songs, which is always funny., and one of their tracks contains the priceless line: "We get your attention like a pair of fake tits". For that I can only praise them.
New Bohemia is a lovely place where lovely people play lovely music to other lovely people. Tonight's lovely person in chief was Mr Danny Breaks, the rave pioneer (as 'Sonz of a Loop Da Loop Era') turned drum and bass pioneer turned hip hop experimentalist, turned actual proper legend. Recently he's done a (storming) collaboration on Mr Scruff's new album. Mr Scruff is a pretty good reference point for Danny Breaks, they both favour quality hip hop and share a love for a prize winning marrow of a bassline.
Just as Danny Breaks was getting into the swing of things, we were joined by some very special visitors. A delegation from the North Yorkshire constabulary paid the lovely people a visit, lured in by the splendidly wobbly bass line of Danny's track 'the jellyfish'. More numerous even than Northern Hostility, they sidled in, sealed perimeters, dispatched a posse in the direction of the toilets then just stood around for a bit. Then they left.
Either they quickly realised the futility of attempting a 'Dirty Disco' style drug bust or they were imposters, a stunt set up by Northern Hostility to make them seem a bit more edgy and gangsta. Perhaps we will never know. Or care. In conclusion, go to New Bohemia, it's great. Much better than MacDonald's.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
