08/02/2010
BIG UP TO SHERIFF & CREW! REGGAEJAM 2010 AGAIN THE NICEST FESTIVAL OF THE WORLD!
DAY THREE: Sunday 1st August
Sunday 11:30pm
For the 12th and last time, the so called House of Riddim stage (special stage) is set for House of Riddim. They get their most highly deserved applause. Perfectly matching this early Sunday evening slot, Mr. Reality a.k.a Admiral Tibet enters the stage with a repertoire of relaxed-paced Roots music with uplifting and conscious messages. He starts with his biggest hit “Serious Time” and although we indeed live in serious times, the music invites you to leave it all behind for a while and enjoy yourself. For “Pass the Kutchie”, Lukie D joins him on stage. What a show! “Weeping and Mourning”, “Leave People Business” – Admiral Tibet’s voice is easily the most convincing one when it comes to sufferer’s music. And House of Riddim does such good work that Admiral Tibet later asked them backstage to keep the link and think about future projects together. You will hear from them, as “there’s no place to be like Germany” according to Mr. Reality.
The last three slots of the festival are reserved for musical legends with – at least – close ties to the UK scene. U-Roy draws a huge audience. He pays respect to his predecessor and successor on stage with “Serious Time” respectively “Wear You to the Ball”. “Same Song” and “Soul Rebel” earn him enthusiastic responses from the Roots massive. The occasional Dub interlude added additional spice to the well-received performance.
For the first time in a career spanning 45 years, John Holt honors the European massive with his presence. Well, if you don’t consider the UK to be part of Europe, that is. Either way, his show is an historic event and the Reggae Jam crowd acknowledges that by welcoming him appropriately. The original crooner said goodbye with his 1967 classic “The Tide Is High”.
After Holt’s elating show, it’s up to UK Reggae legends Steel Pulse to close this memorable festival. To give them the reception they have deserved, the presenter tries hard to motivate the overtired audience. When Steel Pulse finally cut loose with a Michael Jackson sample, there was no stopping the massive. None of their biggest hits was missing, you name them all. [VZ]
Sunday 5:40pm
The final day. After a set from the gifted Garnett Silk-like Nature (who uses the feedback from his mic like an instrument) we hear another biblical announcement from Ganjaman that everywhere in the locality except Bersenbrück is being hit by rain.
Despite the influential names on later, the real draw from the foundation today is velvet voiced singer Horace Martin. Horace is dressed in white for the sunshine, with full band plus horn section. At the nexus of roots ("Awake Jah Jah Children Awake" AKA "Unity") and dancehall (a tribute to Sugar Minott with Never Gonna Give Jah Up) this an artist who should not be ignored.
The House Of Riddim band are still continuing their run on the special stage and now back Flourgon - the first of two deejays in a row. His digital banter instantly switches the vibe as a mass of guests including Tanto Metro, Red Dragon and Lukie D invade the stage for some fun.
A late replacement (along with Tarrus) for Mavado and Busy Signal, Mad Cobra enters in skeleton garb to show us he is alive and well. Speaking functional German, he wastes no time in holding a daggering contest on stage [watch it here], shocking the faint hearted. It's been an incredible Reggae Jam so far and it's not over yet... [AT]
DAY TWO: Saturday 31st July
Saturday 3:00am
One of the longest days of continuous live reggae you can enjoy anywhere in the world has reached the headlining stage. After Tanto Metro and Devonte's remarkable dancehall impressions act, there is a danger that Inna De Yard All Stars acoustic ensemble might be too sudden a drop in pace. In fact, Chinna Smith, Cedric Myton, Kiddus I, Clinton Fearon and the gang hold our attention just fine. Highlights are tributes to fallen warriors: Cedric's moving cover of his old pal Prince Lincoln's Humanity, and Matthew McAnuff's take on family friend Jacob Miller's 10,000 Careless Ethiopians. The audience claps, sways, but doesn't leave.
By the time Tarrus Riley, Dean Fraser and their band take the Special stage, people have climbed the huge ancient tree between the stages to get a better view. Fraser's slick MOR band milk Tarrus' entry with two huge slow building intros, and when he arrives he plays hits from his breakout Parables over new album Contagious (although he does do a moonwalk to Michael Jackson's Human Nature!). There are many reasons to love Tarrus, for his lyrics, his message, or what he represents. But live on stage, it's all about that voice.
Finally, Toots and the Maytals (well Toots and his band really) bring proceedings to an end. The curfew means they rattle through the hits at a fair old pace but you can't fault those songs, the man's singing or the presence of a legend before our eyes. 14 hours of reggae music, taking in all tastes: what a day this has been... [AT]
Saturday 11:30pm
Morgan Heritage only sent two representatives to Reggae Jam, Peetah and Gramps. Countless numbers of fans of the self-proclaimed Royal Family of Reggae had highly anticipated the show. They were not disappointed. Peetah and Gramps started their performance with the family’s greatest hits, before Gramps intoned a short solo set. Seas of lighters and hands proved that the Morgans really control their audience.
As almost every artist this year did, they called for solidarity with Buju Banton. Instead of covering one of the Gargamel’s myriad classics, Tanto Metro & Devonte impersonated his voice intriguingly true to original. The legendary DJ team that is specialized in producing pop-influenced Dancehall with mainstream appeal pleased the hardcore Dancehall massive as well. Tanto Metro’s impersonation of Beenie Man, Capleton and Bounty Killer was an exciting trip through the heydays of the 90s DJ culture. [VZ]
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