Heard this new-ish Chase and Status jam with Irah along with the new Original Nuttah 25th anniversary version at David Rodigan’s set at House of Common (the Madness 40th gig on Clapham Common) and like the rest of his set it just SLAYED. I was a sweaty mess at the end when he finished with six jungle tracks in a row…didn’t help that the weather was 32 degrees earlier and the tent was still boiling!
Also saw Akala and Horace Andy who were both ace, amazing at the latter’s age the energy he has onstage (and boldly wearing a leather vest?). Don Letts DJing set was also great, missed Craig Charles and Jerry Dammers DJ set though watching other things (but mostly we were just sitting, wilting in the heat).
The common themes across the sets seemed to be You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No) by Dawn Penn and various versions/riddim uses including Don Letts playing this now classic jungle version. And also Sister Nancy’s Bam Bam – Rodigan played various versions including a jungle version of that, not sure if it also was the Deekline & Ed Solo version…probably.
Heard a bit of Jimmy Cliff, a rather odd church choir singing ‘Something Inside So Strong’ by Labi Siffre (I was wandering around in my LGBTQ Immigrant CHOOSE LOVE tshirt, and seemed to be the only person who got what that song is about, and it’s not South Africa or racism, it’s his sexuality), and of course, the headliner Madness.
Who were as good as always, ‘Bed and Breakfast’ was a surprise inclusion, but they brought on Paul Weller at the end to do some soul tracks including an appropriate version of ‘Heatwave’.
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