Great Gigs of the past

[leggo rocker]

I was lucky enough to be into reggae music at the back end of the 70s and early 80s when, for me at least, reagge was at its peak.

I saw some great gigs and another thread on this forum prompted me to wonder how many other of you good forum posters were actually at the same gigs.

So:

Anyone see Rico play at Womad at the Shepton Mallet showground in, I think, 1981?

I saw Rico again, was it last year? at Club Ska in London. Just as good as he was back in the 80s despite being in his 70s.

Or did you see Prince Far I, again I think, at UCL London, this would have been 1981 also, or maybe 80?

I saw The Congos also, maybe supporting Far I - sadly my memories of those days are a little, uh, hazy...

What I did miss was Bob Marley's last UK gig before his untimely death. I had a ticket but gave it to a friend who badly needed a lift after a relationship bust up (and so he could take along his new girlfriend and impress her), thinking, well I can go to the next one. waaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Go on, swap your old reggae gig stories, make the young bucks feel envious - or just make them get out there and support the many reggae artists and acts still touring.

[Jesco77]

None of those, but 2 Culture gigs I mentioned on another thread, Sugar Minott/Don Carlos/Junior Reid in Glasgow early 80s- Tappa Zukie Edinburgh Ital Club about then- Horace Andy Edinburgh the Venue a couple of years ago and Prince Buster Edinburgh Liquid Room not long since were absolute standouts, plus Mighty Diamonds/Frankie Paul at the Willesden Empire a few years back... Also saw Inner Circle when Jacob was still alive supporting Average White Band (!) and Dennis Brown with Joe Gibbs and the Professionals and Errol T at the mixing desk... I'll stop now!

[6anbatte]

Good thread Leggo Rocker

I was also fortunate to see a lot of people in their prime. Mainly down in Brighton in the late 70's/early 80's. Like you my memory is hazy on exact dates.
I will try and track down old ticket stubs.

Off the top of my head;
Burning Spear, Dillinger, Augustus Pablo (Astoria mid-80's), Clint Eastwood and General Saint, Black Uhuru, Gregory Isaacs (twice), Culture (twice, maybe thrice), Freddie McGregor.

Culture really were absolutely incredible.

Dillinger - me and a mate missed the last train home which was at 10.45 or something ridiculous.

We walked back home to Haywards Heath over Ditchling Beacon in the snow without coats. I had a t-shirt under a mohair jumper.
It's about 15 miles!! Wild horses would not have been able to drag us from the gig!

Got home about 5 in the morning and then had to go to college.
Had a stupid grin on my face all day!

Sounds like bull, but is a totally true story!

[Collie]

Remember Steel Pulse and Aswad gigs from the 80's in the TV club in Dublin. Begging a lift on the band bus back to the city centre and getting autographs.
Saw Horace Andy, Matumbi & Max Romeo when the " Reggae Shuttle" landed in Ireland. Listening to BMW outside Dalymount Stadium as I could not get a ticket in 1980. Yellowman and Black Uhuru when Michael Rose had left to be replaced by Junior Reid.
Horace Andy(again), Lee Perry, Michael Rose, Max Romeo(again), Culture, Brigadier Jerry, Luciano.
And as I long as I can stand and the artists keeping coming.....I'm goin'

[paidamoyo]

Bob Marley 1980. Commemorating the indepence of Zimbabwe. What a show. Will never forget.

[darewon]

Mikey Dread (2 times) in Berkeley California. His concerts never fail to please. An all day and night Ska Festival in Berkeley, Ca (1990) featuring the Special Beat (members of the Specials and the Beat) and Bad Manners and a ton of others. Gregory Isaacs , Luciano, Sister Nancy at another all day reggae fest (Bob Marley Day). Lee Perry with Robotiks and Madprofessor (supposedly his last US gig at the time 1998...in San Francisco). Mad Professor a bunch of times. Ranking Joe with Blood and Fire sound system (2005). The BEST was Scientist mixing the Devil Dub Band in 1998/9 in SF at the Justice League. The band featured Brains and Buckethead playing classic riddims pushed to the max by Scientist. It was bone rattling, a bass massage experience.

[leggo rocker]

I also saw Burning Spear, and got back stage afterwards, smoking ganga with the band after an incredible stage set that had us all dancing and smokin'.

Was at the Portsmouth Guildhall for a Ska show featuring Selector, Specials and someone else, not sure who.

Passed up a chance to see Gregory Isaacs, told the guys going that I didn't want to pay to see a coked up playboy mumbling on stage (I really like Gregory's stuff) - when the lads got back I asked them how it was - the answer? " Poor show - a coked up playboy mumbling on stage" Hah!

Had a ticket to see Aswad at Brixton Acadamy, sold it to a friend last minute after hearing about trouble at the dance the night before. He had it snatched off him by a bad possee of youts in the queue and couldn't get in. Saw them another time somewhere safer and they were awesome.

I'm sure I saw the Congo's but can't for the life of me remember when or where. But I distinctly remember Cedric grinning ear to ear as he banged the congo drums and sung in that high sweet voice. Was I dreaming or did this really happen? Anyone else see them int he early 80s in the UK? Did they tour with Far I? I'd love to know.

Deadly Headly was hotter than hot at the Prince Far I concert at UCL in 80-something. Far I was amazing - he was really dreader than dread - but Headly upstaged him with a magnificent solo lasting (it seemed) about 20 minutes.

Also went to several brilliant blues nights (reggae dance early 80s style) in St Pauls Bristol. We were the ONLY whites there (apart from the rough, fat, blonde, white girls who were always there with some guy who looked like Huggy bear - in a pale blue silk suit - and were probably prostitutes) but we weren't scared, even though we probably should have been. Aah, the innocence of youth.

Keep it going - I love this thread

[Jesco77]

OK Leggo Rocker, well 2 I missed were Johnny Clarke and Dennis Alcapone in Edinburgh a few years ago which I passed up because I had a baby to look after, but my mate said was superb, and Hugh Mundell in San Francisco in 1981 (and would obviously never get the chance to see again) because my ex-wife and friends we were with refused to go anywhere near it, and one I forgot to mention was U Roy in Edinburgh about 10 years ago at the Mela festival in Meadowbank- he came out to the strains of "Queen Majesty" and it was like being taken back in time- outstanding. I also saw him recently and he was still great, just doing a pure DJ thing, no band, and he can still do the business, believe me!

[westCoastrockers]

I wish I could have seen some of the greats from the past (Jacob Miller, Hugh Mundell,...)

However, I was very fortunate to witness almost all of Soul Syndicate: Santa Davis on drums Fully Fulwood on bass Tony Chin on guitar, I'm not sure who was on keys? but there was a three piece horn section not to mention Martin Campbell, Cornell Campbell, and Horace Andy on vocals... the soundman was alright too adding many dub effects to the ends of most the songs sung

And it was just last year too! I'm not that old, but i've been to many shows and that was the best show i've EVER seen...

October 15th, 2005 at SOMA in San Diego... Trade Roots 20th Anniversary... had goosebumps the whole time, sang all the classics: skylarking, money, love of a woman, every knee shall bow, 100 pounds of collie, bandulu, queen of the minstrell...

and if that's not enough, all three of them came out at the end to sing a truet (however you call it) to 'my guiding star' while they jammed a 20 minute version

nuff said

[leggo rocker]

I saw Horace Andy two years ago at the Jazz Cafe in Camden.

He was really good, backed by the Trojan Sound System I think.

I couldn't believe how much energy he had. He smoked a big hookah just off stage during his sets!

It was a great night.

The moral of the thread is get out and see reggae and ska live, you wont regret it.