Another Chapter

Dubble Bass Reggae night - Bakers featuring Serious Mischief Fri 12 Dec
This new night of all things reggaish kicked off underground in bakers tonight featuring the trimmings of a live band, visuals and most importantly a meaty sound system. This is the third specific night of reggae by different heads in Limerick since Cheebahs own inaugural ‘Roots’ night in the Boathouse. Since then J.C and Polish selector Cubeman have run their factory of Dub with the Strutt boys on continuous maneuvers representing the scene on Bank holidays.
If there is a scene for all of this since ‘Roots’ its one of the sound as a red black and green backdrop to a night of good times in the city rather than a religious adherence to the elements of Dub and rocksteady with the knowledgeable following one would encounter across the water. In Limerick the beginning of each chapter sees a new crowd seeking the reggae vibe as a fresh crew bring the sound. Each crews got a different take on how to deliver and this keeps variety in the continuum.
As Dubstep makes inroads by being dropped in weekly Dj sets and more and with more and more Hiphop getting ‘Nextmen-ised’,contemporary reggae currently has a profile and accessibility with the citys youth who can now comfortably express themselves with full nights of the sound as presented now by Dubble Bass.
Nights like tonight always bring the Oldies out too so if you’ve lost track of the odd head for a while it’s a safe bet that they'll turn up for the Reggae. Lots of the posse were in effect winding and skanking to familiars on the floor and round the bar. You can safely say that that the inherent happy bass and rhythm of Jamacia suit the Irish on the dancefloor after a few pints. Staggered moves with a smile with the mandatory ending of a mock straighten up as the National Anthem is invariably played ( ‘Anthem’ as in The Specials ‘Ghost town’ contextualised by the Father Ted episode. Its still funny and a bit of an institution in these parts up there with the Brendan Grace ragga priest-Cutty Ranks anthem as well)
I got in late as Serious Mischief were in full flight in front of a bouncing dance floor. A swaying mix of the venues ‘ alternative’ regulars and reggae pleasure seekers. On Stage Guitars and Sax were to the fore as a speedy Ska drumstyle lassoed the Reggae/ ska covers being pumped out by this four piece. Theres a rock feel pushing its way through with more than a little nod to how the Clash would hoist this flag in similar circumstances.The cultural reference of the lead singers Run-Dmc shirt and the contrasting urban ideograms that were projected on the band consolidated this reference and the combination of stimuli announced the Dubble Bass crews overall slant on their reggae night.
Snappy rocksteady chops and extended jams tailoring off into Issac Hayes territory showed the band to be using the reggae gerne as a experimental tight beat platform and one that circumvented any reading of their exercise being read as a ‘covers’ band. This agenda allowed the records being played afterward to bounce from classics to electronic dubby selections without appearing disparate. The Vibe was locked and wind downs and spinbacks at the end punctuated the yells for ‘one more cartoon’! a semiotic salute to the combination of sound and image that illuminated tonights happy crowd.
A great start to another chapter uptown by Bill and the Tokinwhiteboy.
Paul Tarpey
More photos up on Cheebah bebo and myspace