REVIEW: UPPSALA REGGAE FESTIVAL 10-12/8 2006

Uppsala Reggae Festival is one of the bigger reggae festivals in Europe and has been running for six years now and seem to grow bigger by every year. When other festivals seem to go just with the big names Uppsala Reggae Festival has gone for more interesting choices leading to less known artists, groups and sound systems being introduced to a bigger audiance. The following is a reflection of the performances I saw during the two of the three days the festival was running.

Friday 11/8:

I entered the festival area on the second day of its running. I would have liked to go on thursday as well when Culture and Sizzla were the big attractions but due to other works this wasn't able. I heard Culture delivered a excellent set and was in fine form. So it was with great suprise I received the news of his passing a week later. Sizzla is Sizzla meaning some love him and some don't but from what was told to me he did a good which I can imagine since the only time I've seen him he sounded much better live than he does on record nowadays.

As we got our presspasses and entered Stockholm based Ital Skurk (Ital Villian in English) finished off their set on the main stage with the kind of reggae we call "beard growing reggae" (meaning the beard grows long between every chord striken on the guitar). First real attraction of the day was Perfect, Lukie D and Fantan Mojah who was touring Europe together. A man named Kashu Man did a rather lame warm up before Perfect came on and begun with a few mediocre girl tunes before making a long but incoherent speech about the legalization of marijuana and then running into his herb tune "Lock Me Up" riding Marley's "Coming In From The Cold" rhythm. More herb tunes followed as the crowd gathered infront of the mainstage to catch up on days first yard artist. Perfect sealed his set with his massive hit "Hand Cart Boy". By now the crowd had grown big but suprisingly people started walking away as Lukie D entered strong with singing "Too Long" on the "Truths & Rights" rhythm. Lukie D sounded great singing hit after hit using the wonderful voice of his beautifully. Highlights was "Jah Heavy Load" and "Stand Up Firm" which made the few of us who was still around bawl out.

As Lukie D left off to let Fantan Mojah take stage the crowd slowly got bigger again. I guess his recent fame draw more people than Lukie D's years of persistence on the reggae scene. Fantan Mojah opened up with a tune riding "Lalibella" rhythm which is unknown to me and then the wicked "Jah Time" sounding better than I expected. Fantan Mojah put on a good show and introduced sidekick Mr Flash in the later part of the show. Together they performed the boombastic "Rastafari Is The Ruler" and when "Build No Great Man" was up next Mr Flash sang Jah Cure's part and did so perfectly. Again a good show but why people had such lack of interest in Lukie D I fail to understand.

The two big revival names of the day was the charasmatic Don Carlos and The Congos. Personally I was more looking forward to see Don Carlos who I've listened to since teenage years. Don Carlos seemed to be in very good spirit as he danced and jumped around the stage when not singing. Classics like "Lazerbeam", "Young Girl" and "Ababa John I" were played. He even played a medley of Black Uhuru tunes including "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" and "General Penetentiary" which I felt wasn't really necesary because he got more than enough material from his own solo career to choose from. For those who don't know Don Carlos was one of the founding members of Black Uhuru but left before Michael Rose came into the picture and he joined again in the early ninties for a short period as well. As the concert continued on in good spirit with "Just A Passing Glance" where he also deejayed someone threw up a t-shirt on stage along with a pencil wanting an autograph, Don Carlos nicely signed and threw it back not knowing this would trigger the crowd to through numerous of t-shirts and caps on stage leading him to tell the people not to throw anything more. I can only imagine the tales he will tell about the Swedes throwing cloths at him to sign instead of letting him sing.

Around eight o´clock when it gotten darker the space infront of the mainstage was packed and filled with expectation as original set up of The Congos, Cedric Myton, Congo Ashanti Roy and Watty Burnett , took stage to the crowds cheer. With songs like "Bam Bam", "Row Fisherman" and most of all "Congo Man" they made an electric and memorble performance. Although working as a trio it was clear Cedric Myton functioned as frontman. Congo Ashanti Roy took lead once on "Sodom & Gomorrow" showing he still has his voice intact. It would have been great to hear more of him.

Other big acts for the night was Groundation who I unfortunatly missed but from what I've heard they put on a good show with highlight being when Don Carlos and Cedric Myton came on stage and sang with them. German crossover sensation Seeed was the last act to play and did so with their mish mash of dancehall, ska and hiphop. Didn't catch them either but my friends who's into that sort of vibe loved it.

Satuday 12/8:

Third day of the festival promised some great perfomances from some real reggae greats but since their had been a bombthreat the day before on London airports all the people coming from that direction was stranded there included Burru Banton, Iration Steppas who was to perform a semilive set and backing band for both Jah Mali and Morgan Heritage. First act I catched that day was Afrokören (The Afro Choir) who was led by singer Ras Peter who also sang lead. They did some real powerful versions of the Gladiators classic "Jah Works" and Ras Shiloh's "Unto Zion" among others.

After a shorter trip into the Uppsala town I got back just as Jah Mali began his set. Due to the backing band still being in London he performed with a DJ who unfortunatly wasn't too used to a mixer but instead of getting mad Jah Mali took it as a pro and just improvised when needed. Among the songs performed were "Cry For Freedom", "Wipe The Tears" riding the "Forever Loving Jah" rhythm and of course his biggest hit to date, "El Shaddai". Following Jah Mali was Sister Carol who entered the stage with grace and a commanding presence. With tunes like "Conquering Lion" and "Rasta Girl" she had the crowd just where she wanted. Together with her was a female singer who's name I've forgot but who backed her up on the singing parts and did so beautifully. It was a shame their backing band wasn't able to fly over since I think the both of them would have lived up even more although they still did well. Around the end of this show I got to met Neville of The Seers through a Twelve Tribe brethren. He was here because he was the percussionist for The Congos. We got into reasoning and later a interview was done as well. In time it will feature in the Media section. For you who don't know of The Seers can check HERE

Next stop was the tent stage where Swedish group Livlihood which has been hyped quite a bit here in Sweden mainly due to their radiofriendly sound and the fact that the Swedish youths loves reggae with a pop feel (also check Roots Circus for this). Although I'm not much of a fan of them I must admit I did find it swinging and lively but a little bit shrill at times. Brethren Ismael Levi featured on their last tune and hyped the crowd with his deejaying in Swedish. I guess most of the material performed was taking off their forth coming debute album "Escapizm".

We stayed at the tent stage for Meditative Sounds set which I hoped to as good as previos years. But unfortunatly I can't say they lived up to my expectations. Although they played a bunch of wicked dubplates, such as Danny Red's "Smoke My Chalwa", Aswad's "Got To Find A Way" and Ras Iwan's "Black Woman", the singers and MC's was way to impatient to wait until the version drop leading to singing on top of the vocal version. Too many people and too many mics on stage. But then again I heard people saying they loved it as well. Personally I see it unfair to book a sound system and expect them to catch the same good vibes when holding a dance if you don't grant them the use of a proper sound system. To experience Meditative Sounds at their best I recommend you check them on their own system.

When the clock had reach around eight it was time for Israel Vibration to start on the main stage. Roots Radics who was backing them started up with a medley of the bigger songs before Wiss and Skully entered the stage to the applause of the crowd. The concert began with their lighter tunes but soon dropped into some serious classics like "Red Eyes" and "Ball Of Fire". Wiss and Skully more or less sang two tunes each all through the set so there was a good variety of tunes from them both being showcased. The people loved it and so did I although tunes who I'm not too much of a fan of got too much playtime in my opinion, like "Jailhouse Rocking". They sealed their set with the classic "Same Song". During the concert we slipped in backstage and got hold of Congo Ashanti Roy of The Congos and Congos guitarist Little David who we had a talk with and managed to do a shorter interview with as well. You can read that interview HERE

Desmond Dekker was booked and ready to come to Uppsala Reggae Festival but sadly passed away some time before but in his place a "Desmond Dekker Tribute" show was planned to perform featuring Delroy Williams, The Pioneers, Dawn Penn and Ambelique. But because of the bombthreat on London's airports the day before they couldn't get out of the country. Suprisingly though The Congos agreed on doing a second performance since they were still around and what a show it was! Although they played the same set of tunes as the day before it was more vibes and more joy present in this second performance. The people was more than glad to hear them again and The Congos seemed more than happy to play again as well.

Last act that I caught before heading home was Morgan Heritage who also was the last big act of Uppsala Reggae Festival. I've seen Morgan Heritage three times before and know they are always a great live act to see . So imagine my slight disappointment when only lead vocalists Jah Petes and Gramps showed up with a DJ selecting rhythms for them to sing over. Don't get me wrong they did great but it can't be compared to hearing the whole Morgan Heritage crew in action. As I went around to say goodbye to people they sung last years big hit "Uncomfortable" and as I went out of the area I could hear them doing their version on the rhythm most known for Gentleman's "Dem Gone".

This years festival was looking to be the best yet but since one part of the artists and groups I really looked forward to see couldn't appear due to the problems in London it set it back a bit for me. But since this was something out of Uppsala Reggae Festival's control I can't blame them only salute them for trying and also being so fast on filling the gaps that appeared with The Congos second performance for example. One thing though that they really need to work on until next year is supplying the informers in the festival area with the information needed so they can give you an answer to atleast one question out of the ten questions you ask them. Yet as a whole the festival was great although that last negative comment.

For more information about Uppsala Reggae Festival go HERE

/Rootsy Collins - 9/10-06

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