FRIDAY 15th JULY 2011
Well we were requested to play the Dour Festival 2011 in Belgium, so rehearsals started a week before just so that the set list could be honed to fit into the 1 hour 15 minute slot all the artistes were allocated.
I requested regular updates as to the state of play with the rehearsals, just like a concerned relative would if their loved ones were in hospital. I might not have been able to be there but I wanted to informed of the running's and ting, Yuh get me?
Well the news reaching me that all was fine and dandy. The band was firing. No not sacking personnel, it means the band was cooking and no, not frying up food. When the cry from Blood to the crowd goes up of "Do you want more" he aint talking about do you want another spoonful of mash potato and gravy, he is referring to the next slice of Roots and Culture inna Falasha style.
The Shanti-Ites serve up the best in musical cuisine, not ital breakfast, even though they are those amongst us that can cook a wicked pot of food. ….seen!
Where did all this food references come from? Bwoy, I must be hungry. Back soon after I have had a cup of coffee and some cake. Mind ah stumble, yuh no!

Well back now and feeling refreshed. Where was I?

The travelling all had to be at St Pancras by 11:30 (You hear me Sweet T, 11:30).
I arrived at 11:10 and went and got some drink and sweets for the journey. When I walked into the Eurostar departure area Blood, Fuzzy, Jahmel, Cyrus, Conqueror and Kojak were all present. Henry and Sweet T were conspicuous by their absence. Henry turned up after a few minutes and now all that was left to arrive was Sweet T. The time was now 11:35.
Well it got to 11:45 and still no Sweet T. I called him and he told me he was stuck on a train at West Hampstead, but he would be there in 10 minutes.
12:00. No Sweet T. So I told the band to go through and I would wait for the missing members of the party.
12:10: Called T again. He told me he was 10 minutes away.
12:20: Called T again. Be there in 10 minutes he told me.
12:28: Blood called me and asked if T had arrived and if not to leave him. Just then T came around the corner with a big smile on his face. This complimented the very angry look on mine.
I gave T his ticket and we made our way to the check in.
Long time readers of my writings will know that I have a philosophy. I would rather me 30 minutes early than 5 minutes late and I expect the same of anyone travelling with me. You don't do as you want, you do as the majority and if you invited to accompany the travelling party, BE EARLY! As being late will delay the travelling party and they and I will not be amused.

The train journey to Lille was one of joke and more joke. The brunt of most if not all the humour was Sweet T and for various reasons, not just for being late. Cue the opening bars to the theme to a British soap opera called 'East Enders' or should it be renamed 'West Enders'.

When we arrived in Lille we all made our way up to the street level to await the drivers. On looking around I saw our lot, Dougie's lot, Nick Manasseh's crew, but no Adrian and Congo Natty crew. I have to explain, due to the amount of people travelling each crew were in different train carriages. It seemed quite logical that they had overslept and were now on their way to Brussels, that being the next and final destination of the train. After a good few minutes someone noticed that the missing were way across the street having exited the station by another route. The person meeting us from the festival went to go and bring them over to us. It seems that they too had wondered where we were and questioned if the arrival point was Brussels rather than Lille when they didn't see us when they came out of the station.

The next drama was trying to fit all these people and equipment into 3 mini buses and an estate car.
It not that there wasn't enough seats for everyone, there was. But what the organiser did not bank on was the amount of equipment each crew had brought with them. This took up a lot of room.
So after much rearrangement of the luggage into the estate car, everyone could get a seat on one of the buses.We drove straight to the hotel and there to greet us was Thierry brandishing large brown envelopes.
"Sorry Humble, but could not meet you at the station. It's all mad here at the moment" Thierry explained.
I took the envelope with my name on it and proceeded to check the contents.
Was it large sums of money, combustible vegetable matter, rude pictures of someone's sister. Nah!
It was the passes and food tickets for the festival. I handed out the wrist bands to my crew and then acquired the keys to all the rooms booked for us and then set about allocating occupants. I looked at the other crews and there was an air of bewilderment at the slight chaos as they tried to get themselves sorted.
Once I had allocated the rooms I checked with Thierry as to the time of departure and where we were going to eat. As in previous years we were being catered for at the festival. So the time was arranged for an 1840 pick up and my crew departed to their rooms, leaving the madness behind.
I came down at 1810 after banging down the door of my crew to make sure they would be all downstairs on time. If you want eat then you had better be on time otherwise the other hungry man dem who will have to wait for you are not going to be happy. ('An hungry man is an angry man' ..Bob Marley)
I went and sat outside in the sun and soon I was joined by Christine Miller. We introduced ourselves and she said "You are the Humble Lion? Nice to meet you." She then enquired as to why I was called the Humble Lion. I turned the question around and asked why did she think I was called it. She smiled and said"Because even though you look soft and nice, I think you could be very aggressive if needs be".I just smiled. Well there you have it in a nutshell. Many people have mistaken my kindness for weakness and learnt to regret it. Me no easy yuh know. Blood refers to me as dark and he is not talking about my complexion. But I have an adage, you don't trouble me and my people and I will not trouble you..Easy!

Well the crew were all down on time and the bus took off for the journey to the festival site.
The journey took a lot longer than I remembered from my previous visits to the Dour Festival. In all it took about half an hour, which meant where we were staying was a good few kilometres away from the actual festival site.
On arrival at the catering/artiste village which is in fact an old school, we were shown around the facilities and all the things we could take advantage of. On completion of the mini tour we headed into the catering hall and got ourselves something to eat.
Word to the wise here. Nuff people come on festivals either as first timers or guests and are overawed by the whole thing. They spend so much time availing themselves of the facilities that they relegate the fact they are hungry to bottom of their list. WRONG! When you arrive at a festival and the food is serving, it will be nice, fresh and hot, well fresh and hot anyway.
So go and eat while the whole menu is available, otherwise when later in the hours when you are the looking some good food, good food gawn and all that is left is dried up, dogged eared and been around for a good few hours and the most likelihood, COLD!
So yam while the food is hot and fresh. You can sample the delights of the festival on a full stomach rather than be miserable on an empty belly…Seen!

Once fed and watered we went and chilled outside for a few minutes and chatted to the other performers.
I must look like a dealer for this America performer came up to me and asked if she could get some stimuli for the brain. I looked at her and then queried what she was asking me for? She clarified her request and I pointed her in the direction of the most likely suspect. She went off with a smile on her face.
We then boarded the mini bus shuttle to go to the festival site.
Once on site we unloaded our gear and put it in the back stage area. Jahmel and Cyrus went off exploring as the rest of the crew just hung around watching the act on stage at the time.
I went and familiarise myself with the site layout and where we could get refreshments. Also more importantly, where the production office was so I knew where to go to get paid!

The band took to the stage at 22:00 and kicked off the show with, 'We are the Shanti-Ites'. This riddim is not used on any other 'Falasha recording' products and the only way to hear it is to come and see the band perform. Well 'My Lord' the show was tuff. Drums licks like machine gun bullets were scattering the night air and the bass was tearing down Babylon. The one Blood Shanti, his nerves now settled, was singing like a nightingale in 'Ghetto Garrison Square'. Weak hearts beware! I looked over to see Ghetto Priest, Christine Miller, Earl 16, Congo Natty and the backstage crew and watchers, skanking away. I walked passed Congo Natty as I made my way to the FOH mixer and asked if he was enjoying the show, he smiled and said "Yes man, me love this vibe. You can't beat a band that can play the ting properly". Well people the band had a one hour slot and the stage manager came to me with 55 minutes gone to remind me of this fact. I acknowledged his request and went back up on the stage.

I indicated to Blood that he only had 5 minutes left. When they had finished the number they were playing blood got up and went to the front of the stage and asked the people if they wanted to hear one more. The cry of yes that went up was deafening. He looked over to me and then asked the crowd that if the wanted to hear some more they had to flash up the lighter.The place was immediately illuminated by flickering lighter flames. It came like a few rock concerts I had been to in the pass. It was a beautiful sight. Blood then with a massive grin on his face went back behind the drum kit and proceeded to give the people what they had asked for. The stage manager was not amused. We had now overrun by 8 minutes. The band delivered the last tune with aplomb and then left the stage with the cheers of the people ringing in their ears. During the last tune the stage manager had threatened to cut the power, but relented when I pointed to the crowd and said that he might have a riot on his hand, all for the sake of a couple of minutes. The band had overrun by 17 minutes.
The backstage area was one of great humour and nice vibes as the band accepted the plaudits and congratulations from those assembled.
We spent the next couple of hours chatting to Ghetto priest, Congo Natty, Adrian, African Simba et al about the show and the ruff ole life of a musician pan de road.
When we play you nuh, we roll like thunder and crash like lightning, so when I say you have to experience the vibe that is generated when the band play, it aint no joke….Jah Live.

One Love
                The Humble Lion  

Homepage / Irie Vibes 2011 Page I

 

ALL IMAGES AND TEXT COPYRIGHT © Falasha recordings