Due to the amount of new people surfing into this site I have started to archive the old news so that they too can read about what they have missed. At the bottom right side of this page you will see an underlined link Page II;PageIII etc; this will take you to the older news and as time progresses the old news will be archived on further pages.

Just to clear up a misunderstanding for new readers of these pages. The way things have been spelt and sentences constructed for the thoughts and actual dialogue of myself or from other people reflect the speech pattern or way it was conveyed. Just think down town Natty Dread..You get me doh, seen.

TELERAMA DUB PRESENTS 
BLOOD SHANTI & THE SHANTI-ITES 
LIVE DUB MIX WITH 
ABA SHANTI-I PAN DE MIXING BOARD IN FULL EFFECT!
SATURDAY 24th MAY 2008@
ELYSEE MONTMARTRE
72 BOULEVARD DE ROCHECHOUART
PARIS 75018 
FRANCE
48.8667 2.33333 

The news as it as happened. Well I couldn't write about future news, as it has not happened yet. Seen! So thanks for your patiences.

I promise that the reports on the two days of Notting Hill Carnival 2007 will be done as soon as I have had some time to finish off the other jobs I have to complete. I did ask Aba's son Benji to submit his report on the two event from his perpective, but that didn't quite pan out. You know what I mean Ben! But the pictures are here............Soon come. One Love.

We now have a new design of T Shirt in three sizes M,L,XL. Check out the 'Merchandise page'.

We had to catch a early flight from Stansted Airport.

Bredrins 'Ranchers Air' was back to usual awful checkin, gate control, baggage handling and landings. Nuff said.

I will save my vitirol for BAA and their abysmal, appalling handling of the numbers of people who needed to get through security and them only having only the one security gate open, resulting in a queue that nearly went outside of the terminal building. Then only opening up the fast track gates which had only one or two people queuing, to other passengers. When not one person, but tens of people missed their flights who had checked in, in good time, but were delayed by the lack of open security gates started demanding compensation and what BAA was going to do to get them to their destination. The point why this was so appalling bad is this, it was the first weekend after the schools had broken up for half term and so the amount of people taking their children on sking breaks or just a winter week away for half term was not an unexpected occurance. We experienced the same scenario at Stansted last year during the start of the school's summerbreak.

We left a fairly mild 10 degrees when we left the UK and to be informed by the pilot that the weather in Brindisi was a freezing 2 degrees with a wind chill making it -6 degrees. I will reiterate that, MINUS 6! There were gasps on the plane from the Italian passengers.The woman next to me said the pilot must be having a joke. Well I can testify that the pilot was not joking!
Brindisi is right down the bottom of Italy, next to the warm Adriatic and Mediterrean seas.Well Hell hadn't frozen over, but the southern tip of Italy was giving it a damn good run for its money.

When we disembarked from the plane the wind was cutting and sleet was falling. It was COLD! Brass monkeys were advertising for welders!

All those people who were wearing skimpy clothing were in shock! I had warm clothing on, but even I felt the chill.

The chill factor was to influence more that just the weather.

We were met my Miky and his bredrin and then driven to Bari and to the hotel. We then went to Miky's cousin's restaurant for some wonderful food. Here is the strange thing, as we entered the restaurant over the speakers came the voice of Aba shouting out "Aba Shanti-I"!

Just by coincidence Miky's cousin was playing a live cd of the the session we did in Bari last year. Spooky eh!

We had a nice meal and conversation about everything from music to football. Well fed and watered we left the restaurant and went back to the hotel for a rest before the night's session. Sleet and snow was falling heavier now.

Mikey came and collected us at 21:30 and bwoy the snow was falling and the air was COLD! The drive to the venue which was over the other side of the mountain was 'not an easy task, oh no' (Tenement Yard. DEB). The car was sliding on the icy road and the visibility was not very good at all. But credit to my man the driver as he carefully drove us to the venue. Both Aba and I were thinking about what had befallen Bredrin Lucca on our last visit to Italy.

When we walked into the venue Marco had set up the sound much as before with two stacks either side of the hall. Aba did a sound check and the set sounded wicked! Marco had made some improvements over the last year that had elevated the sound of his set to a much higher level. I don't mean that it was just louder. No my man had created a set of quality and sound definition that would rival many a sound system anywhere. Watchout you soundman, for the 'Black Star Line' is ready fi sail.

The evening's entertainment was Marco playing first then Miky as Dread Movement, then Aba til done.

Well children, the snow was falling kinda heavy and Miky was getting rather worried if the people would come out on a night like this. This picture shows the snowfall and this the snow on the ground. They are dark for the were taken at night with no flash, for reasons you will read about next.

23:00: I was taking photos outside when two police vans pulled into the carpark. I assumed that they had come to check on the venue and then depart as they did the last time we were here. Nothing strange there then, but you would be wrong! They did not come into the venue instead they set up a roadblock/checkpoint in the carpark and from each of the vans came a policeman with dawg (Dog to those that are not quite tuned in as yet and to new readers).

Wha! Yes me bredrin, dawg to rah-tid!

They stopped every car and checked for combustible vegetable matter. They even went around the carpark with torches scanning the ground for discarded spliff tail. Bwoy me ah tell you, it must have been a quiet night in Bari for the police fi come just stand up inna de blizzard and freezing cold and check for tings. No murders or robberies in this town then.............Choo!

There presence caused the owner fi de yard much concern and Miky the promoter was none too pleased, as the roadblock scenario was bound to deter patrons. I think that is why they were there.(I wanted to take some photos of the police runnings, but I was advised otherwise. Life could have been short...seen!)

Well the show must go on as they say and when Marco started the session at 23:50 there was about 20 people in the place and as I looked out to where the police were you could see car after car turning round and heading away.

This gave the people that had braved the snow and tranverse the roadblock a chance to come and chat to Aba and have their picture taken with him and get an autograph. Bwoy there were a lot of photos taken on mobile phones. But it is nice to meet and greet those that hold you in high regard.

00:20 Well the place was a bit sparse, but people were coming , but in a little trickle rather than a flood.

00:50 Miky took over the session and the trickle was getting more constant.

01:20 Miky called out to the massive "Are you ready for Aba Shanti-I" and a great roar of "Yes"came back! The calling of the vibes was stronger than the police deterent or the weather. People were in de place and it no longer loooked like a vast empty space. Jah works wonders.

Aba's first tune was 'Policeman' by Joseph Hill which has the chorus 'Policeman where has your respect gawn' and the crowd was shouting it out with hands and lighters in the air. It was wicked to behold, Jah know.

All in all the night turned out good. Very good considering the circumstances and it went on till 05:00 as billed with no disruption from the freezing police. They left at 02:10.

Miky was telling me that at a Freddy McGregor live show the previous night, the police had done the very same thing. But this time the patrons were detered and the venue was not exactly full!

So from Miky Gadd, Marco, Aba Shanti-I, My good self, we want to thank all that turned out and showed the system that even though they tried to fight us down, righteousness will always prevail...................Jah Love people of Bari.

We had arranged to meet up in the lobby at 14:00 to check out of hotel and then go have a farewell lunch with the Pescara Roots Crew. After which Marco would drive Miky, Aba, Nad and I to Rome.
When we met up in the lobby Marco told us that Lucca had been involved in a large traffic pileup on a mountain road on his way back to Bolonga. We expressed concerned over our bredrin's well being, but Marco said Lucca was fine except for a sore neck and a splitting headache. Give thanks!
We met up with the crew in their favourite restaurant and enjoyed a fine meal and good company before setting off for the 3 hour drive to Roma.
On arrival in Rome we went to the venue to check out the runnings and meet the promoters.

When we arrived at the venue they were just loading in the sound equipment and starting the set up.
One of the promoters who was Ethiopian was amazed that I was not. He kept remarking that I look like I was. I told him many people especially immigration officials have made the same mistake.

We waited until the set up was complete and did a quick sound check and then if was off to the hotel to freshen up.
Arrangements were made for the promoter to collect us for dinner at 21:30.
We were picked up by the promoter and made our way to the venue as the restaurant was only a short walk away.

After the meal Aba and I were driven back to the hotel to chill until it was close to the time for our session. The promoter arranged to return at 00:15.
The promoter turned up at 00:55. I asked about the amount of patrons in the club and I was told that there was a few! (promoter speak)
The drive back to the venue was quite quick and on entering the area where the venue was located which looked quite desolate in the daylight had now been transformed it an explosion of neon lights, colour and trendy and not so trendy people. The area was awash with night clubs, which I hadn't noticed during the day, and yes people, the police were in heavy evidence.
Seriously nocturnal activities centre of town.

We entered our venue and the placed was rammed. Raiders and goats fighting for little space,(Ram Raider. Ram Goat. Choo my humour is wasted on you readers sometimes) and we had to push and squeeze our way through the crowd to get to the backstage.
Well Aba started the session at 01:30 and I went and did my usual David Bailey (well if I didn't what would you lot look at).
Well the crowd both inside the main hall and outside in the courtyard where they had set up another stack of speakers, so that everyone could get the fullness, were rocking.
Aba played for 3 hours and then our part of the evening entertainment was done.
I saw a lot of people who had been at the session the night before in Pescara. They just wanted to get a second helping of the fullness.
Raspects goes out to the promoters, Ras Miky Gadd, Marco, Nadine and to most of all, the patrons. Without whom there would have been no vibe…………..One Love

No rest for the righteous, when you have Jah's work fi do.
Aba had played Brighton the previous night finishing at 03:00 and not getting home until 06:20, and here I am knocking on his door at 06:55 to collect him for the start of our 3 days and 2 sessions in Italy. We had one session in Pescara and the other in Roma.

We were booked on 'Rancher's Air', so the expectation of the flight was not very high.
We arrived at Stansted and made our way to the check in desk. Surprise numeri uno, they had 2 check in desks open and one was free, so we went straight up and checked in.

As expected Aba's case was overweight, due to not enough time to reorganise it and take out the stuff he was not expecting to bring, and surprise numeri due, the check in girl said not to bother about it as my case was well under weight and just put a heavy tag on the case. Aba and I walked away from the desk slightly bemused and shell shocked. Never in all the flights we have taken with this airline, have we experienced that kind of due care and consideration for their passengers. I said to Aba that it had to be a good sign, and I was not wrong!

The usual 'Oh look, I have a priority boarding pass' stampeded when the gate opened, as they rushed to get on the plane to justify their purchase of a 'Priority Boarding Pass'(PBP).
This was strange as the plane was not a full flight being so early in the morning!
The time difference between them getting on the bus to be taken to the plane and the rest of us poor minions was about 4 minutes. We arrived at the plane as the 'PBP' brigade were still trying to board and the sight of the us, the non mugs, arriving caused a little panic amongst those that were waiting at the bottom of the front stairs.
Aba and I went and boarded the plane by the rear steps and were seated before those PBP's at the bottom of the front steps had boarded.
Bwoy, you can fool some of the people all of the time!

As usual I fell asleep, and I awoke only when another passenger decided that the view from my window was much better than the view from any other window, and knocked my head into the fuselage in his enthusiasm. I was not amused. I didn't have to say nor do anything, as the look on my face spoke volumes. The passenger moved to another seat at the back of the plane.
Surprise numeri tre; the landing at Pescara airport was one of the gentlest landing we have had on any airline, so to the pilot, big raspects.
When we had cleared customs we had to wait for Nadine to arrive. After a phone call she informed me she was on her way and 'Just around the corner'. This can be added to the other relative terms used by promoters all over the world ie:
'The hotel is just 5 minutes away'. 'The venue is not far'. It is only a short drive/walk'.
I could go on, but I won't.
Nadine duly arrived and not long afterwards the promoters of the show, Carlos and Matt showed up and warm greetings were exchanged.

The drive to Pescara took about 40 minutes and as we drove through the mountains Carlos played us some music productions he was working on.

Two things of note, my man hosts a Roots Reggae show on the radio and the recording of the show he was playing showed his commitment to the 'cause' and also he played a tune which at first listening sounded like the 'Cool Ruler' but was in fact a member of his 'Clean Heart' sound system who is a great fan of Gregory, and who they have termed, 'Cool Dread'.

We had meaningful discussions about music and Rastafari as we made our way.
On arrival in Pescara we went to the hotel to freshen up as we had a press call to do with Francesco who had written a paper on Dub music and Aba Shanti which had been published by "Feltrinelli Bookshop". We were having the press call in the bookshop.
We meet up with Ras Miky Gadd and Bredrin Marco of Black Star Line Sound from Lecce.

We arrived at the bookshop and made our way to the room being prepared for this interview. Francesco was no way to be seen. But it was early and has it was in connection with his published work, he would have to be in attendance, you would think.

The audience assembled and the press call started, but Francesco was nowhere to be found!
I asked Nadine who had agreed with me that we would do this in conjunction with the said scribe, where said scribe was?
Her answer took me completely by surprise. "He is in London somewhere and we cannot find him!"

Nadine could have told us that at any number of junctures when we arrived or even by email the day before we left London. We would have still done the press call regardless, but we wouldn't have felt like we had just been taken liberties with. You get me!
So rather than take our leave we agreed, albeit with more than a hint of a feeling that we had been turned over, to go through with the press call with Aba answering the questioned of the assembled.Press call over we went to do the sound check.

The venue was situated behind a house and in fact was in their garden. It looked like a garden shed, but in fact it was more like Dr Who's Tardis.
A lot bigger on the inside than it looked from the outside. Once through the door the place opened up into a long arched structure able to accommodate
a sizeable crowd.
The location still bothered me, as you would not know that there was a venue there, as it was on a busy road on the outskirts of Pescara.
But I hark back to what Ras Charles once said to me when he promoted a show in the wilds of Wales and I voice a similar concern,

"Don't worry. For if Aba is playing the people dem will come", and he was right.

This observation has stood me in good stead over the years.
Sound check over we walked the short distance to the restaurant and had a really excellent meal with the Pescara crew, while 'Clean Heart' in conjunction with 'Omni-Bass' played for the people who were turning up early, so as not to miss out on entry.

Well bredrin when we arrived back from the restaurant the place was packed. We found out later that it was the most people they had ever had to one of their Roots sessions.
Aba took to the stage at 01:00 and the vibes took control of the crowd.
It was a wicked session and Carlos, and all of the co-promoters were in their element. There was swaying, skanking, closed eyed, and smiling faces in abundance.
Bredrin Luca (Black Star Line SS) had come to check the show all the way from Bolonga and can be seen here, deep inna de vibes.
Still, some could not take the strain and Nadine was showing serious sights of faltering as the night wore on. The session finished at 05:20 and we were driven back to the hotel with the sun rising in the Pescara sky.
But it was an upfull night in many ways and so to the Carlos (Clean Heart SS), Matt (Omni Bass) and the Pescara Roots Posse, Big up Jah children!
To Miky Gadd (Dread Movement SS/ Jah Vizion Music), Lucca, Marco (Black Star Line SS) & Sista Nadine (KDW) Raspects everytime.
To all the multitude, blessings for making the vibe so tight… See you again soon.

One Love The Humble Lion

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