Dateline: 22/12/2007 Venue: Lucca. Italy.

Ital Lee vibes again, Dread.

Well people, I am a strict time keeper. Some might say draconian. But as a professional I have to make sure that when we travel, all persons that are travelling, are on time. So to cut a long saga short, when man and man were supported to be at my home at 09:00 so that we could travel in good time, they weren't. A phone call 15 minutes after they were supposed to have arrived informed me that they were just about to leave their home to come across London to me! Well me ah tell you Rasta, the last 3 months have been extremely busy and stressful for the I. This being one of the busiest weekends for travel, due to the holidays and man and man are distressing the programme, I was not amused!

When they finally did arrived at 10:10 (plane check in time starts at 10:20 for a 12:20 flight) the atmosphere could have frozen the Sahara Desert.

I don't normally drive fast as a rule, perfering to get to my destination safe and calm. But the short journey to the train station to catch a train to Gatwick Airport was done at speed and in silence!

We arrived at Gatwick Airport at 11:10 and our saving grace was that we were travelling with Easyjet and their check in desk policy is one of politeness and swiftness. So we were processed very quickly and on our way through immigration and security. The time 11:35. Jah was on our side again as the plane was delayed by an hour. Once through security and knowing that we would catch the plane, I voiced my displeasure at the travelling party for their slack timekeeping. SO DON'T DO IT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We boarded the flight and I did my usual thing of finding a window seat and going to sleep. For reader of previous reports will know that when you are on the road the two things that you cannot guarantee are food, and if you going to get any sleep.

We landed at Pisa and went through customs and ting and then went to collect our bags. Pisa Airport, you have to sort out your baggage handling for the baggage hall arrangements are a mess. Baggage conveyors indicating the wrong flights and a mob mentality with people pushing and shoving to get their bags, and no one from the airport supervising or there to inform travellers of the procedures.

We were met by Sista Nadine (KDW) and the promoter and taken to the car for the 40 minutes drive from Pisa to Lucca.

When we arrived at the venue we buck up on Jackamo who we had met in the past when we play a session for him and his crew in Pisa . He was setting up the sound and the hall.

We sound checked the system and found that one of the bass bins was not working as intended and the PA owner was despatched to get another bass bin.

The PA owner arrived back and the replacement bass bin installed, soundcheck was completed.

20:30: We went to get some dinner, the night air had a light misty rain. We drove into the old town which was enclosed by a high wall and were being taken to a very good local restaurant.

When we arrived our table was not quite ready so we stood outside, under the cover, and had a cigarette or two.

We only had to wait 5 minutes before the patron came out to tell us our table was ready.

The meal and the company was excellent and the time just flew. Aba was discussing sound equipment with interested parties (Raspect Lapo ex Jah Lion Sound) and I was expounding the philosophies and tenets of Falasha-recordings which is 'Each One, Teach one' to the promoter of Dub Livity.

22:30 We left the restaurant to go back to the venue to prepare for our set. The promoter's uncle was doing his set when we arrived. He was running a classic selection of tunes to entertain the assembling crowd.

I went wandering and buck up on bredrin Miky Gadd who had come to distance to be at the session. To re-emphasise what the promoter and I had been discussing, I introduced him to Miky and watched as they conversed and found common ground and intent.

For remember people 'Dis is not a one man ting' Jah know!

Aba took over at 23:30 and a whole heaps of vibes took over the place.

As usual the dawtas of Zion took up front of stage and proceeded to free themselves of the shackles and chains...Wicked!

The venue was another of these places that on first impressions you thought "how are people going to get here"? But as a beacon in the darkness, people came like moths to a flame. (I know this is not good grammatical English. So sue me!).

The place was rammed with 'like minded people' and nuff skanking and meditation ah gwan, as Aba dropped heartical tune after heartical tune. Much niceness.

We were only supposed to play until 02:00, but we ended up playing til 04:35 such was the response of the people. Especially those hardcore that just could not get enough of the vibe. I looked at the promoter when the lights went up and he was beaming. His face was radiating like the Sun.

Nuff people came over to us as we were pcking up and wanted their picture taken with Aba, to which Aba duly agree to their requests. What about me you may ask. Didn't they want my picture too? Yes, and if cornered I agreed. But I prefer to be in the shadows, seen.

Another wicked session with nuff nice people and vibes. So a huge Raspects goes out to all concerned with this promotion and to all those who attended. don't let 'Too late' be your cry........................One Love

We had last played Caen over 2 years previously and so we were looking forward to this session.

Bwoy, Oh bwoy. 'Rancher's Air' don't get any better. We were queuing up to board the plane and we could see the baggage loader (in the singular), through the window flinging with scant disregard, people bags onto the conveyer belt. It looked like he was practising for a wrestling match the way he was body slamming the bags down. Another thing, this airline makes people pay extra to get priority boarding.

A good thing you may say. But not when over half the plane has paid for priority boarding, which defeats the object. All this has done is generate more income for this abysmal airline. The time lag between the priority bookers and those that didn't pay the extra was minimal, because the plane has to do a turnaround in 40 minutes. So we were herded onto the plane and it was like a stampede, dread!

The people who had parted with their hard earned cash were running to get on the plane to keep ahead of those that hadn't. I just looked on shaking my head thinking that if no one paid the extra, then what difference would it have made?

The answer is none. All passengers would still board the plane in a stampede fashion. 'Rancher's Air' charge passengers for baggage; as if you would fly somewhere and not take clothes! They con the passengers with the 'priority boarding' scam for which they have to pay yet again. In some cases (and I don't mean baggage) the cost of paying for your baggage to go in the hold, and the 'priority boarding' comes to more than some people have paid for the flight.

'Rancher's Air' is taking the proverbial out of its passengers and laughing all the way to the bank!

Let me tell you something, it seems that 'Rancher's Air' employs the pilots that other airlines refuse, for the landing was one of the worst I have ever experienced. The pilot slammed the plane into the tarmac as if he was trying to turn the plane into a pancake. Those kind of landings on any other airline would have had inspectors out questioning the pilot and examining the plane for undercarrage damage. But not on this airline! You may say why do we fly with them when as we have a choice? Well we don't as it happens! For the some of the places we are booked to play, this is the only airline that flys anywhere near the location and the flights are booked by the promoters. We do have a condition in our contracts that state that if and only if there is no alternative, we will travel with them.

Rant against 'Con Air' over, now back to the travelogue:

Sweet T was coming with us on this trip, so it was going to be interesting catching up on the trails and tribulations of bredrin T.

We were met at the airport by Bigsim Youth and crew and driven to the venue for the sound check.

The hall was quite large and Youth and crew had set up their sound system in two stacks. We did the sound check and then and went and got some refreshments.

The food was of the highest order and was mosted welcomed after our long travel. We were joined by a bredrin called Prince who sat and reasoned with us as we ate. Nuff good reasoning ah gwan as I took photos of the backstage crew and ting.

After our food we were asked if we wanted to go to the accomodation set up for us. It was the home of Youth, who had given over his home to us for the duration of our stay...Raspect my Yout!

So we got into the car for the promised 5 minutes drives to Youth's home. Well dear reader you know how them 5 minute journeys as promised by some promoters have in the past turned into some marathon haul, well this was similar. The trip took about 15 minutes through dark empty streets and up into the misty hills.

When we arrived at the location the driver asked if we had the key for the house. Well I looked at him and he at me and it transpires that neither of us had the key. The misty rain was now making an appearance. So after he had phoned Youth and deliberated, we got back into the car for was can only be described as 'De new Tear down the rainy hillside in the dark at high speed thrill ride'. Bwoy my man was wiring down the dark, rain sodden roads. We arrived back at the venue in less than 10 minutes. we got out of the car and went back into the venue and to the backstage area. When youth came and found us and asked if we were ready to go back up the hill to his home, we declined. Instead we opted to stay backstage until it was time for us to perform. We did not want to tempt fate!

We started our set at 01:00 and you know dear reader that the vibe was as always, nice! Nuff classic roots mixed in with some hard steppers.

The session went well as I wandered the place doing my impression of David Bailey.

The session over we packed up and were driven back to Youth's home, (but this time with a key) for a well earned rest.

Big up to the Antoine (Bigsim Youth) and his parents, The Utopistes Anonymes, Prince, and to all the patrons inna de place....One Love.

It had been exactly a year since we had last played this venue, so it was a happy return.

The travel was without the usual 'Fly & Pray' stressfull business we have been experiencing over the last few years. The pilot of our EZ jet flight lived up to the airline's title and it was just so easy. Seemed liked he had been taking boxing lessons from the great Ali. He floated the plane like a butterfly without a bee sting in sight. A lovely cushioned landing.

We were met at the airport by Lionpaw (the promoter) and bredrin from Italy, Miky (Dread) Gadd. After hails and greetings we were on our way to the hotel to deposit our bags and then we were heading to the venue for a sound check.

As we drove Lionpaw told us of the improvements he had made to the club over the preceeding year, and his plans for the club in the future.

A quick dash into the hotel to drop off the bags and then we were back into the car for the short drive to the venue. The mist that was evident when were arrived in Switzerland was now turning to rain and it was getting colder.

We arrived at the venue and started the sound check and a few things became apparent. The new bass boxes had a few problems which required the aid of some bracing pieces of wood and some screws. After the minor surgery the boxes sounded was very good.

During the soundcheck long, long time bredrin Leroy, ex of East London and now residing with his family in the mountains of Switzerland, arrived. He had driven 5 hours through some deep mountain snow and ice to come and check us. We were glad to see him and he was overjoyed to see us.

We chatted about life and tings and caught up with each other on the runnings over the last 3 years. We retired to the back stage to continue this catching up when the club opened.

We were due to start our set at 01:00 and at 00:45 Mikey came to call to get ready.

We had spent so much time backstage chatting we had not realised how full the club had become. So it was a great surprised to enter the dancehall to see all the people in the place, waiting for our set to start.

Aba started his set and eased the crowd in with some serious roots revivals, which some had never heard before. During the sound check earlier the Burning Spear tune had both Lionpaw and Mikey asking if it was a dubplate and the Luciano 'Hammer Dem' dub cuts had Mikey rocking.

The session went well, very well. Nuff people and tuff tune. Lionpaw was a very happy man and so were we.

So to all the people that came to the session and some had come from a great distance, Thank You, for making it a such a upfull night and hopefully Jah willing, we can circle again and bring the tunes and you can bring the vibes.................One Love.

Back to Leicester Carnival after a two year absence. Not because we didn't want to play, but the Carnival committe had other ideas and we did not figure in them.

We were celebrating the official birthday of the Aba Shanti-I sound system, for at Leicester Carnival 17 years ago, it all started. That is why people think we are a Leicester sound, even though we come from London. Aba and crew just turned up uninvited at Leicester Carnival 17 years ago, made their own arrangements for power and ting with Derek who used to own the cafe, set up just by the cafe and began playing. From there things started.

I got a call from Muscle Mikey at 06:45 asking if he could travel with me to Leicester as Aba had gone up the night before. I explained that I was bringing the whole Pride and there might not be room. After some reconfiguration of the transport I called Mikey back and confirmed that I would be able to.

Well myself and the Pride left at 08:45 and made our way across London to pick up Mikey and start the journey to Leicester.

We arrived in Leicester and drove around the street to find a parking space as the whole of London Road was no parking. This was no easy task!

After finding a place to park up, we got our tings and made our way to the park. We took 30 minutes to find where they had placed placed Aba and boy it was not an easy place to find.

You see being part of the official carnival you would have thought that they would have put us in the midst of the events. No chance! It was as if they didn't really want us to be there. Aba was placed right at the furthermost point of the park, right up against the fence and just across the road were residental properties. Bwoy, some people stupid! There was not even a map of the layout of the carnival as in previous years, so that you could get to exactly where you wanted to go. I think that the carnival committee were adhering to that methodolgy so beloved of those with a lack of synaptic connections, called 'Chaos Theory'. Cos me a tell you people, what they had done was pure madness!

Anyway, I settled the Pride down and went and assisted in completing the stringing up. During the soundcheck some jobworths from the council came along. One with a jacket way too big for his small stature (yes Napoleon, me ah talk to you!) and the other one waving a sound level meter around like it was a geiger counter or a light sabre and he was 'O Dim One Can't Holdme'. This is not intended as a slur on those who have geniune special needs, but Dread how can them idiots come tell us we have to move as we were too near the residental house. When the massive generator that their committee has provided for us, which had to be hoisted in on a crane (because it was so heavy) and positioned by the man who brought it in accordance with his location map (provided by the commitee) only had enough power cable to run 5 metres.

During the course of the day them two damn fools kept coming back. Napoleon kept telling us to turn down and 'O Dim One Can't Hold Me' and his sound level meter were making movements like he was performing 'Tai Chi'. I am sorry if these two are related to anyone reading this, but bwoy, ignorance is a curse! Ah yes just a point, I am a qualified, certified, bonifide, 100% solid gold, well respected, sound engineer, and what my man was doing with the meter was WRONG! The EU rules on sound level is 90db (soon to be 85db) in a confined space, not the open air and you don't put the mic right by the speaker, it has to be in the direction of. Also music venues were given a 2 year exception period which means till 2008. Also if they were so concerned about the noise level why didn't they do as they do on the Continent and supply free ear plugs to the patrons. It is true what they say, a little knowledge is dangerous and no knowledge is disasterous!

15:20 Well this placement of Aba out of the way had the desired effect of the committe, for no one could find us and the expected throng was non existant. So knowing that people were expecting Aba to be at the carnival, they would have gone to our usual spot. So I went for a long stroll to the cafe to find groups of people standing around complaining that Aba had not turned up. I put them right and directed people to where we were playing.

16:20 Me ah tell you Dread, the jungle telegraph is a mighty phemonemon, for as people realised exactly where we were, they phoned their friend and cru to give them directions and in an hour the place was ram, ram me ah tell you and the sun came out and just change up the gloomy vibe.

Well the rest of the day was wicked and everybody just loved the vibe. Well I say everyone 'Nap' and 'O Dim One' were the exceptions, and yes this is directed at the 'Sista From De Higher Regions', we welcome one and all and treat all with respect. Regardless of Race, Creed, Colour or Colouration, for we are all the Father's children.

Raspects to: Barba, Babbs, George, Benji (De Original Stepper), Jah Jabby, Mikey Muscle, Sweet T, Marcus, Blood Shanti & Family, Momma Shanti, Justine, Sylvie, Val, Omar, Hamza, Iman, Tekla, Coz, Bagga, Steve (UOD), The Original Leicester-ites, Brum Cru, London Cru, Italian, French, Dutch Cru's and to all the wonderful people from all corners in attendance that made it should a great day............Bless Up!

We were going to Paris to play this show which also featured the 'Blackboard Jungle' sound system, bredrins Nico and cru, Twilight Circus (bredrin Ryan) and Brother Culture. We were travelling by 'Eurostar' in the mid afternoon, so it was going to be a relaxed journey to Paris.
I arrived at Waterloo at 14:10 and waited for Aba to arrive. Once he had turned up, we made our way through the ticket barriers and then immigration and customs. No grief with either, bwoy tings are looking up.

On boarding the train we found our seats and settled down. We were then joined by a very out of breathe, Brother Culture. It seems that he had arrived at Waterloo early, gone through the immigration & customs check and then went and sat down at one of the coffee bars and fallen asleep, and if it wasn't for someone bouncing his chair to get pass him as he slept, he would have still been there. Anyway he had just made the train.

There was also a rather odd old man who without a word threw his bag into the empty seat beside me and then went and sat a few rows down. Well let me tell you, inna dees days when mad people ah blow up innocent people wid bombs inna a rucksack, dat was not going to go unchallenged.
In a polite manner I asked the man if he couldn't move the bag to where he was sitting. The man ignored me.
I asked again, as the man could have been a bit hard of hearing. He ignored me again.
In a voice that could only have come from a man of de ghetto, I told him to move his b####c###t bag before I have to get physical, you damn ignorant r##s. Well that seemed to have cured his hearing problem, as he got up from his seat and came and removed his bag. Not to his seat, no, but to another empty seat even further down.
Well Aba was having none of this and downloaded verbally on him. He looked at Aba as if he was s##t and then pick up his bag and took it with him back to his seat. All the time this was occurring the man did not say one word to us. Well you know what I say: 'Ignorance is a curse!
The rest of the journey was uneventful as Culture, Aba and I chatted the miles away.

We were met at the 'Gard Du Nord' and given the option to go the hotel or to the venue. We choose the venue as we were not tired and it is rare to be able to chose to go the venue, rather than having to because you are short of time.
We wanted to go and chill out and take in the vibes of the venue and link up with the bredrins.
Also we were playing in a venue adjacent to the 'Le Zenith' which was where the live bands were going to be playing, Steel Pulse were the headline act in the live arena and we were in the sound system arena. So we could go and check out the stage shows and mingle backstage, as the 'Campbells' that we are, as if. I have no intention of explaining the term 'Campbells' suffice to say that it is the brand name of a maker of a water based food, so don't bother to ask.

The stage show was scheduled to finish 30 minutes into the sound system set, so that the people from the live arena would make their way to the sound systems arena to continue the entertainment till daylight.

On entering the venue we could see that Nico and cru were in the final stages of setting up his system. So after the hails and greetings we took a step back to let them finish.
Twilight was the first to soundcheck and it was soon apparent that my man Nico had listened to us when we made recommendations into how he should configure his power arrangements for his system.

We soundchecked next and after a short period of tuning up, Aba and I looked at each other and nodded, the set sounded good!

Once the soundchecks were finished we all headed off to the backstage area of 'Le Zenith', for that is where the catering was for both the live and sound system events.

The meal was nice and we had an enjoyable time chatting with the promoter and the various people backstage. Certain people were shocked when they said they would introduce us to certain people and I had to inform them that I not only knew the person concerned, but I had known them for nearly 13 years. Back in the day when I was touring bands throughout the World. The Humble Lion gets about you know!

Well fed and watered we ventured in the arena to check out the vibe and the live acts.

We went back to 'Le Trebendo' after a while to chill out and prepared for the show ahead.

Blackboard Jungle played the session from 23:00-00:00 followed by 'Twilight Circus' with Brother Culture' from 00:30 til 02:00 and then we played from 02:00 till done. You have to give respect to Brother Culture, for even though my man had a wicked toothache and was in some discomfort, with the aid of some over the counter pain killers, he delivered a sparkling set.

I wandered through the crowd as the other were doing their sets and buck up on various people I knew from all corners. There were the people from 'Irie Vibes Festival' handing out flyers. Samari, who when possible travel to most sessions we do in France. Nicholas from Grenoble and the Dub Cru from Bordeaux.

When Aba started his set with a musical history lesson and then started to tear up the place with dubs old and new. Ryan Moore said a very telling thing, when Aba just touched the preamp controls it was if he was playing on a completely different system to the one that they had just used. It sounded just so much more.

A couple of things of note, the drunken women who tried her hardest to break the cordon around the artist area to get to Aba. To do what, I don't know as she was incapable of articulating what she wanted in either French or English.

Also the people at the very end of the session who wanted Aba to play just one more Blood Shanti and when informed that it was a strict lockdown time due to the management and that he couldn't, they broke into song and started singing 'Father Gives Life' en masse. They sang it word perfect and in time. Bwoy that was a sight to see and hear. The only downside was that Aba had switched off the recording equipment as we were packing up, so we don't have a copy of it.

So blessed love and Raspects to Antoine and his brother, Bro Culture, Ryan, Nico and Full Cru, Nicolas, Samari, Julian, Steel Pulse Inna de dance til done. The crowd singing at the end, Bredrin and Sistren from all corners. I would also like to mention the Bredda that stopped me and pleaded with me not to stop writing 'De Jungle Telegraph' as he and his friends think it is wicked and there is nothing else like it. So Raspects for that. But as I explained to him, it was not that I had stopped, it was due to time constraints and ting that I have been a bit remiss in puttings the updates on.

The weather reports during the week had nothing but torrential rain for the west of England. The news was full of high drama concerning flash floods and ting. Bwoy me ah tell you, I was not looking forward to the 3 hour drive to Bristol at all. But to paraphrase the 'Pony Express' :

"Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night, shall stop these couriers of Jah, from the completion of their appointed tasks."

We arrived at the venue at 19:20 and called one of the co promoters to find out where the loading bay was, as there was no way we could load in through the front of the building. He arrived and directed us the way to go round to the back to the loading bay.
He then left to go pick up the food and drink.
When we arrived around the back there was a van blocking the entrance and we had to wait until the driver came and moved it. During the wait Ras Muffet with his sound 'The Mighty Tabot' arrived and we hailed each other up and chatted while we waited for the white van driver to arrive and move his van. Once the van blocking the way was removed we started the load in.
Both Tabot and ourselves were up and running within an hour and things just ran smooth from there on.

There had been some concern from the promoter as to if we had a good enough sound system to play the venue, seeing that the venue had just installed a 'Funktion One' system which they thought was the bomb!
Well dread, dem can keep their toy as they had no idea what a well put together sound system sounded like. But they were going to find out!

The session started at 22:00 and the people started arriving early.
The venue was filling up very quickly and it became apparent that people had come from all over to experience the fullness. I saw from Italy, 'Yout' and his lady. Serge & his bredrins from France. Man and man from London and nuff people from all corners.
At 23:30 the place was jumping and the sound was rolling. Well it seems that the sound was rolling too much for the boys with their toys upstairs, as we were interfering with the sound of their 'Funktion One' system. We were dropping a B-line that was shaking the building and when I went outside to check the levels, both Tabot and ourselves were much more audible then the 'Funktion One' system. You could only hear it when there was a lull in music from our dance area.
'Funktion One', more like something that sounds very similar to Funktion, but is a cuss word. You get me doh.

Well the promoter had to come and tell us to turn it down, Dread!
Turn it down you know Rasta! Bwoy my granny should ah live and see a ting like dis.
Just goes to show, never judge a book by its cover and a sound by your limited scope. We have shocked nuff sound engineers all over Europe thinking that we would sound inferior to their large flown arrays and sub bass systems.
Well as the man Humble Lion would say:
"Listen again you heathen, hear the sounds of the father. For blessed love will be manifested in your heart and it will bring joy to your soul. Fe we come to chant and shake down babylon. To the very foundations. Rastafari!"

So we had to restrict the volume a little, but the vibes just grew.
The night was billed as a dubplate only session and Aba ran some classic dubplates.
'Mr Bossman' by Cultural Roots and some wicked one away, Dennis.
The place was ram and the vibes deh pon a level. There was skanking in abundance. Earth man and woman of all colours and sizes giving as they say, large!
The promoters were happy. We were happy and the people definitely were happy.
The promoter could not believe that our systems were outshining their brand new bundle of expensive fun, that they had installed upstairs. He kept looking at our systems with disbelief. David and Golitah springs to mind. Gwan Aba & Muffet!
The dance ran through till morning and when it came time to sign off, the crowd would not let the session finish. It took some words of wisdom from Aba to the crowd before they would disperse.
Bristol, what a session!
Raspects to The Bristol and West Country Cru, The French, Italian, Dutch, and European travelling Cru's. The London and South East Cru's. Mark Iration, Danny Watson, Mikey Muscle, Sweet T, George, Babs & Barba. Muffet and the Talbot Cru, DJ Styrda, Skelly Roots, Yagga Dan, Smith & Mighty. Errol Earthquake and the Burm Cru, Carol, Cyntie, Sharron, Jane and Cru. Sammy Dread & Cru, and to all inna de place, blessed love.

We have Jah works fe do, so off to Italy we go.

This was a strange day as it was the day that we were laying 'The Rock' to rest, and then catching an early evening flight with the 'Rancher's Air' (you know who I mean). So it was not the usual mad hectic lead up. An early morning drive across London to get to the cemetry for a 09:00 funeral service. The burial itself and then after the 'laying to rest' and paying our final respects, and then the drive to the airport.

The usual chaos which is the checking in procedure for the plane was minimised as the promoter had prepaid for our luggage for the hold. That is not to say the people in front of us had it easy. 'Rancher's Air' is very strict when it comes to baggage and seeing people with all their belongings strewn over the airport floor as they try to rearrange their packing so that they could met the criteria for 'Rancher's' is not something you want to be doing with a long line of very irate propective travellers behind you. Humour goes out of the door.

Well we were spared that. We just handed our baggage to the check in girl for depositing in the hold. Only after I pointed out to her on the reservation the pre paid section. Word to the wise my people, always pre pay for your luggage if you intend to travel with this airline, because they don't ramp when it comes to luggage allowances. I have seen them bar a bag because it was 1 kilo over, which meant the people had to pay £8 per kilo for the total baggage, not just £8 for the 1 kilo over. Bwoy me ah tell you have heard of teef in de night. Well they are teef in the daylight...Nuff said!

The flight was uneventful. Well events may have taken place but I was asleep.

We landed at Brindisi. Usual struggle for the pilot to stop the plane before he ran out of runway and we could disembark.

The immigration guards did their usual casual check of everyone else's documentation and stringent, microscopic examination of ours. If we were casual travellers that could cause serious offence. But see yah, we are used to it.

We were met by the promoter's brother and driven to a restaurant near the venue to get some food.
22:40: We drove past the university grounds on the way. There did not seem to be a lot of movement of people in the area, just a few people milling about the front gates. I could just make out some music from Marco's system, 'Black Star Line' coming from somewhere inside the grounds.
It was reasonably early and the session had only just started and I had been surprised before in Italy when wondering where the people were going to come from.
But hey it is a university gig and it was part of their cultural week, so the people would come, Jah know!

After the welcomed meal we were driven to the venue and now there were a lot of people entering the grounds of the university.

00:20: We pulled up to the gates and after a little dialogue with the security guard we were allowed to enter.
As we approached, passing groups of revellers, the sound was getting louder and louder. I thought that this was going to be one hell of a session!
"Bwoy" I said out loud as we approached, "My man Marco is really pumping his system" for the music was getting really loud. I turned to Aba and said that the venue was going to be like a sauna, as the night was very warm and with all these people heading for the venue, it was going to be a Hot One!
We then rounded a corner and it all became apparent. The session was being held in the open air! Blessings from above.
There were a mass of people dancing facing a covered lit area which was where the amplifiers, turntables and cd players were (the control tower) and on either side of the dancing area about 15 metres from the control tower were two huge stacks of Marco's boxes pumping out the music.
I could see a silhouette Marco dancing in front of his amps as the record spun on the turntable.

We disembarked from the car and made our way to the control tower, greeting the well wishers and fans as we made the short walk.

On arrival we exchanged greetings with Marco, Mikey Dread and associated bredrins and sistrens and settle down to enjoy Marco's set. Marco came and asked us when we wanted to start and after discussions with Mikey we settled on 01:30 till done. So in my usual manner I went for a wander around the area to take some photos....Prowling Lion, seen.

At the appointed time Aba took over from Marco and informed the assembled that "Tonight is going to be a tribute to a member of the Shanti-ites band the bass player we call De Rock. Who passed away very suddenly and who's funeral we attended this morning" and then the session started in earnest.

Aba ran through a brief selection of classic roots tunes just to 'warm in'. The crowd loved the selection as they sang the vocals to these well loved classics.

Dennis, Bredda Bob, Johnny Clarke, Max, Twinkle, they all got rinsed out to great approval. Then Aba moved on to the more modern Roots and the crowd were skanking across the grass.

As I said earlier, the night was very warm and having the session in the open air was a blessing. I remember looking across as the sun came up in the east and broke through the gloom of the night and then looking at the crowd who were still skanking away.

05:20 The session came to a close as the people in the surrounding hills and valleys could take it no more as the sound was travelling great distances, or so we were told by the police. So they made it stop 40 minutes earlier than it was scheduled. But the crowd even though they demanded more, once informed that it was the police bringing it to an end and not us or the promoter, gave Aba a tremendous round of applause and departed quietly.

It had been a monster session!

Thanks to Mikey Dread, Mikey's brother, Marco and his Cru, The University of Lecce, The people of Lecce and surrounding area. One Love.

One Love The Humble Lion

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