BLOOD SHANTI & THE SHANTI-ITES LIVE IN PARIS 28/11/09, PICTURES HERE. THE REPORTS HERE

NEW SINGLES BY SISTER MIRIAM AND BREDDA EMMANUEL JOSEPH NOW AVAILABLE. CHECK MERCHANDISE PAGE.

I must have dozed off but I was woken up suddenly by our arrival in Dinard. The pilot must be doing a correspondence or on line course in flying, where he is qualified for take offs and flying but he has not taken the section on landing yet! Bwoy it was ruff!!!!!

We were met by the promoter Zed, as we came through onto the lounge and escorted to his car for the one hour journey to Rennes.
I had previously arranged to go straight to the venue to do the sound check and any media stuff.
We chatted about the previous night's session in Nantes where Earl 16 was the guest on 'Zion Gate's Sound' and the lack of patronage of the event.
When we arrive 'Dub Livity' was already set up and firing. There was one huge stack of speakers at the back of the venue and when the bass was dropped in, the place rattled like there was no tomorrow.
I looked at Aba and we looked over to Big Sim and nodded and smiled. Since we last played on 'Dub Livity' Big Sim has made major improvements and the proof was in the sound quality.
It is a joy to travel the world with music and even more so when the sound systems we are now playing on have made such a quantum leap in sound quality since we first started playing on a next man' tings, all those years ago. They are delivering that bottom end that reverbs the soul coupled with a lack of distortion and breaking up of sound that many ah man in England should take note of.
If you buy or build quality equipment, you will get quality sound. "You can't plant corn and expect to reap peas" Jah Know!
12 years ago when we first ventured into France we had to bring our own sound system as there were no sound systems in France. Now there is Lion Roots, Blackboard Jungle, Zion Gate, Reality, Dub Livity, Red Lion (even though he has parked up the set for the time being), Soul Stereo. France is where the UK used to be say 25-30 years ago, where each region, cities have multiple sound systems representing the area. This is really healthy for the music we love. Let me hear you say YEAH!
Well the sound check over it was now time for the interviews. We went backstage and the first interview took place as we had a hot refreshing drink.

It was 21:50 when Zed came and told us that he was due to kick off the session at 22:00 and that his friend would be taking us to the hotel. Zed and his wife were the 'International Skankers' sound system.
There was a slight problem with this being France and the purchasing of tobacco products. I had only 3 cigarettes left and was hoping to purchase some when we arrived at Dinard airport, but Dinard has no shops!
We didn't stop on the way to Rennes and the promoter said he would secure some when he left us to do the sound check. He forgot!
22:50: As we were driven to the hotel the lack of lights in shut shops and even petrol stations was not boding well.
When we arrived at the hotel the driver said he had some cigarette at home and would bring a packet when he came to pick us up at 01:15 to go back to the venue.
01:20: The driver arrived to pick us up, but it was Zed and there were no tobacco products to be seen.
Zed said he would sort out the lack of tobacco products.
We arrived back at the venue and the place was ram! There were people waiting outside to get in, and inside there was wall to wall people.
As we were making our way down the steps to the hall I was stopped by a man who informed me that he was called Matty Dread and that he runs a 'Roots Reggae' shop and that the reason he is in the business is solely due to Aba. He told me that he saw Aba for the first time at 'Notting Hill Carnival' in 1997 and after the session realised to himself, that this is the music and the vibes he wanted to be part of.
As we travel along life's way, those that hear the call will heed.

'Dub Livity' on seeing us enter the hall announced that he was playing his last one and then 'The Mighty Aba Shanti'. This was greeted with an almighty roar from the crowd.
01:50: Aba started his set and the place erupted. I wander around all night taking photos as people were in their full enjoyment and contributing to the vibe, and what a vibe, me ah tell you bredrins and sistrens.
It was a good job that the air conditioning was on, for nuff people would have succumbed to the heat for it was hot even with the air conditioning on.
All through the session the promoter kept coming to me and handing one and two cigarettes at a time as he acquired them from his friends. Well cigarette is cigarette.

The session was scheduled to finish at 04:30 sharp and the university social committee were on hand to make sure that it did just that. 04:00 They put on the lights as we requested so that Aba could wind down the session. At 04:20 a member of the committee was on hand to remind me that we had only 10 minutes left. When Aba took off the last tune and started thanking the people and giving forth guidance, the man from the committee was petrified that Aba was about to launch into a new tune as the crowd keep calling for more. He was relieved when this didn't happen.
Session done we went backstage to cool off and await transport to the hotel.
04:55: We sat, watched and smiled as the security frog march more than one and two man from the backstage area, who had tried to scruchie there way in.
06:05: Zed came and we went back to the hotel.
06:30: A time was arranged to pick us up in 3 hours so we could get to the airport and make our plane time.
09:30: We were sitting in the hotel reception awaiting pick up by Zed.
09:50: No Zed!
09:53: Phone calls to Zed made me aware that he had overslept.
10:15: Zed arrives to take us to the airport.
10:22-11:15: Zed drives like a man possessed to get us to the airport on time.
11:40: We are booked in and sitting in the departure lounge awaiting our 12:25 flight home.

Big Raspect to Rennes University, Big Sim and the Dub Livity Cru, Zed and his wife (International Skankers), Samira who had come all the way from Paris, Theo, Matty Dread, Severine (the Artist) who was making sketches of Aba as he played. An ethnic couple in the purple who were dancing together to the music and right inna the vibes. The girl in the green who was seriously on a blissed level, and all the other patrons who made this such a wonderful session.

22:50: The pride arrive at the venue or where I thought the venue was. You see there was a venue on the corner of the street, but that was not it, and there was no signage as to where the venue 'Passing Clouds' was. I called Blood and he gave me directions. The club was around the corner down a narrow cobbled street. I thought if I am having trouble finding the place what about the other patrons that are coming to see the band.

23:30: I didn't have to worry as more and more people kept arriving.

00:30: The band took the stage and to a full venue. They delivered a crucial and critical set of one and a half hours in duration. If you missed it, you missed a gig and a half. Blood was in fine voice as he sang tracks like 'Teardown, Live Good, Wat Ah Gwan' and Sylvie's personal fave, 'Holy Mountain' (All the children in the garden'). He did this as well as playing drums. Lets not forget the band, the one Jamal pon Bass, Cyrus pon keys, Kojak on gits and Fuzzy pon de board. For a four piece band they sounded like an orchestra, a rootical orchestra, but an orchestra none the less. The people in the place were treated to performance. I looked over to the promoter and she was all smiles.
Yes people, Jah's musical chariot is pon de road again.

Bless up to the people inna de place: Aba, Val, Sil & Dave, Blood Shanti Tribe, Abigail (promoter), Father Sleeps, Welton, Sis Miriam, Conscious, and to all that made this night special.

One Love
      The Humble Lion 

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