Press & Media
Reggae Geel 2003 the 25th anniversary: fridaynight
kick-off.
Expectations were set on high for the 25th edition
of Reggae Geel: for the first time in musical history
a selection of Belgian reggae artists were selected
to open the festival on Friday night, backed by the
Belgian reggae band Calabash. After the warming up
by Red Alert sound system, the session started with
a fine medley by the already famous Calabash Band,
Flanders' pride in reggae music, then The Bubblegum
Crew came on stage: three raggamuffin girls with a
bad attitude, but with a fre(n)ch approach to reggae
music, some hit potential here. Good combination,
good vocalising and a good performance! And they heated
the crowd for the next act: the
promising Factor X, Mika's sister. Apart from being
blessed by Jah with a voice like a bell (and a typical
sound that is), she also has the ability to bring
conscious songs with a catchy melodic structure, another
hit on the Belgian reggae scene! Songs like: "Je
serai la", "Administration General",
are hits that will capture the hearts (and feet) of
the listeners! Her performance is very powerful and
she gives everything she has to entertain the audience!
Great stuff! Subtle being drawn into the roots vibes
by Factor X, the crowd roared and cheered,
yes the tent caught fire when Eric Judah hit the scene:
he seems to be very popular amongst the in-crowd!
Being a conscious rastaman from the early days of
reggae music inna Belgium, he brings a selection of
timeless roots classics, among them several of his
own writing! His message of Universal Harmony and
Spirituality, his beautiful roots voice and the x-treme
self-control he maintains during his performance is
very much appreciated by the crowd: Cool Rasta Cool,
Rasta no Fool! After the veteran rasta, it was time
for the new generation of true (Belgian) rastafarians:
Ragga Yves. Ragga Yves became a conscious rastaman
after having had a serious car-accident that almost
cost him his life: having been granted a second chance
by Jah, he livicated unto the Creator and now brings
a true revolutionary message with nuff power ànd
a genuine Jamaican feel with it: having the looks
of a young Marley, his vocal frazing and melodic structures
are reminiscent of the island's calypsonian oral traditions!
Nuff said! After the roots ragga it was time for the
more commercial stuff: as Original Uman (nuff respect
to the MC) stated: "Raggamuffin Whiteman is the
hardest working brother in the business.". Yes,
that's a fact. He is also the one with the most hit-potential,
personally I'm convinced that his songs should have
been put on the market now already! His professionalism
and sympathetic attitude makes his show a pleasure
to watch, while the presence of his all-female, all-sexy
and all-soul-voiced sparring partner Sister G builds
the set up to an orgy of Jamaican Dance-Hall vibes.
And they both know their moves, in fact they move
very well, it's a joy to see their show! Another dance
hall duo comes up next: 3T and Nele (Neela). 3T has
a very typical concrete voice, almost synthesised
(in fact he uses many voices in one song) and a determination
and power in his performance that strikes the crowd
and make them respond to his set: very entertaining!
His duet's with Neela are different than the Raggamuffin
Whiteman/Sister G combination: more about serious
relationships, respect to the girl's personality and
pure (first) love. Neela, with her smoothening and
fragile voice, pure and innocent like Indian Incense,
will attract all beautiful flower-children who are
conscious of their own self; give this girl some tabla
riddims and she'll blossom like a Lotus! Should be
said that a little more stage-presence would make
the show even better! ROC is a rap-collective from
Brussels. Their hyper-active performance with concrete
voices, rapping heavily over wicked fundamental ragga
riddims, and their positive attitude towards self-education
and self-determination; equal rights and justice,
makes them a must for the hard-core fan: "get
up, stand up, stand up for your rights!", ghetto-ology
to the max! And the Calabash Band, playing more than
two hours a set of Jamaican Classics, the newest dance-hall
riddims, Belgian reggae ànd dance hall
riddims, performed a splendid and disciplined set
in the modern Jamaican style: this is the most Jamaican
sound around! Tell them I said it! During the early
hours of saturday morn, David Rodigan's music machine
set another new standard for sound systems around
the world: Rodigan is the only guy who has a Bob Marley
Dub-plate, and his latest thing is to bring the frechy-est
dub-plate ever: downloading thru his lap-top, he can
play a dubplate freshly voiced over in Jamaica for
his purpose, and play it in the dance-hall almost
instantly! What we say? Niiiiiiiice! (Ras Feel Flashman)
Source : www.reggae.be
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