Reggae By The Sea: Papa Levi at Future Dub’s birthday in Brighton

With the 90s revival upon us there’s a distinct whiff of original jungle in the air.

 

I recently conducted an interview with the legendary reggae label Fashion Records who embraced Jungle in its reggae sampling true form and are now reissuing their back catalogue. So I was overjoyed when I heard that one of my long time heroes the renowned mc Papa Levi was performing a jungle set with Trevor Sax at Concorde 2 in Brighton on April 14th.

From my hotel I watched Tyson Fury dispatch Martin Rogan (when he should have been fighting David Price!).  I then took a walk along the Marina to the venue to catch some 140bpm reggae action.

 

Reggae-junglist ex beatnick and all round local legend DJ Sinner the King Spinner dug into his crate of hybrid rarities in the waiting-room-like bar area, before we burst through the double doors to the main hall for a drubbing of bass.

 

But it wasn’t all jungle. After a frenetic first hour, Trevor Sax switched straight into back-to-back Sly & Robbie (proving just how innovative Sly Dunbar’s drumming was in the early 80s). Levi was mesmerizing on the mic as ever – and cheekily left the bouncers grappling on stage in chaos having invited some ladies up for a dance! The only thing missing was a spin of Levi’s yet-to-be-released new single Club Banger – which nods to Hang ‘Em High by the great Studio 1 pianists Jackie Mittoo/Richard Ace.

The night was the 3rd birthday of Future Dub records AKA my good friends Unity HiFi – who run a tent at the One Love Festival and whose events have previously played host to Sax 3, Curtis Lynch, Kris Kemist and many more. Photos by another pal James Venn.