Boss Sounds Festival @ Carling Academy, Newcastle (18.10.08)

Words: Brian Gibson

The crowd at the Boss Sounds festival was a market researchers wet dream, it covered all ages, colours and backgrounds. Reggae is brilliant, it has a kind of unifying aspect to it that's hard to pin down. Is it because its easy to dance to? Is it because of Mr Marley? Is it because most of reggae artists talk a lot about peace, love, unity and Lions? Yes that's it, its the Lions, everybody loves Lions.

Anyway ... first act on upstairs, Alpha and Omega, tried to get the audience warmed up by coaxing them to literally roar like Lions. Needless to say the response from the not-yet-drunk enough to roar crowd was lacklustre unlike Alpha and Omega's set of medium paced dub which started things nicely.

Local boy Mark Rae's new project, Yes King, flopped due to their much hyped fusion of styles turning out to be hip hop with horns. The travelling circus that is Diddley Squat played next upstairs and their energetic reggae was thoroughly enjoyable. I would have said they were the best act of the evening if they weren't followed by the legendary Pioneers. Classic Ska was expected and delivered with most of the Pioneers own hits sounding like cover versions as they themselves have been covered so many times.

I only caught a little bit of Newcastle based Emperors Dentist (what a name!) but what I saw was encouraging. I have to admit by the time the fabled rhythm section that is Sly and Robbie came on stage I was feeling a bit reggaed out but they brought the evening to a cracking end and I dont think they even mentioned Lions once.