Lee 'Scratch' Perry, November 12 2006

[SaggyBalls]

Dub is a Weapon featuring Lee 'Scratch' Perry

with Special Guest 'Third Eye Tribe'

November 12

Richards on Richard's

Vancouver BC

On Sunday I received a telephone call from my friend Dottie. She offered me her spare ticket and I took her up on the offer. 'i should see this legend once and for all' was the sentiment and I'm glad that I did. She brought a girlfriend and I eventually left mine at home. She would have had her socks rocked...too bad for me, all things considered.

So anyway, we all go to Swagat on Davie for $2.50 beers and wound up eating the buffet. Pre show meals are definitely key to having a full night (I'm glad that I did because i wound up going to sleep LAST night after a full day of work)

Get to Dick's and go to coat check only to hear the girls talk about how they increased the fee to $2.50 PER coat...so ihanded her a fiver for the 2 garments on the hanger plus my umbrella and she gave me half back. Kind AND beautiful.

The scene is set, the girls and I wander around the bar while waiting for the show to start.

An older guy sits down to some hand drums and I think 'that's Lee' but it was not. Onstage, setting their gear up was the supporting act 'Dub is a Weapon'

the lineup was: Drumkit, Keys, Percussion, Guitar/Producer, Saxophone, and Bass.

"Boasting a smooth combination of reggae beats, soaring melodies, and swirling atmospherics, Dub Is A Weapon has certainly distinguished themselves as a true musical pioneers. While many groups now clamour to adopt the increasingly fashionable sounds of dub, Dub Is A Weapon has steadfastly refined their sound and are recognized as the best in the business." (from website)

Yes it was tight. Yes it was f/phat. Yes it was sothing. Yes it was emotive. Yes it was flowing.

It was too short.

Setbreak happens and 'third eye tribe' started spinning.

Some good tracks were to be heard and a wet melodica is always a cool dubby touch but going from a New York City players' vibe to a Dreaddy VanCity DJ didn't QUITE do it for me. That's about the same time that a gaggle of clueless fratboys started crowding the stage. for a DJ set. It was kinda funny at first cause it looked like acouple of em wanted to 'mack' my friends - andthey're cute girls in art school far away from home...but they ignored the dudes. I circulated round the bar to get some perspective and fresh air (stale fratboy musk) and then went back to the stage.

Made my way back up front through the morons and the set began.

Swaggering in like a mighty lion, Scratch greeted the crowd with a toothy grin and confident poise. He showed us his hat lined with money as the band filled the room with glory and might.

and then out came the digital cameras. washy flash and all. Again and again. Meanwhile, Scratch started getting frustrated with these stupid white boys that obviously didn't understand. So he began to make fun of them. When he began calling them zombies and telling them to jump and got them to do it I began to laugh.

He gave em sucka props and they were eating that shit up with a spoon.

jesus.

Anyhow, in trying to rile up the crowd Scratch was beginning to get overbearing and I thinkhe noticed the crowd ignoring him and shut up a bit for the band to get big and deep again.

So! then the show started to get REALLY good.

There's definitely something extra big about a fat man on bass. The grooves were deep and we all felt it.

I have a feeling that we'll have many chances to feel this band again and again.

The room was packed and everybody was into it.

What a great band to back up an overbearing legend.

Scratch should have understood that space is what makes dub what it is.

I'm happy for DiaW - they get the cred of working with a true musical pioneer and visionary.

[bradm]

I like your show reviews, Beats (I doubt I could write about a show the way you do); keep them up!

Aloha,

Brad

Edited November 16, 2006 by Guest

[SaggyBalls]

i hope you WOULDN'T write about shows the way I do. You seem to appreciate them much differently and definitely from a different point of view.

I rarely buy or download music and although I go intoshows and hearsongs Iknow I couldn't tell you their names or have nearly as much trivial knowledge aboutthe artists and their scenes as I would have in highschool.

I like to write reviews about shows but inthe past have felt hey went on too much like some crazy sermon. I like to add a lot and rarely like to write anyhting unless I can explain things from my side...and explanations take a long time to read.

kinda like this thankyou post.

I will. I hope to have something juicy for the weekend.