Roots & Culture: Coronation Dance ft. Vivian Jones

For the third year in a row, the North-French Chalice sound system came to Antwerp for Roots & Culture in Zappa, this time in early November, so this edition was baptized to Coronation Dance, referring to the day that Ras Tafari Makonnen in Ethiopia to Negusa Nagast, King of Kings, was crowned (November 2, 1930). Nobody less than Vivian Jones joined them live to provide extra strength to this memorial.

“Oh what a day!”, We enter the Zappa venue at about 11pm, cozy filled but never very busy. Chalice treats us to their well-known recipe: no specials or exclusives, little sirens or pull ups, but all of them vintage roots gems, all on vinyl, and deliciously sounding on their warm Valve sound system, divided over two stacks. Paolo and Youthman mingle obscure collector’s items of artists such as Freddie McGregor, Don Carlos and Prince Far I with unprecedented classics such as ‘World In His Hands’ (Enos McLeod), ‘Give I Fi I name’ (Pablo Moses), ‘A True’ (Dennis Brown), ‘War’ (Bob Andy), ‘Rasta ‘pon Top’ (The Twinkle Brothers), ‘Jah Glory’ (The Itals) and so on. Their enthusiasm works contagiously, with the whole family around the control tower (on Irie Vibes, the children were also there) they let the crowd shank (some even doing it like millwicks), enjoying their old school “coronation” selection. Occasionally, Youthman also attempts modest chantings, not very high but ambiguous. Roots and Culture.

We have not been to church for a long time, to us nights like these are the (weekly) moments of peaceful encounters, reflection and meditation, love and happiness. And together with us hundreds of others who come together in harmony to dance, sing and reason. For the organization (supported by Reggae Geel Brukout), it should be a bit more, but the surplus of dub dances in our country seems to limit the number of visitors, even though they had a living reggae legend Vivian Jones in the line-up. “Greetings Belgium!” opens Vivian (“That’s a Man!?” Reflexow jokes) with ‘Who’s Gonna Get Caught’, in the trap called Babylon, followed immediately by ‘Red Eyes’, his best-known song that brought him the great breakthrough in the nineties, released on the record label of Jah Shaka: “Irie!”

The Jamaican-based Jamaican, who is 60 years old and has been working on his musical career for more than thirty years, is an outstanding singer and gifted copywriter, with countless hits under his belt, often released on his own Imperial House label, and often produced by Russ Disciple. Similarly, his last studio album “Ethiopian King”, from which we also hear ‘Locks And Bread’ in addition to the title track, he demands the sound to go “low” to let us sing along. In addition, to the showcase – without dub versions – he brings two more Russ D collaborations, called ‘Ancient Blood’, with a shout out to the (Moonshine) hornsmen in Unlisted Fanatic’s lens, and the compelling ‘Carry On’, that we first heard Aba Shanti play for about two years ago, “One day, I know there will be a better day!”

Next, Vivian Jones asks everyone’s attention for ‘Fire’, his charge for the tragic events in Grenfell Tower in London earlier this year. His extended lover’s repertoire is limited to ‘Truly’, live and immediately sung for his wife, who is spontaneously hugged, and finally he launches Paolo again with ‘Flash It And Gwan’. In his opinion, the audience reacts very moderately, so he himself asks for applause and returns no more after his a capella performance of ‘The Gun’; the soundcheck seemed to last longer. ‘Physical’ (and a handful of popular tunes) was missing in the setlist, but it may not fit in the atmosphere of the evening until then, after all, Chalice had a true breakthrough, with a section of solid, often voiceless Steppers until the early hours, with Keety Roots passing through here last year at their twentieth birthday party, coming to the fore several times. In the meanwhile we are getting some strength and taste of NiNi’s delicious vegi burgers and Mama Suzie’s Jamaican jerk chicken. That’s also Roots & Culture.