Live
Roni Size (Reprezent) & Speech Debelle: Colston Hall, Bristol 25/09/09
The legendary Colston Hall in Bristol played host to a live performance of epic proportions last Friday. One of the true pioneers of Drum n Bass was coming home for a unique one off gig to mark the beginning of the Colston Hall celebrations. This wasn’t any old Drum n Bass set, but a boundary breaking musical demonstration that saw a commissioned piece from Roni Size and classical orchestrator William Goodchild launch live music to new heights.
Speaking about the new commission Size was quoted “It's an amazing opportunity to work with someone of William Goodchild's stature. This is about two musicians from opposite ends of the musical spectrum combining their knowledge to produce a piece of timeless music.”
The idea of mixing live Drum n Bass with other elements of music is no new idea to previous Mercury winner Size. His live band Reprezent which included the nights host Dynamite MC and Onallee have been wowing crowds and crushing venues for well over a decade. But what pushed this performance further was the exciting prospect of seeing Bristol’s huge chamber orchestra Emerald Ensemble and choir, fuse classical interest with ragged raw DnB beats. The idea also comes in perfect timing after this summer Goldie was recently commissioned to compose a piece for the BBC Prom’s at the Albert hall.
It was a mouthwatering prospect but as the venue slowly filled the initial atmosphere felt cold and empty, meaning the night’s excitement seemed vulnerable. Hence, by the time new Mercury Award winner Speech Debelle came on to perform her warm up set, the overall sensation was flat and echoey. In turn she received a mixed reaction from the chatty crowd. But as Speech left the stage, whether you were standing or seated there was a 180 degree change in the atmosphere. A change that saw you instantly wrapped up in a feeling of heightened anticipation. It’s a bit of shame for the young singer because people really were there to see one person and one person only.
With Reprazent Roni Size is renowned for his ability to fuse many musical styles such as explosive jungle beats, hip-hop, funk, soul and jazz with drums and bass and is considered a legend around the world for doing so but more evidently by the people of Bristol. The sensation can only be described as enormous respect and love for the return of a fellow Bristolian, something that I’m sure every audience member absorbed. Creating an environment that as the Emerald Ensemble took their seats along with Reprezent band members to the up-roar of applause you felt like a guest at a huge family gathering.
The minute Dynamite MC introduced Roni Size to the stage it was only standing allowed. The floor rumbled under base induced beats and the weight of a bouncing enthusiast’s. A crowd of old and young, from mixed backgrounds that truly represented the two decades the DnB master has been in business. You felt the ecstasy as each tune past and present was perfectly dropped by string, percussion and vocal sections alike. Of corse it was the timeless ‘Brown Paper Bag’ that got the biggest screams of jubilation, a track of his 1997 masterpiece New Forms.
Praise should go to all who performed but also a special mention to the night’s hosts. Onallee’s electric dress mirrored the night’s soul with her vocals both majestically shattering and effortlessly floating over the waves of swaying hands. Something that added the nicest of contrast’s to Dynamite MC’s energetic and motivating rhymes.
It was a real honor to be present for certainly one of the best live spectacles this journalist has ever seen. In short he brought the hype, he brought the Soul but more to the point he brought the Bass.
Words ALI RAYMOND
