Live

Chronixx + Koffee: Arena Birmingham 10/11/19

These are exciting times for reggae fans. With Jamaica producing a fresh generation of young stars, and established acts like Buju Banton, Capelton and Sizzla enjoying a purple patch, there is a lot of great music out there. And few artists have generated as much excitement as Koffee, whose "Rapture" EP is one of the freshest releases of 2019.

Just 24 hours after selling out Shepherds Bush Empire in London - no mean feat for an artist yet to release a full-length album - the teenager was at Arena Birmingham alongside Chronixx - arguably the genre's biggest star right now. With long queues all the way around the arena, it was a relief to get there just in time for the start of her performance.

In the studio Koffee is a firebrand, and that translates perfectly to the stage. "Toast" is catchy, while "Throne" shows off her lyricism and astonishing flow. "Ragamuffin" had the audience dancing, and showcased perfectly why there is so much hype around this young artist.

More established is Chronixx, performing his only UK headline show of the year. I’ve been lucky to see him several times over the past five years, and in that time his career has continued to rise and rise. He moves around the stage a lot more than he used to, but commercial success has taken away none of the passion in his performance.

Staple tracks "Alpha and Omega" and "Here Comes Trouble" still sound fresh after all the times I've seen him perform them, while "Skanking Sweet" was popular with the 8,000-strong crowd.

Make no mistake, both these artists have the world at their feet, and will both play a pivotal role in the reggae world for the foreseeable future.

PHOTOS: DAVE BURKE
Words Dave Burke