28 marzo, 2024
If anything it’s clear from this fantastic night out what we could share with Daddy G is that he is the kind of DJ who simply enjoys playing his favourite records, flashing his smile at the crowd and at times losing himself in the music.

It’s obvious that  Bristol isn’t one of the most tourist centre in the UK at least compared with its neighbours Cardiff or Bath, however it is for sure one of the most musical European cities. This small city located in the North West of England has been home to a myriad of great artists who have drawn their inspiration from musical styles such as groove-heavy acid jazz, reggae dub beats, neo-psychodelia, hip hop, funk and disco.

Its urban culture is characterised by a strong relationship between politics, music and graffiti art (Robert Del Naja, a founder member of Massive Attack, was originally a graffiti artist). Thereby, with the influence of this environment, Bristol’s music scene has become a melting pot of high quality innovation and experimentation.

This scene has provided an underground atmosphere which forms a fertile breeding-ground for internationally renowned musicians such as Tricky, Roni Size, Portishead (we have to declare a profound devotion towards this band and his wonderful “Dummy”) or Massive Attack.

Recently, we had the opportunity to enjoy “The Bristol Sound” in a London pub through the musical ability of Daddy G, one of the architects of this slow, dark spaced-out hip hop sound.

Grantley Evan Marshall, «Daddy G», is renowned for being co-founder of the Wild Bunch, one of the first British sound systems which included Robert del Naja and Andrew Vowles. The Wild Bunch became dominant on the Bristol club scene in the mid-1980s and it was the starting point of Massive Attack (formed later in 1988 and considered the progenitor of the trip hop genre). Since then, Daddy G has not only worked as one of the main vocalists on Massive Attack’s records but also has been a DJ in his own right for 30 years.

Due to this background when a friend of us suggested spending a night dancing at   “Paradise[1]” with one of the originators and part of a grand slice of electronic music history, we accepted without hesitation. We are great fans of Massive Attack and the local is awesome, so it seemed to be a great mixture.

If you have not yet had the opportunity to go to this West London institution, we strongly recommend you to check out the “what’s on list”, choose the event that best suits you and go. The place is decorated in a peculiar style; it’s a sprawling place featuring taxidermy pieces and towering statues, birdcages and spectacular chandeliers that create a magic environment perfect for a great night out.

We arrived at the place two hours ahead of schedule. We were ready to enjoy a good night, not without having ordered a pint of ale first. The local DJ was warming up the dance floor with some hip hop beats, and the place was absolutely jam-packed.

On time, Daddy G took the stage to loud applause. The wonderful  “No, no, no” by Dawn Penn was the beginning of an hour and a half of good music characterised by his eclectic laid back sound.  Daddy G had well thought out a very nice selection of tracks ranging from hip hop, reggae, disco to dub. So, we were given powerful remixes of “Budy Bye” (Johnny Osbourne), “Bandelero” (Pinchers), “Odd Ras” (Chronixx), “Dangerous” (Conroy Smith), or “All Night Long” (The Mary Jane Girls).

As the set continued late into the night, our enjoyment just got greater. Cool dressed girls shouting OMG, this is my song! and running towards the dance floor possessed by Old Nick, proved that the crowd was euphoric and a good atmosphere reigned.

Since the beginning the DJ shared his energy and enthusiasm with the crowd assembling samples of various sounds that made good music lovers enjoy themselves. However, during the performance the set became deeper, darker and heavier, perhaps too much for my liking. Fortunately, it was not too long and quickly Daddy G returned to his initial sound, playing out again a very fresh punk, funk and soul. Nicely mixed tracks with boat sounder sounds floating in and out.

During the session, every then and now, people went closer to the soundboard to greet Daddy, or take a picture with him. Despite his more than thirty years of playing, he did not seem like the musical legend he is, and contrary to what one might think, he was friendly and welcoming.

If anything it’s clear from this fantastic night out what we could share with Daddy G is that he is the kind of DJ who simply enjoys playing his favourite records, flashing his smile at the crowd and at times losing himself in the music. And that is something to be grateful for.



[1] http://www.theparadise.co.uk/

 

About Author

DEJANOS TU COMENTARIO

Loading Facebook Comments ...

Deja una respuesta

Tu dirección de correo electrónico no será publicada. Los campos obligatorios están marcados con *

Este sitio usa Akismet para reducir el spam. Aprende cómo se procesan los datos de tus comentarios.