Reggae Geel 2013: new time & age

Talking about a transformation! The main stage was placed where previously the entrance was, while the Bounce tent could be found where the backstage used to be. Previously the performances in the Skaville tent were merely used to fill gaps in the line-up on other stages but for this year's edition the organization successfully opted to provide a full two-day, high ranking program. The 18" opened for two days as well and was the only stage that kept its original place. Probably a wise choice as the trees provided much needed refuge against the scorching sun. The addition of The Yard tent, was probably too much of a good thing as there where simply too many alternatives to choose from. The Yard tent nevertheless was home to many exciting things such as dance lessons, Local stand-up comedy, interviews and an experimental performance of reggae devil-do-all Saimn-I.

Because of the many stages each covering a specific genre, Reggae Geel for the first time really lived up to its motto "Catch a Vibe". Visitors to the festival were able to easily switch between styles, experiencing different vibes. Because the festival grounds were 40.000m2 larger than during last year's edition, you had to "ten toe turbo" to get around but this also meant the sound of the various stages did not overlap which was great. Big up to the organization for the radical but well thought though rearrangement of the festival grounds which both improved the security and overall accessibility. The only constructive criticism on our end is that the camp site was secure but proved to be too small (later a second ground was opened) and the female toilets where poorly spread around the festival grounds but that´s merely nitpicking.

Mo Fyah (literally)!

Good thing the new security plan worked perfectly as Reggae Geel barely escaped a big disaster. The iconic banner which was used for years to decorate the main stage suddenly caught fire as it was apparently placed too close to the stage lights. For a while it looked like the roof of the stage was about to catch fire as well but the swift interaction from the local fire brigade quickly put an end to that. Other than the schedule being delayed by two hours there fortunately proved to be little material damage.

Even before the fire, the schedule was already turned upside down as Barrington Levy mist his plane (classic excuse) and Iba Mahr was given the honor to open the main stage. Backed by the Dubtronic Band, with whom he already played and recorded in Jamaica, Iba focused on his roots tracks with less attention to his love tunes. Not a single soul who seemed to know the artist so Iba didn´t really succeed in getting the audience´ support but cool vibes nevertheless.

Marcia Griffiths & Asham merely played covers. No 'Steppin´ out a Babylon' or newer tunes and at the end of the concert a handful Bob Marley songs. Because of the overall spotless performance it seemed as they had been playing together for years. Other than Marcia, who brought her own backing choir, the stage was filled by a full Belgian band, a combination of which we could have only been dreaming of a few years back. To be completely honest, we´ve probably heard Marcia Griffiths sing better in the past but obviously the many years of performing have had an impact on the artist. She nevertheless remains the undisputed Queen of Reggae, now with her "#1 band", something we haven´t heard her say yet! Big up Asham!

It was already past midnight when Cutty Ranks and the Ruff Cutt Band took stage. We never saw Cutty perform live before and it wasn´t disappointing. A no-nonsense show by a gently aging rudeboy including a handful memorable hits and some new tunes. Nice!

"Mad, Sick, Head nuh good!" Bounty immediately confirmed his reputation as one of the leading Dancehall artists. He´s renowned for his toasting skills but chose to start his show with some reggae riddims. Cool but not really what the majority of fans was waiting for and honestly, Killa doesn´t have the best singing voice. Fortunately he quickly took things to the next level serving exactly what the crowd wanted. His signature sound, a delightful deep voice and an impeccable timing made for a solid dancehall show. In contradiction to some of his peers, he played each and every song beginning to end. The crowd was bombarded with hits when for the second part of the show he geared up even more. "Badman style now!", Bounty said, which immediately set the tone for the remaining part of his show. Badman and gyal tunes, Lithium, Living Dangerously, Badman kill fi fun, High grade forever, Sufferer, Badman Place, to name a few. It´s almost 3 o'clock when he lets the crowd explode one last time with his hit song 'Stronger', originally a duet with Mykal Rose. A perfect ending for the first festival day at Reggae Geel. However that´s probably exactly what the crowd at the 18" corner must have thought as there the legendary King Jammy´s served classic after classic, as he did at the Garance festival. Late Friday night, Prince Fatty and his crew; MC Horseman, guitar player Mutant-Hifi and pioneer Dennis Alcapone, even sparked a classic vintage ska party at the Skaville tent, albeit for a smaller crowd. The bounce tent was packed as usual but Kilimanjaro was a bit disappointing. It can´t be a party all the time.

The Crucial Belfam Showcase in The Yard tent provided a stage for local female talent to show their skills, all backed by Crucial P. The turnout wasn´t really overwhelming but again, what do you expect with such a plethora of choices. The Beljam ladies nevertheless rose to the occasion and gave great performances. For the antics of the closing act Slongs Dievanongs, The Yard filled up a bit more which was quite fortunate as she claimed to have written a song especially for Reggae Geel. Encore was 'Could you be loved' for which Slongs called her colleagues Micky B and Dede Kay back on stage to close the session. Lisa Bennet was also part of what proved to be a pretty cool gathering.

Reggae Renaissance

We´ve rarely seen a more convincing opening act on Reggae Geel than Iron Ites, another proud Belgian act on the main stage. Winning the Benelux Reggae Contest certainly proved to be a kick start as the band has grown considerably since then. Musically Iron Ites reminded us of UK bands from the 80´s such as Black Slate or Capital Letters. While front woman Benoitte Mupatshi might not be the greatest, she effortlessly filled the main stage at Reggae Geel. The early birds at the festival saw they didn´t came early for nothing that day and together with them we´re already looking forward to the first Iron Ites album to be released later this year. 

New at Reggae Geel this year was comedy. The rather obtuse duo Swa Ranking and Thriller Mil, complete with rickety camping chairs and their obligatory bottle of Appleton, made comic appearances throughout the festival. On a mission to finance their trip to Jamaica they tried to hustle visitors at the breakfast tent, the cocktail bar and the VIP area. In The Yard tent they tried to get support from the ever cheerful Smiley in order to fulfill their lifelong dream. Due to the broken English in combination with the less than optimal sound quality in The Yard tent, not all could be understood clearly but it nevertheless was a great experiment.

The dancehall workshop lead by DTD Dancers was widely welcomed as Dancehall has steadily been gaining popularity both musically and choreographically. Despite the early hour and the rising temperature in The Yard tent, the predominantly female participants happily engaged in learning typical dance moves such as the 'Bogle', 'Row like a boat´ and ´Willie bounce. With 'ova di wall´ the workshop transformed into a genuine dance-off yard style. The session culminated with an impressive acrobatic freestyle demonstration by the talented DTD Dance crew.

Following Iron Ites, it was up to Dubtonic Kru to play the main stage. Despite the respectable crowd, the band didn´t really succeed in getting many of them to dance. It almost was as if people were waiting for the Indignation band supporting both Jah9 and Protoje. The upcoming singer Janine "Jah9" Cunningham released her first solo album 'New Name' just a few months ago and is currently touring Europe for the first time. The Rasta Queen with the recognizable low voice exclusively sings conscious songs and really tries to spread a message. Whoever listened to the lyrics undoubtedly gathered some wisdom and insights. Jah9 played most songs of her debut album which made for a reputable introduction to the Belgian audience. Solid roots by a real messenger of Selassie I. Jah Rastafari!

Her better known contemporary Protoje, already played the Bounce stage in 2011. While during his previous rather shy appearance on Reggae Geel his vocal skills were not fully developed yet, it now clearly showed he gained much more experience touring with the Indignation Band. He significantly grew as an artist and recently released his second album '8 year affair'. He delivered a great roots show with some dub vibes and a dancehall break. He played the biggest hits from both of his albums and collaborations with fellow artists for which the backing band successfully filled the missing vocals. Longing for, Dread, Rasta Love, This is not a marijuana song, Kingston be wise, ... and more. After a short tribute to Buju Banton, Jah9 appeared back on stage to perform 'Legitimate', her collaboration with Protoje. His show was the ultimate proof he´s not a one trick pony and definitely here to stay. What a transformation, from a rather coy performer to a full-blooded singer, toaster and entertainer. Big up!

96° in the shade

The great Leroy Sibbles´ vocal qualities were not really up to standard as was the case with was Marcia Griffiths but again Asham proved to be the perfect backing band. We´ve been singing praises on behalf of Asham but we can only conclude that after two successful shows at Reggae Geel we ain´t seen nothing yet.

After a nice and jovial greatest hits show by veteran Freddie McGreggor (always great live) and Third World (96° in the shade originally talks about the execution of a black activist in the 19th century but at the time was rather applicable to the hot weather as well) on the main stage, our homegrown reggae renaissance man, Unlisted Fanatic, already started a three hour long set feat. Collieman, Saim-I, Moonshine Horns and Paul Fox. The living proof you don´t have to look abroad to find top talent. A great show with varied vibes, good times.

As usual the Bounce tent was home to pumping beats and reggae hits and almost constantly filled to the brim. On Friday the tropical temperatures only added to the already electrifying atmosphere. A special Big Up to the Beljam Sounds who like no other know how to engage the audience in Geel.

The closing acts on the main stage were all from a younger generation with Capleton up front. We´ve already seen him perform a few times in Belgium the last couple of months but that didn´t temper the enthusiasm of the crowd at all. Like always he put on an energetic dancehall show with a lot of interaction with the audience. Mo Fyah! Following Capleton, Romain Virgo took the stage by storm. The sweet-voiced singer won a talent contest on the Jamaican TV a few years back and has been roaming the reggae charts ever since, releasing hit after hit. We´ve seen him perform in Belgium before but every time he confirms to possess a beautiful voice and solid tunes. A well balanced show that didn´t bore for a second. Romain is here to stay.

Backed by the same High Voltage Band and the perfect closing act for the 2013 edition of Reggae Geel was Busy "Hothead" Signal. He already played in the Vooruit in Ghent earlier this year but it wasn´t until later he really scored a world hit with 'Watch out fi dis (Bumaye)', instantly making him famous. With each show played, he seems to be growing as a performer. He now has so many good tunes and hits in his repertoire that the whole show was just a series of highlights, beginning to end. From great reggae with a beautiful singing voice to solid dancehall with an incredible flow, Busy´s the man who can! The predictable but perfect closing track for the show was an extended version of 'Bumbaye' which made the crowd explode one last time. Busy´s on top of the Dancehall scene and more than a worthy closing act on the main stage. Please nah go a jail again!

Meantime in The Yard

After Busy blew everybody away at the main stage area, we took a look at The Yard tent to see our Dutch neighbor Brainpower in action. A small crowd and good vibes but again the microphone sound was poor (not the first time in The Yard) so most of the lyrics were lost. To close the festival weekend, we went to the Bounce where the energetic Japanese sound Mighty Crown was entertaining the crowd with a high tempo set. We didn´t see Prince Fatty and Hollie Cook but rumor has it that it was a good and intimate show.

Overall a great Reggae weekend full of surprises, strong performances, heavy baselines, irie vibes and unity. Big up to everybody involved in making Reggae Geel grow to what it is now. Countdown to next year´s edition has started.