Friday 4 July
Publication date : Tuesday, July 15th 2008 - 65 314 views Summerjam 2008 day by day
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Now in its 23rd edition, the venerable Summerjam Festival stands as a veteran in Europe. Built on solid foundations, it is starting its 12th consecutive year at the Fühlinger See site, configured with two distinct stages, and its well-oiled organisation is a model of professionalism. Such a base leaves plenty of room for attention to detail, which does not leave a loyal festivalgoer cold. No surprises, then, when we arrive at the little lake; covering the event for the fourth year running, we are starting to have our habits.
No revolution on the programming side either, and the balance that usually prevails between Jamaican and European artists is well respected, with an even more pronounced opening to peripheral styles this year. Faced with the dilemmas that simultaneous concerts on two stages usually bring, we decided to attend, as a priority, the bills that were new to Europe.
Friday 4 July 2008
Faced with a first choice in the early afternoon, we pick at both the roots of cosmopolitan singer Jahcoustix and his musicians (whose sound, incidentally, recalls that of an early Sinsemilia) and the more dancehall touch of Ziggi. Already present the previous year, the Dutch deejay sets off a first surge from the crowd with Blaze it, on the Last war riddim (which also backs Collie Buddz's Come around) and will also perform a track on the riddim of Capleton's recent pro-Obama anthem. And of course Need to tell you this, his most recent hit, well taken up by the crowd.
 Alborosie
Second appearance on the Summerjam main stage for Alborosie. The Sicilian expatriate in Jamaica, vocally on point, is this time backed by two backing singers and puts on a good-quality show. He treats the crowd to his first successes (Herbalist, Kingston town) and more recent tracks: Rastafari anthem, Police with its marked Black Uhuru influences, or Precious on the Promised land riddim, which he performs with U-Roy on his album.
Cecile
 Cecile has lost count of her appearances in Germany. From her entrance, you can feel that the "bad gal" is somewhat at home, so warm and energetic is the welcome the crowd gives her. Sporting a broad smile and a sexy outfit, she means to promote her first album, finally out after years of waiting. Logically, it is Goody, the first single from said album, on the very danceable Wipe out, that opens the show. A melting pot of all her hottest songs follows, such as Cherry pie on the Glue, Do it to me, Ride or die on the Journey or Waiting, in its remix version, with Shaggy's toasted parts. Despite occasional weaknesses in her voice, Cecile puts on a show and the temperature rises another notch when she invites a boy from the audience to join her on stage: putting a lollipop in his mouth, she presses up against him before launching into a sultry rendition of her old hit duet with Sean Paul, Can you do the work, on the Liquid. The spectator then gives up his place to Ziggi, who comes to perform Oh yeah as a duet. Jamdown, on the riddim of the same name, lowers the pressure a little before a euphoric finale on a local riddim: the Cure for Rude bwoy thug life.
New dilemma: just as we thought we would see a bit of Lady Saw and Tarrus Riley, the start of Tarrus's show is unfortunately brought forward, shifting the whole programme of the green stage. Forced to choose between the two artists, we head to the small stage to see Tarrus Riley, having been left a little hungry by his appearance in Paris for the Reggae Live Tour.
 Lady Saw
Meanwhile, the queen of dancehall takes possession of the main stage and we hear from afar a few classics like Big Ninja bike or No matter me on the Bookshelf, and tracks guaranteed to trigger crowd hysteria such as Squeezing me on the Wipe out riddim or I got your man. Lady Saw will end her show by inviting Cecile for the duet Loser.
 Duane Stephenson
Surprise: while the Firehouse crew, led by Dean Fraser, sets up for Tarrus Riley, Duane Stephenson, another protégé of the saxophonist, makes his entrance for a few songs, including his hit Cottage in Negril.
 Tarrus Riley
In great vocal form, Tarrus delivers a superb performance and receives a warm welcome. His show, longer than in Paris and enhanced by the presence of Dean Fraser and a backing singer, lets us rediscover almost all the tracks on his album "Parables": Beware of course, Micro chip, System set, Parables on the Three blind mice riddim, Lion paw or One two order. A special mention for Backbiter on the Far away riddim, the only post-album song in this selection. As the sun starts to go down, Jimmy Riley's son leaves the stage with his biggest hit, She's royal, to the acclaim of the crowd.Another band takes over from the Firehouse crew for Queen Ifrica and we are forced to juggle with the main stage, which hosts Collie Buddz. The singer from Bermuda has pulled on the German jersey of the Mannschaft, unlucky finalists of the Euros. We arrive just in time to hear Come around, then Blind to you, the two highlights of his shows, which lift the crowd.
Queen Ifrica
 Under the watchful eye of her mentor Tony Rebel, the Fyah Muma delivers a dynamic roots dancehall show punctuated by already older tracks such as Born free, Natty fi grow on the Bangarang riddim or What is life, recorded for the Penthouse label, and more recent titles such as Keep it to yourself or Rise ghetto youths. A long-awaited moment, the moving Daddy gives Queen Ifrica the chance to explain the theme of this song to the crowd. She closes her show with the hit Below the waist and Wipe the tears on the Roots tonic. Despite undeniable qualities, Queen Ifrica ultimately leaves a mixed impression: her booming deejay parts are almost too shouted and wearing in the long run. Now it is time for dancehall.
 Busy Signal
Busy Signal's first European appearance is the big event of this first night, if not of the festival. The crowd, massed in great numbers in front of the small stage, was not mistaken. At the same time, Culcha Candela, the unmissable representative of the German scene, is getting ready to start on the red stage. From his entrance, Busy sets the place alight, chaining devastating tracks (Moves, then Rise and beat on the Backache). But with Full clip on the Anger management, the jubilation reaches new heights and the crowd's choruses are quite simply astonishing, on lyrics and a flow that are nonetheless difficult to imitate. This is the moment Busy chooses to take a first break, long enough to thank the crowd for its welcome and to express his pleasure at being in Europe. He then picks up again with even more energy with Not going down on the Ice breaker and Bleach, before Badman place once again lights the fuse in the crowd.The show then takes on the look of an unstoppable war machine with the killers My highness on the Inspector, Agony on the Sweat and above all Step out, taken up in unison by the 5,000 people present, with Busy Signal, perched on one of the speakers, seeming himself not to believe it. But the deejay has not said his last word, as proved by his impeccable version of Too much gun on the Man fi dead, impressive in its accuracy and speed, and the very dark Every machine on the Artillery. Rat race on the Chaos and Wrong place briefly calm tempers, before Busy Signal asks everyone to hold up their mobile phone and launches into a memorable version of Unknown number. You might think nothing could raise the level any further, but that was without counting the recent hits: the terrible The days and Mr. Dead pile it on. For the finale on Pon di edge, Busy brings up two charming young girls chosen from the front row to dance explicitly with each of them. Jail, once again sung back in chorus by the spectators, closes this performance, impeccable in every respect.
Mr Vegas
 Absent from European stages for several years, Mr Vegas takes on this time the unusual guise of big brother: his first hits are already 10 years old. The crowd, white-hot, awaits him with confidence and gives him its best welcome. The very form of Vegas's show is atypical. First, he takes care to have all his interventions on the mic translated into German, thanks to singer Ganjaman, the MC of the night. He then embellishes his performance with musical interludes played by a DJ in sound system fashion: we hear dancehall singles and above all a few tributes to Natasja or Bob Marley. Mr Vegas does not forget his own tracks and, accompanied by his band, he starts with the classics She's a ho, Hot gal today, Nike air, Jack it up Morning love, Heads high or Pull up on the Coolie dance. The forwards he receives are matched only by those generated by Busy Signal earlier. Then it is on to the recent hits: Hot wuk, with a very acrobatic dancer at work, then Tek weh yourself and No friends meet with unanimous approval. Vegas finally thanks the promoters for allowing his return to Europe and for trusting him as the headliner of this night. He will not have disappointed them, what an end to the night for a first day! The bar is high, very high. The detour via the sound system tent, which offers 100% German programming, will be quick, in order to save our resources for the next day.
Report written by Alexandre Tonus & Benoit Georges
Photos : Timothée Eisenegher & Benoit Collin
Tags : Mr Vegas (113), Ken Boothe (72), Shaggy (110), Ky-mani Marley (52), Cecile (59), Luciano (128), Lady Saw (52), Jah Cure (86), Pow Pow (17), Mighty Crown (37), Patrice (54), Alpha Blondy (87), Sentinel (24), Collie Buddz (38), Busy Signal (174), Stephen Marley (57), Dub Inc (78), Tarrus Riley (137), Pressure (41), Alborosie (109), Alaine (26), Queen Ifrica (67), Etana (75), The Black Seeds (14), Dean Fraser (24)
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Saturday 5 July
Publication date : 07-15-2008 
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Saturday 5 July 2008
 The Black Seeds
While Italy's Roy Paci holds the small stage, we head over to the red stage, where a sparse crowd is waiting for The Black Seeds to kick off the day. The New Zealanders play a polished, jazzy dub-reggae that suits the start of the afternoon perfectly. Known and loved in France (the band had played the Garance in Paris a few days earlier), they are treading the Summerjam stage for the first time. We enjoy the tightness and sound of the eight musicians (including two horn players), who play Sometimes Enough, The Answer, Love for property and Cool it down, real hits from the album "Into the dojo" released in 2007. But we also hear Slingshot, the first single from the forthcoming album "Solid ground", due out in August.
Jah Cure
 Last year, Jah Cure, fresh out of prison, closed the Sundance Festival in Eindhoven right under Capleton's nose. Relegated this year to mid-afternoon, he is a long way from the headliners, behind Patrice and Shaggy. We mainly stay for his arrival on stage, his well-known show having been reviewed several times on Reggaefrance. We just have time to witness a monster entrance on Longing for (what a welcome!), followed as expected by Jah bless me, God morning Jah and King in this jungle. Sunny day, on the other hand, really does seem to be the French crowd's favourite song, as it doesn't get the same gigantic reception as in Paris. Off to the small stage and Voicemail, who are making their European debut.
 Voicemail
Not many of us have made this choice and the trio performs in front of a sparse crowd. There is no band for this show, just a deejay. In great form and well dressed, as usual, the three friends come in energetically on the Jonkanoo and launch straight into Wacky dip and Do what you feel like. The most danceable songs in their repertoire follow one another, with Get on up on the Ice breaker, Let's dance on the High altitude, Weddy time and Ready to party. The crowd is very receptive to the group's efforts and happily copies their dance steps. On the reggae lover side, even though they get a good forward, Want to know your name on the Big street, Jamaican jiggas on the Stop that train, Playing games on the Cry baby and Why on the My baby let the atmosphere sag a little. Best days of my life on the Guardian angel still provokes a big reaction from the crowd, thanks in particular to the riddim. In the final stretch, the trio goes back to the "dancing tunes" with renewed vigour. Bring yuh body come on the Sweat gets everybody jumping, and the last segment gives us the chance to hear more recent songs on brand-new riddims (Get down on it on the 2070's, Bembe on the Party and Get the money on the Drum lane). Get crazy on the Gangsta rock and Roll out on the Wipe out easily earn the biggest forwards. The recent Go Nikki on the Pon di block and Dancing fever on the Raging bull close the party and a first performance that is satisfying without being transcendent. It's a shame the trio wasn't slotted into the big dancehall night the evening before.
Alaine
 It's a European first for young Alaine, who is supposed to play for 15 minutes before Pressure. We end up getting a little more, which suits us fine, as the singer, whose style is tinged with R&B, delivers a refreshing and vocally well-controlled performance. Her partner and producer, Don Corleon, films her from the wings and watches the audience's reactions, which are rather subdued. While waiting for Alaine's first album, "Sacrifice", available only on import, we feast on the title track, Wine on the Sweat, No ordinary love on the Seasons and Sincerely on the Love potion riddim.
Alpha Blondy
Stepping in for Beres Hammond, Alpha Blondy and his Solar System deliver the show on the main stage. After an intro medley from the band, the Ivorian singer begins with a long version of Jérusalem, in front of a packed crowd waving Ivorian and Senegalese flags. Alpha clearly takes some pleasure in stretching out his biggest hit. The show looks set to be rather classic for a French audience used to seeing Alpha almost every year, so we head back to the small stage and Pressure.
Pressure
 While Alpha Blondy plays on the main stage at the same time, Pressure is about to follow Alaine, still under Don Corleon's watchful eye. The crowd has turned out for this first festival appearance by the St Croix singjay, and we find a little of the previous night's atmosphere from Busy Signal and Mr Vegas, even if the very dense crowd is a bit calmer, reggae obliges. Pressure opens his show the way he opens his first album "Love and affection", with the very beautiful Bless the children. He goes on to perform most of the tracks from that same album, including all his best singles (Hear my cry on the Far away, So appealing on the Love potion, No fight on the Dreams and even Bless my soul on Corleon's recent Secrets riddim), but also the superb and lesser-known Boogey man and Most wanted, which get such big forwards that Pressure plays them again for the crowd's delight. Even Never fall on the Backache, a dancehall track that is hardly essential, draws a good response. Pressure is impressive in his pitch and charisma, and hearing how easily his voice rides the big classic riddims, Baltimore (Ghetto life) and Rougher yet (Your love), you think the Sizzlas and Capletons of this world had better watch out. Quite logically, it is his hit Love and affection that closes this very good concert.
 Ky-mani Marley
As rain and night begin to fall, Summerjam welcomes Ky-mani, the most hip-hop of the Marley sons. Although he hasn't been to Europe for a while, and despite some interesting studio tracks, the show is rather short on surprises and doesn't escape the conventional covers, including No woman no cry. What we mainly take away is the well-arranged cover of So much trouble and the occasional hip-hop detour.
Patrice
On the main stage, Patrice takes over from Alpha Blondy. On home turf (he comes from the Cologne area), he starts after nightfall, with the rain pouring down. He comes on alone, with his guitar slung over his shoulder, and exhorts the crowd, who don't seem to care about the torrents of water. "You fight fire with fire, we gonna fight clouds with clouds", he throws out with a smile, alluding to his brand-new single Clouds, taken from his latest album, "Free Patri Ation". The very receptive crowd gives him its biggest turnout, and Patrice runs through his hits. We hear He don't answer, Murderer (from the album "Ancient Spirit") played on the melodica, and Another one, among others.
Shaggy
 This is the big headliner of the main stage. Coming in on a Bonafide girl that always has its effect, Shaggy is joined by the Barbadian singer Rayvon and two other backing singers for a thoroughly professional show. Mr Boombastic follows quickly with its hip-swivelling, in a remixed hip-hop/reggae version. In duet or solo, Shaggy rolls out the hits in a festive atmosphere in front of a won-over crowd: Hot gal on the Showtime, followed by Wild tonight, Angel, It wasn't me, Hey sexy lady or the more recent Relationship and Church heathen... even relics like Big up are cheered. A rare privilege at Summerjam, Shaggy is granted an encore, for a vintage-style Clothes drop. A little break to introduce Feel the rush, the Euro anthem, and console the unfortunate German supporters: the party is then at its peak and is crowned by a Get up, stand up by Marley, not necessarily essential.
Common
A representative of American hip-hop, Common contrasts with the festival's overall tone but draws a crowd of the curious and the connoisseurs in front of the green stage, while Shaggy puts on his show on the other side. Accompanied by a band and a deejay (who gives a little demonstration of his skills), Common serves up a laid-back rap steeped in jazz and soul, crowned by his hit Come Close. He doesn't forget hip-hop's Jamaican influences either, toasting over a few reggae versions.
Sound systems
Pow Pow, Sentinel, Mighty Crown: the line-up was so tempting that we went to work up a sweat in the boiling atmosphere of the sound system tent, where the crowd is packed tight and furious. Shaggy comes to reinforce Pow Pow and gets on stage to redo a few tunes, including Big up and Feel the rush. Yet we are surprised to hear rather easy selections, based on fairly brutish remixes or odd bashment dubplates. We know this kind of sound is made to move a festival crowd, who respond to every tune, but the whole thing strikes us as singularly lacking in substance and novelty (despite a nice dub of Demarco's Fallen soldiers by Sentinel).
Same madness for the Japanese of Mighty Crown, who settle for classic segments (singles and dubplates) that are well worn and often heard. The crowd visibly forgives these easy options. The mood is festive on the crowd's side as well as the sounds', who already seem to be on holiday: the Sentinel crew, Elmar at the head, play around with their props (a plastic boat and water pistols), which doesn't necessarily amuse the security staff and technicians, who have to step in twice to calm down the MCs.
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Sunday 6 July
Publication date : 07-15-2008
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Sunday 6 July 2008
The third and final day of the festival, traditionally the most mainstream, Sunday concentrated the main acts on the main stage, which spared us the constant back and forth of the previous days.
 Derrick Morgan
The festivities start with ska, early in the afternoon, with Derrick Morgan, who follows Dr. Ring Ding. At 68 years old and with 50 years of career behind him, the Jamaican veteran, father of Queen Ifrica, comes on stage leaning on his cane and is guided to the microphone to applause. The band and its horn section then launch into Reggae train. The Ska king, much diminished, singing with difficulty and a little out of step with his band, nevertheless conveys the emotion and warmth of his classics from the 60s: Dont' call me daddy, In my heart and Tell me darling. Derrick Morgan finally pays a heartfelt tribute to Desmond Dekker and then Toots Hibbert by covering his hit 54-46.
Ken Boothe
 The nostalgia for the 60s and 70s continues as Ken Boothe takes the stage. For only his second time at Summerjam, the golden-voiced crooner appears with a local band, The Caroloregians. Smiling and relaxed, he comes in on Freedom street, then Crying over you. After a short a cappella, he launches into When I fall in love and invites the crowd to sing along with him. The versions are long and leave plenty of room for the musicians and for Ken Boothe's inimitable little dance steps. In an atmosphere as warm as ever, we hear classics such as Artibella, Is it because I'm black, Speak softky love, I'm gonna tell you good bye and Moving away. We know Ken Boothe's show well, which ends in a blaze of glory on Everything I own, but on this sunny afternoon the pleasure is intact.
 Tosh meets Marley
We were finally going to discover this curious concept called Tosh meets Marley. Behind this bafflingly named billing hides in fact a combo of musicians, dreadlocks flying, led by guitarist Junior Marvin and bassist Fully Fullwood. On the programme, an alternation of songs by Bob and Peter, as you'd expect. The sound is heavy and Jamaican, but the choice of tunes (the best known) and their note-for-note delivery leave little room for surprise.
Dub Incorporation
 In the middle of this international bill, the French band Dub Incorporation come out of it perfectly. Although it is early in the day, a large crowd has come to applaud them on the small stage for their second appearance at Summerjam. Besides the now-classic tracks of the Saint-Étienne band, most of the show is made up of tracks from their latest album, "Afrikya". Petit Soldat, Tiens bon and Djamila, with its long oriental intro, draw some lovely reactions. Part of the front rows sing the choruses in French, and a blue-white-red flag flies... Mission accomplished.
 Cocoa Tea
Absent from our parts for a while, it is a pleasure to see Cocoa Tea on stage again. Despite a new album due this summer, Cocoa Tea strings together his classics in a show very similar to previous ones. After his faithful entrance on Marley's cover Rastaman chant, Cocoa Tea opens the ball with Stand up straight and Rikers Island, sung along to by a large part of the crowd. The sequence Come again, I've lost my Sonia, Love me truly and She loves me now is always a winner, and the women in the crowd seem to particularly enjoy it. Good life on the Party time and Israel's King on the One drop (yet another Marley riddim!) calm things down a little, before the classic riddims Far East (Tune in) and Queen majesty (Cannot be real) relight the fire. Mount Zion and Hurry up and come on the No woman no cry riddim close this flawless concert: Cocoa Tea leaves the stage to thunderous applause. He returns for Too young, much appreciated, and above all the only new song of the show, his recent, committed single Barack Obama, which sets off almost unbelievable reactions.
Etana
 Scheduled for a quarter of an hour before Luciano and backed by the Jah Messenger band, Etana enjoys a welcome leniency for her first stage in Europe, which allows her to perform a few singles, mostly from her album "The strong one": first the very catchy Jah chariot, I'm not afraid, the magnificent Roots, then the soul ballad We no want no trouble and finally Money don't move. The voice is controlled, the style original and delightful. Before leaving the stage, Etana treats us to a superb cover of Redemption song, perhaps the finest Marley cover we will hear over these three days. We are pleasantly surprised by this short performance, which will be one of our festival favourites.
 Luciano
For once, the Messenjah is not accompanied by Dean Fraser, who has already left to follow the tour of his new protégé, Tarrus Riley. The show is in every respect similar to the Reggae Live Tour in Paris. The machine is perfectly oiled and Luciano, who comes on stage with small glasses and a document holder, is energetic and smiling, with the crowd giving it right back.
Stephen Marley
 Optimistic, we thought Stephen would give us a few nods to his productions, which are far more interesting than the Marley covers. We even expected to hear the riddim The mission, which recently squatted the top of the charts in Jamaica. In vain: the Marley son stays on the family's straight and narrow, alternating his best-known tunes (Chase dem, Mind control, Hey baby, Lonely Avenue, Let her dance, Iron bars, Inna di red and Traffic jam) with covers of dad such as Punky reggae party, Duppy conqueror, No woman no cry (for the third time at the festival), Buffalo soldier, Jamming and Could you be loved to finish. One song by Stephen, then one song by Bob: the rhythm is so regular that we come close to overdosing. Bob Marley's shadow looms right up to the encore, which is devoted exclusively to him with Chant down Babylon, Burnin' and lootin' and Get up stand up. As Stephen starts one last song, a rather logical One love, the festival's traditional closing fireworks fall into the rhythm and mark the end of this 23rd edition.
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