Those of us who remember Ken Livingstone's Greater London Council with affection usually come back to two things. First, those lovely low transport fares. Second, their subsidising of live music, with particular emphasis on sounds from London's ethnic communities. There are many moments during this Women in Reggae event when you feel you're part of some collective, Ken-inspired flashback. Except that in 1984 this would have been full, it wouldn't have cost a tenner and there would have been a collection for the miners before the main act.
After the Ranking Miss P has played a truly "follow that!" DJ selection of reggae tunes old and not-so-old, a strangely familiar group of women fill the tiny stage, adorned in sumptuous Afrocentric garb. As the MC mentions groups like Abacush and Akabu, you realise it's not so strange. These are exactly the same women who were playing this kind of show back in the early 80s. And, although they seem to have aged well, the music, sadly, is a bit turkey-necked and saggy. It is, frankly, as if ragga had never existed. As a version of Rivers of Babylon segues into a lyric that insists "you can't go into Zion with a carnal mind" (and they thought filling Dingwalls was tough), we know we are in for that ol' time roots and culture.
This is a place where someone on stage can holler "Jah!" and receive the response "Rastafari!!!" with no attendant irony. And that's just the white blokes. The effect, as a poet lectures us between songs about how Africa should just sort itself out, is less like a gig, and more like a revue for inner city schools, as each song reminds us that black children are beautiful, African and must learn their history, not - hurrah! - his story.
With it's anti-star collectivism, impeccable musicianship and unshowy singing, it is a mini-triumph, because the enthusiastic audience of young rastas and nice social worker types know what they like, and like what Jah know, and all very cosy it is too. Indeed, anyone who wouldn't like it is probably the kind of crazy baldhead who feels that both black music and the race debate have moved on in the last 20 years. Let's just say that, if Ken wins, one hopes he's picked up a liking for speed garage.
