St Lukes, 27 April
As the 3rd oldest church building in Glasgow, dating back to 1836, Saint Luke’s has become one of the standout venues in the city, and it was fitting that Jah Wobble brought his band to reflect on a piece of his own musical history, that of ‘Metal Box’ which, as the title of the updated album and show reminds us, has been ‘Rebuilt In Dub’.
John Wardle, to give him his Sunday name, is a man who seems content with life, happily recounting tales of the past and the present to an attentive audience.
He is equally adept at sharing the limelight with his fellow band members each of whom add a layer of musicianship that brings all the songs played during the night to life.
Both Martin Chung and Jon Klein on guitar, stand throughout on either side of Jah Wobble, smiling as the banter is fired in all directions while offering the powerful chords that lend dynamism to each track.
There’s a simplicity to their playing and, while there are times for some solo grandstanding, these rare moments are part of the show where Jah Wobble is impressing on the audience that it is the ‘entirety of the group’ making the music flow in all its rich depth and breadth on the night.
Drummer Marc Leyton Bennet, at times the ‘fall guy’ to Jah’s wit, is kept on his toes as the set flows through differing tempos across the individual tracks and, even within specific songs, where the music ebbs and flows as the band provide a musical experience not often found in the recorded output.
George King on keyboards, another to be on the receiving end of some jovial banter throughout, has the skill and temperament to take everything in his stride. Is that a jazz sequence he is playing? a bit of the classics thrown in for good measure? or is it a man content in the knowledge that his playing is a key foundation to the whole musical experience?
The band are a tight unit. For them the evening could be a rehearsal, a jam session, an evening with old friends getting together for some fun. For the audience, it is an experience that enables us all to enjoy the time they are together on stage.
The music itself was sublime with Poptones, Swan Lake and Graveyard the standout moments in a set that never deviated from excellent.
Support DJ GK Machine
Is a DJ a support act? In this case, most definitely. The tracks played were the perfect introduction to a night of dub. Standing in the church pulpit, he held sway for an hour before Jah Wobble and the Invaders of the Heart entered the stage.
Unlike other support acts who have been kicked off stage 30 minutes before the headliners, GK Machine was on hand to play them on stage, watch Jah Wobble dance to the track pounding out of the speakers and then, with applause resounding around the venue, left his position to enable the main players to begin their set.
A fine way to begin any evening of music.
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