Heatwave - Showtime - The Dancehall Stage Show, Cargo, London

It's been a long time since I felt the need to have to dust off my old Ragazine pen and actually REVIEW an event, but as I drove home from Cargo tonight I was wracking my brains for the last time that I attended such an inspiring event. – I came up blank!

Dancehall is alive and kicking and it's dwelling in East London!!!!!

Whenever I hear phrases like "History in the making" and "Legend" bandied about like so much confetti I always have a problem – if you don't believe me ask my brethren Ras Kwame, who I gently pulled up one time (It's the great Ras – you can't really trace him up!), as he had this penchant for introducing every other interviewee on his Radio 1 show as a "Legend" – but that's another story.

Tonight's event was called 'Showtime' and on paper it promised a lot but in my experience these things never live up to their 'paper billing'. I was initially invited to this event by Glamma Kid who'd mistakenly told me the event was a month prior. Then he was like "Yeah man it's also got Mr Williamz, General Levy, Lady Chann and a whole lot of artists on the bill."

I'm thinking, 'damn this sounds like it might be a bit of alright'. So I'm in my yard debating whether or not I'm going cos I'm just recovering from a tooth infection and haven't left the house for days when Glamma confirms that I'm on the guestlist. I happen to be speaking to my client Chardel at the time and say – 'You wanna Roll' – she's like "Yeah if I can sort out a babysitter!" Ten minutes later she calls – "You've got a date". So I laugh up to North Weezy, pick her up and head to the venue.

Here the cliché 'history in the making' is being thrown about the hall as much as the free horns and whistles to help build a 'Carnival vibe'.

SHOWTIME

The name of the event is Showtime – and showtime it was indeed as the emcee called for Mr Williamz, Lady Chann and Stylo G to come to the stage. Now I'm thinking 'you what, is that how you introduce people on stage?' The next thing you know it's organised chaos as first Mr Williamz takes the mic and gets the place in a frenzy then General Levy 'get in a spirit' and let loose his legendary 'Computer tongue'. Now the organised chaos comes into play as Lady Chann, Stylo G, Stush, Glamma Kid, YT, Seanie T and more jump on the stage with the Heatwave crew.

Now comes the rub – I profess to be a seasoned journalist, but right now words fail me to truly describe how it is Heatwave managed to encapsulate the old skool sound system vibe so well. The fact that General Levy was an uncontrollable ball of energy just meant that if there ever was a dull moment – it couldn't stay that way for long. Reppin' for the ladies, Chann & Stush also held their own on a stage full of more testosterone than the local sperm bank.

But wait, you tink we done? That was just the first half! I'm now thinking – 'there is no way that they are gonna top this off!' especially not after the night had become a dedication to our fallen Legend, Smiley Culture, with his sparring P, Asher Senator, Merlin Emmanuel then Mr Williamz & YT paying tribute.

Boy was I wrong! By now even my 'Berry can't take the excitement and my camera won't snap anymore as the night shifted a gear as the younger bloods – Legends in their own rights, would now mix & mingle with the Dancehall stars. First up, the effervescent Lady Chann with Glamma Kid to perform their current Sticky production, 'Informer'. Then the inevitable floodgates open again after Roll Deep's General, Wiley, Flow Dan and Manga switched up the flex to a grime MC Cypha which now ushered in Skibadee, Stush, General Levy, Stylo G, Mr Williamz and more to fill the East London venue with a sweet cacophony of Dancehall inspired vibes that have not been witnessed fully since the halcyon days of the Saxon Posse. Non-stop lyrics firing over one riddim track. One MC after another just riding the same riddim without a break – just happy to feel the vibe. I do believe the security must have confiscated many egos at the door because this could easily have degenerated into a case of "I'm too big to share a mic with you", but the camaraderie was a joy to behold.

This is the type of event that needs to be witnessed to be believed. It needs to be experienced to be truly understood. I'm just glad I was there to 'witness the fitness' as Roots Manuva would say.

Thank you Heatwave for turning back the clocks for me – I feel all 18-ish!!!!

It's 3 O'clock in the morning (GMT) but me nuh business! – My pen just had to come out and play. I now await the Youtube postings and the line-up for the next event. There's gotta be another event – surely!

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