The final sound checks were in progress and the different speakers were being put through their paces. First off the top set which were more focused on the hi-hat or cymbal sounds. The sound coming from both stacks was crisp and clean. Next was the middle set of speakers which emphasised the thump of the drum. The sound coming from both stacks felt like a full solid punch of sound in your chest. Finally both systems teased a sample of the bass delivery both were capable of. Even as I write this I am smiling as the bass which was unleashed from both systems literally had me quaking in my trainers. This was not bass you heard, this was bass that was felt throughout your entire body. Once again I must point out the two sound systems had not brought their entire sound system that night. Emperorfari had only brought one third of his set up, ONE THIRD!!
As the night began, the entire venue was filled with the smell of Frankincense, Myrrh and Uddh which was burned as incense. As part of the Rastafarian tradition, this important ritual is done to purify and cleanse the air. Both systems took turns to play two tunes off their own systems. Maasai would play either Vinyl or CD; however Emperorfari was strictly a Vinyl ONLY Sound system. Within a very short time, the venue filled out nicely. Watching Paul Maasai in action was a sight to behold. A father and son combination, Young Maasai would be at the controls manipulating the different levels whilst father Paul Maasai would take care of the mic duties. Alongside rocking the crowd, both father and son would be dancing something wicked which in turn got the crowd involved even further.
The Emperorfari sound system offered a different flavour to proceedings by having Bonnie Blazer, Stamina Li, Amelia Harmony, Naffi I Ellis grace the mic throughout the evening. Sista Ana Rebel Joseph was also on hand free styling on the Melodica. To complement both systems, Drumlove stepped up to enhance the vibe by playing live drums.
The atmosphere throughout the night was one of love and unity. As Scee mentioned the night before this was a Unity dance and this was evident. There were Black, White, Asian, men, women, old, young, rich, poor and everyone in between. Everyone was well behaved throughout, no badness, no attitude, no disrespect.
It was a place where the vibe was crazy but at the same time people respected the music, the sound systems and the promotion. As Bonnie put it, there was a mystical atmosphere that night and I would agree. Throughout the night the atmosphere was intense with Emperorfari and Maasai Warrior taking turns to rock the crowd. Each time a tune was played, it was impossible to stand stationary. You would be nodding your head or tapping your foot at the very least and once the bass line was brought in, your entire body would be shaking by the sheer power of the bass!! A DJ would typically mix tunes between two decks via a mixer. At One Dub, each sound played off a single deck, with sound effects played between tunes. As the tunes are played, the soundman would choose which speakers would be playing using a separate rack filled with amplifiers. A typical tune would be played for about a minute with only the top and middle speakers playing. Then like a sudden wave of intense energy, the bass would be brought it by the soundman and BOOM the whole venue would be shaking. This is not an exaggeration; the ENTIRE VENUE would be shaking.
Iman Issachar is the man behind One Dub and is from Birmingham. Taking time out to speak to us, he wanted people to know the dance was all about unity and love. He brought One Dub to Leicester as he knew there was a big sound system following and that the Leicester people know how to get down. There was support from other sound systems, producers and Dj's for the night also. King Earthquake, Kilowatt Sounds, Bheja Fry, Dj Uri, Josh, Tribal Productions and Morrell Sound system members were all in the venue plus loads more.
The entire event was a massive success and I hope Iman does bring One Dub back to Leicester. When this happens, I would encourage anyone reading this article to attend. If you want a night out where you feel safe, can dance till you can’t dance anymore, where everyone is friendly and where you will hear the very best sound systems, then go to a One Dub event.
Friday Flex would like to thank Scee Naphtali, Bonnie Blazer, Jam Dubber and the entire Emperorfari Family, Maasai Warrior Thunderweight Sound system, Iman Issachar and all One Dub staff along with The Music cafe for making us feel so welcome. Finally, all the people that tuned into the show and came out to have a fantastic night, Big Ups for your support which is what is needed to help this go from strength to strength.