One of my biggest upsets this festival season was not being able to attend this year's Afropunk
- the line up was phenomenal, and after going last year, although there
were things to improve on, I knew that this year would never
disappoint. Luckily I had eyes and ears on the inside and so here's a
recap and review of Day One written by Black Girl Ready To Rumble...
It was the crowd’s energy that first called to me. Walking in
halfway through the set of a band I had never heard of, it became immediately
clear that this was a band I needed to get to know. The Heavy: a British rock band from Bath took to the Green Stage and had the crowd completely in their thrall.
Within seconds of joining the energized crowds, I and my companions were
dancing like long-term fans even singing along at parts. Kelvin Swaby, the lead
vocalist of the band has a stage presence of a true rock star – voice like silk
and the ability to make his audience feel like part of the band. The band worked
so well together, clearly feeding off each other’s energy so that as an
audience member you were compelled to believe in their message. At moments,
Swaby had the crowd screaming like wolves during their set of “How You Like Me Now”. This was a well-oiled machine that managed to feel authentic, raw and not
overly rehearsed.
Festival Review: Afropunk Day One
Another new discovery was Saul Williams an act recommended by one of the co-founders of the festival. Generally, I tend not to be a fan of spoken word over music because I
feel the music overshadows the words which lessens the overall impact of the
performance. Saul Williams, however, proved to be an exception. With his
alternative hip-hop sound and bold lyrics/poems advocating for black power
across America and the diaspora, Williams mixes a sound (hip-hop) that came
from black resistance in the urban ghettos of America with a message that
resonates with the universal black community. As a performer, he is engaging –
filling the stage with a righteous anger that you cannot help but buy into. The
music works over his poetry because it is created to complement the message.
The music is brash, in your face, loud, rhythmic hip-hop designed to get you on
your feet, throwing yourself into the commotion of the crowd unapologetically
and without fear.
Finally, after hearing so much about her music, and more recently from this post, I got a
chance to see Little Simz perform and
I was floored. With a live band accompanying her set, Simz, was a throwback to
the jazz age that inspired hip-hop. Despite not having the brashness of Williams and The Heavy, Simz carried along the crowd gathered at the Red Stage
even those of us at the fringes of the packed space. Running through both old
and newer songs in her catalogue, Simz showed off both her range and growth as
an artist. She was a delight to see perform, engaging with the crowd on a
personal level – giving us a glimpse into the personal side of the artists
making the set about more than just the music. I am looking forward to spending
time with her catalogue and enjoying her music on a one-to-one basis.
Closing the day was The Internet, who we had gotten a glimpse of prior as Syd joined Little Simz on
stage for "Shotgun". This is a must-see band because not only do they have a
stellar discography as a group but also individually. The crowd was treated to
classic The Internet songs like "Girl" and "Special Affair/Curse" as well as songs from Syd’s debut album Fin
and Steve Lacy’s 2017 Demo. This mix of sounds and showcasing of the range
within the group allowed for the audience to develop a relationship not just
with the music of the band but also gain understanding of the individual voices
that contribute to the whole. As the closing act for Day One, The Internet,
capped off a stellar day, keeping the energy present throughout the day from
start to finish of their set.
I was honestly convinced that the high Afropunk 2016 gave me
could not be recreated. But in just one day of the two-day Afropunk London 2017
Festival all my expectations from Afropunk were met and surpassed. Despite
being unable to attend both days, I see myself as having won because I got to
fall in love with three new acts and see an act I have admired for ages perform
live and smash their set. Think Afropunk Paris is calling my name for 2018 and I already
cannot wait!
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