The most eagerly anticipated event of the reggae calendar had arrived - Prince Buster was taking the stage at The Opera House in Bournemouth. UKRG had been covering the build up to the show and most of the crew had made it down, including our very own professional photographer, Nicky Grayburn. I would like to thank Mr. Kyps for involving UKRG and long may this relationship continue.

This was my first visit to The Opera House and I was so impressed with the venue that I feel it deservers a few words. The building has been in use since 1895, when it was known as the Boscombe Grand Theatre. Since then it’s seen several different incantations, however each time remaining as a music & entertainment venue, hosting legendary acts such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and David Bowie. The Slinky international dance brand also made its name at the venue. Recently the place has had a multimillion pound restoration, the result of which blends modern technology with all the grandeur of a 100 year old entertainment venue.

Walking through the double doors into the main arena you are greeted by an awe-inspiring sight; a lavishly designed domed roof looms above, a double balcony runs round the dance-floor, supported by a series of pillars with gold gilding and ornately carved architraves - you could be forgiven in thinking you have returned to an age of past glory, splendour and grandness.

The royal box sits to the right of the stage and is the height of opulence. Running around the first floor balcony are booths, with tables, offering excellent seating positions and waitress service. The stage is equally impressive with the sound-system and lighting systems second to none.

Providing the tunes for the night was Mark Lamarr, well respected within the reggae scene for his weekly reggae radio show. Lamarr warmed up the crowd with a blend of old time ska, rock-steady and early roots tunes before introducing the first act of the evening, Django.

These guys took us back to the days of two-tone, blending ska, punk and rock into a fine mix of energetic and edgy up-tempo tunes. They dropped several tracks of their own material, including the impressive ‘It’s Over’, alongside several covers, the highlight of which was ‘Pressure Drop’, which raised the roof and fired us up for the main event.

The time had arrived, Buster was due on stage. The band appeared first; the extensive horn section (two sax, two trombone, plus a trumpet) dressed to impress in classic black suits with white shirts, followed by a surprise guest – Mr. Delroy Williams. Delroy whipped up the crowd, while the band gave us a taster of tunes to come. This was followed by a few songs courtesy of Delroy, including a fantastic tribute to the late great Desmond Dekker with ‘007 (Shanty Town)’. The Opera House went crazy. By this time the crowd had swelled and pushed forward, eager for Buster to make his appearance. Personally this was a magical moment, anyone who reads UKRG will know I’m a huge fan of the old time vibes, so it was a very special experience.

Dressed all in leather and sporting his black ‘pork-pie’ style hat, Buster commanded the stage with ease, whipping us into a frenzy, working the crowd and patrolling the stage with an air of supreme confidence. Buster has done it all, many claim he was the guy who invented ska and at seventy years old he has lost none of his passion, vigour or love for the music. The band and horn section were incredible, doing an amazing amount of justice to the original songs, dropping classic after classic, the crowd singing each and every word. Delroy Williams made an excellent partner for Buster, full of enthusiasm he bounded around the stage, providing backing vocals and a host of traditional ska sounds.

We were treated to all the usual suspects such as ‘Al Capone’; ‘Madness’; ‘Shaking Up Orange Street’; ‘Wash Your Troubles Away’; ‘Rough Rider’; ‘Hard Man Fe Dead’; ‘Whine and Grine’ plus a host of gems including ‘Too Hot’ and ‘Burke’s Law.’

When the end was upon us, the crowd screamed for more, feet pounding the floor, shaking The Opera House to its foundations. An encore was inventible - we were treated to two! The show finally ended with a rip roaring rendition of the 1949 classic, ‘Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)' and without a shadow of a doubt all present most definitely did enjoy themselves.

Review by JumpUp

All photographs by Nicky Grayburn

Photos of the night; 

>> Gallery One

>> Gallery Two

>> Gallery Three

>> Back To Dances & Live Events Reviews

>> Back to Reviews Home