David Rodigan @ Sin City 12-2-2010

I remember listening to David Rodigan on Capital radio in the 1970’s. I had no idea he was white and he sounded like he inhabited a world so distanced from mine and so incredibly exotic that I found it hard to completely relate to him. That said I was always fascinated by Funk, soul, jazz and Reggae and into my later teens started to discover some of the clubs and record shops in London that played or stocked this stuff. Over the years I have heard him on the radio, seen his name billed and read about him but I’m sure I’ve never seen him DJ live. I don’t know why that is because there must have been many opportunities and I’ve been to a number of dub and reggae clubs in the UK over the years.

Anyway, what do you expect when a older white man gets on stage with his national health style glasses, a slightly flabby midriff and a distinctly ordinary dress sense? Pure magic, that’s what. Its impossible to describe the impact. He danced, he jumped, he MC’d he DJ’d beautifully, he educated like a teacher in dub, he sung, he chanted , he span back from in front of the desks while speaking on the mic. It was non stop, seamless poetry in motion. BUT, most importantly, it was the best bit of entertainment(and education) I’ve had in a club probably ever. This man shows up every boring no talent DJ for what they are. He plays the rootsiest, most historically important tunes of the dub and Reggae genre, knowing most of the artists who made the records and in many cases with the artists name checking him on their records. BUT, he plays no 1 chart records as well ( from the 60s of course) and ends with JONNY CASH “ring of fire”. The place was going ape shit. This a predominantly young crowd with an average age of no more than 20-25. Totally mental. I managed to fire off a few shots while he was performing but none of my words or pictures can come close to giving you the reality of a David Rodigan performance.

David you have renewed my faith in the art of djing. Long may you continue to do it. And hopefully I will experience it again in the not too distant future.