Bubblin' in Itestable! Dub Organiser Hi-Fi in Whitstable

Friday 24th February 2017
The New Inn, Whitstable

This was the best reggae night I've been to in years. Graham from UKC Psychedelics Society brought it to my attention, so I decided to cycle over and check it out. I didn't get my expectations up as it's happened far too often that I've been taken in by red-yellow-and-green posters and flyers sporting Rasta iconography and promising "roots" and "dub", only to end up being subjected to hours of nasty dancehall and alienating modern techno-dub. Fortunately, this wasn't one of those occasions...

There's a lovely cosy little space at the end of The New Inn, perfect for a soundsystem of this size. The music gradually morphed from spiritual roots through rocksteady, Studio One sounds and rockers, lots of dub thrown in the DJ getting busy on the mic as the dancefloor filled up. There was a little bit of ska to keep the local former skinheads happy (but really tasteful jazzy stuff). I was dancing continually from 8 to 12pm (apart from a quick trip to the bar to get an orange juice), then realised I hadn't eaten that evening. I got home on a few ricecakes, woke up full of energy and joy.

It took the UKC PsychSoc crew arriving en masse and taking to the dancefloor to get the locals up and moving, so good on them and all their postivity. I have a happy memory of silly dancing with Emily of Bagpuss fame, she was having a great night, very merry... such a nice feeling of peace and unity is engendered by 70s reggae and dub played through an analogue system at a decent volume. Pure musical love.

To my great delight, they dropped this just before the end, an all-time favourite — love this bassline, and can't recall hearing the version before:
 

Dub Organiser are from Brixton, I think. Apparently they do this New Inn thing bimonthly. I'll be there! In fact, I'd go up to London for an evening of reggae like that.