GORILLA ZEN
Finding the Zen on two wheels
19/6/2017 0 Comments Scientist @ Fox & Firkin
Hopeton Overton Brown (18/04/1960) a.k.a Scientist is a jamaican producer, famous for his sick dub mixes of reggae tunes in the 80's. He was one of the pioneers of dub, and a protegé of the legendary King Tubby with whom he learned his craft. His albums have some of the best names ever: Scientist wins the world cup, Scientis Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires, Heavyweight Dub Champion.
He made a concert in London a couple of weeks ago, but I couldn't go. To my surprise he was playing again last sunday and this time I wouldn't miss it! It was also a great opportunity to go for a night ride! Usually London is not the best place for night rides, as most of the year is cold and humid, but last night the weather was perfect: 25C, clear sky and empty roads. It wasn't hard to convince my GF Ollie to get her new bike, Ody, and ride with me. The concert happened at the Fox & Firkin, a cool pub in Lewisham that always have some live music to cheer up the place. It has a really nice selection of beers and a nice backyard garden. From my place, it is a 13km ride, going through iconic places such as Tower Bridge, and dear places like Deptford, where we lived for a few months in 2016. It was an easy ride, with not many places to get lost. There is something about going out with my bike instead of taking public transport that makes me enjoy everything much more. Maybe is the fact that I don't spend money, or that I burn some sugar, allowing me to eat a bit more... Or maybe is just the freedom of it all! The concert was great. A big mixing desk on stage and a sidekick releasing the tracks from a laptop for him. The Scientist looked as if he was just an ordinary guy, no shiny outfit nor anything. But when he was mixing it live, what a talent! It is amazing how he transformed each tune in an unique experience. Bass. Drum n' bass. Throw in some keyboards, a nice melody. Bass. Drums. Space travel soundtrack. The music was evolving there, in front of you! The MC's were great, but they would talk all the time. I think you need a balance, let the crowd listen to the bass, the drums, let the music build up, and then you sing. It is the Heavyweight Dub Champion after all. Coming back from Lewisham was easy, and the temperature, perfect. Going out with the bike is an amazing thing! No need to wait for a bus, or the underground. You leave the time you want and you're already on the move! The only problem was when some stupid driver went really close to us in full speed, honking while overtaking us. That's why, no matter what, you need to keep vigilant while riding through the roads!
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