November 17 2008, Live: Roots Manuva. At Théâtre de l'Alhambra, Paris, France

Artists

• Roots Manuva

Promotion

• Théâtre de l'Alhambra, Paris - Venue

Review

There was high anticipation for the concert of Roots Manuva in Paris, as it launched the band's French tour. It was Roots' first time playing at the new Alhambra Theater here and was probably also a first for a large part of the audience! Applied during the two first tracks, Roots was singing to an audience as proper and clean as the venue*... but that didn't last long. The crowd that came to listen to Rodney Smith and his crew were hit hard by the good vibes made in Manuva! the MC's turned the crowd with the backup help of the keys, flutes and turntables... giving Roots some great bouncy beats full of dub, dancehall, hip hop, reggae & electro... perfect combination to demo all the tracks from his latest album "Slime & Reason". Well produced, powerful sounds full of humor and casualness, in Roots' usual style (Roots also played some now legendary hip hop tracks from previous albums like "Too Cold").
A delight for the ears, hips and the feet. A musical slap in the face! Amazing.
Special thanks to the MK2 crew for their help on the production side.

* The Theater is brand-spanking-new! Roots' reaction to this: "It's the first time that I check a backstage so clean, no graffiti anywhere in sight!!"... The Alhambra has big-venue potential, status that will be earned over the years, once it gets a bit dirtier and when people will be able to think back on fond memories of the place!


On l'attendait de pied ferme. Nous n'avons pas été déçu. Roots Manuva était à Paris et ce concert lançait sa tournée à travers la France. First time à l'Alhambra pour Roots et probablement pour la plupart du public. Appliqué, le londonien se confronta (le temps de deux titres) à une foule aussi proprette que la salle*...mais un temps seulement. La foule venue écouter Rodney Smith et ses potes fut évidemment happée par la good vibe rootsmanuvienne... Les MC prirent donc les choses en main, armés de platines et de claviers. Ils servirent à Roots des prods bouncy nourries de dub, dancehall, hiphop, reggae, électro... le cocktail parfait pour Roots qui déclina alors un set chargé de morceaux du dernier album "Slime & Reason". Ce même hip hop léché, puissant, plein d'humour et de désinvolture que l'on retrouve dans ces précédents albums (dans lesquelles il alla piocher quelques perles connus de tous comme Too cold).
Un régal pour les oreilles et les hanches. Une claque !
Special Thanks to MK2 Crew

* Le théatre a fait peau neuve...la preuve: "c'est la première fois que je squatte des backstages aussi propres, sans tags!!" dixit Roots... Comprendre: Vivement que l'Alhambra gagne en expérience et souvenirs!