Having grown up in Angola and Lisbon, I wonder what the members of Buraka Som Sistema make of this freakish London winter. I for one am not impressed; queuing in the snow isn’t really my scene. Fortunately it doesn’t take too long to get in, and soon we are warming our bones whilst contemplating the strangeness of coming to see live Kuduru in a venue like the Scala. Looking around, you'd think that the crowd were here to witness the latest indie band rather than a group at the fore of the global underground dance scene. I suppose that's the double edged sword of being endorsed by the likes of M.I.A. – it attracts the Sunday papers demographic. Another thing that puzzles me are the people waving Portuguese flags – this really doesn't seem like the time or the place for nationalism of any kind.
I am still mentally composing my mini-tirade when Buraka Som Sistema take to the stage and immediately set about blowing the place apart. The opening double-whammy of 'Luanda to Lisboa' and 'Kalemba' is delivered with the sort of breathtaking power that the Scala has probably never witnessed before. I join everyone else in chanting 'wegue wegue'. Who knows, who even cares what it means? If Buraka Som Sistema were a death cult then by this stage I would be happily knocking back the cyanide.
They line up in a classic 3 MCs and 1 DJ formation, flanked on either side by a drummer and a percussionist. DJ Lil' John pulls the strings, but the real energy comes from the pounding tribal rhythms and the sheer magnetism of the vocalists. Kalaf and Conductor take turns singing, shouting, rhyming and dancing; female MC Blaya does all of the above in addition to some seriously impressive displays of booty shaking. The frantic party atmosphere peaks as they perform their biggest hits 'Yah' and 'Sound of Kuduru', and much to my delight Lil' John finds the time to expertly mix in some classic ringtone hits. 'Rhythm is a Dancer' and 'You're No Good For Me' haven't sounded this good since I was 10 years old in my mid-90s salad days.
Ultimately, the sell-out crowd does respond appropriately by invading the stage during the encore, disproving to an extent my assumptions about a posse of middle class Guardian readers. Buraka Som Sistema are absolutely phenomenal. Still, I'd much rather see them in a club - I think to myself whilst sipping on my skinny mocca-latte-frappuccino. Oh, hypocrisy; thou truly art the mirror of my vanities!
Live photo credit: bratha
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