Secousse At Notting Hill Arts Club: Reviewed

Secousse At Notting Hill Arts Club: Reviewed

11 May, 2010
by: Robertswaine86

Rob Swaine visits Notting Hill and ends up at a carnival and it's not even the August bank holiday weekend yet!

It's funny how the nights you know the least about can often turn out to be the best. On a tube to the Notting Hill Arts Club alone on a Friday night, the only name on the bill that I can relate to is Radioclit, who founded the Secousse night I'm headed to. All I know of the other acts is that they've been hand picked by the aforementioned ghettopop duo, Johan Karlberg and Etienne Tron, as representative of the Secousse tropical ideal.

I arrive in time to catch the entire Monkfish set, the first live act of the evening. They play only a short half hour set but it's hugely energetic from the first conga hit to the last. Not only sonically but visually exciting too – the group consists of an eclectic mix of people, varying in age, gender and ethnic origin, all of whom have come together to celebrate their obvious passion for the same thing: African and Caribbean pop music.

Although each member brings their own individual style to the band, they work together as a strong unit. Notably the drummer appears to be a sixty-something ageing rocker, while at end of the spectrum, the frontman is dressed almost entirely in authentic East African attire as he urges the crowd to lose themselves in the music. You'd never have guessed that these guys are the warm up act, as the crowd is already giving it their all and getting properly stuck in on the dancefloor. It's a sign of good things to come.

Next up, The Hackney Empire show us what they're made of. Dressed in ponchos and sombreros, their music is immediately as fun as their outfits. With less members than Monkfish, they're tighter and clearly that little bit more experienced. A few songs in, with the crowd already hooked on their addictive rhythms, they unveil their secret weapon: MC Kastro. Triggering off siren samples to announce his arrival, Kastro completes The Hackney Empire line-up, bringing an extra level of showmanship to their overall act. As he chants indecipherable lines over the top of the backing band, those lucky enough to be shaking it down on the dancefloor are lapping it up, shouting back their guesses as to the lyrics with huge smiles on their faces.

With the live acts now finished, the stage is quickly dismantled and opened up as a raised platform for dancing. Radioclit are already behind the decks and the carnival continues. Their monster electronic worldbeat tribal grooves provide the perfect progression for the night, picking up where the bands left off and taking it to the next level. With the introduction of each new tune, the energy in the music gets more and more intense, and the humidity in the room peaks as sweat drips from every face in the place. It's the funnest work-out I've had in a while.

Perhaps one of the most pleasant surprises of the evening is the venue itself. The Notting Hill Arts Club is full of vibrant, young folks all out to have a good time, and that doesn't stop at the bar staff, who seem to take a shot of something for themselves with every cocktail they make. Perhaps it's no surprise then that they maintain a cheerful and helpful service throughout the night. That said, it's hard not to be happy when the music's so good and the whole venue is transformed into one big party. You'd certainly be forgiven for thinking you're in St Lucia, especially with palm tree images projected onto every wall. With one Secousse event every month, I can't wait to return to the Notting Hill tropical party paradise again.

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Robertswaine86