Known as the African Reggae King, the Transvaal-born Dube is a huge star in his native land and increasingly popular abroad especially with ex-pats. Playing before a sell-out audience which was at least 60% black (mostly South African and Zimbabwean) it was an extraordinary sight to behold and a sure sign of the changing times – and city – we live in.
With a voice very similar in tone to Peter Tosh, Dube and his superb band performed a set of very traditional sounding but irresistibly floor-shaking reggae that had the crowd in the palm of his hand for the entire show. He cuts a striking figure on the small stage dressed all in white his dreadlocks flowing around his shoulders. There was some serious skanking to live favourites such as ‘Feeling Irie’, ‘Together As One’, ‘Reggae Man’ and the all-embracing message of ‘Different Colours/One People’.
Introducing the title track of his latest album, The Other Side he declared: “Black people here want to go back to Africa, black people in Africa want to come over here,” to huge cheers. “But the grass isn’t always greener on the other side” – a thought-provoking commentary on migration that must’ve struck a chord with many in the audience tonight.