BackBeat Sound System: Golden Lion Bristol, Saturday 5th March 2011

Backbeat Sound System
The Golden Lion, Bristol
Saturday 5th March 2011

Alaina Henderson

Backbeat Sound System. Heard of them? If not, you soon will. As an already up and coming band from Cornwall, they're setting about establishing themselves even more firmly with their current tour across the country.
Anyone who attended one of the many South West festivals in 2010 would probably have come across this eight-piece funk, reggae, dub, soul, rap outfit, one of which being Boardmasters festival on the beach, perfect for their laid back, rhythmic and relaxing vibes.
The Cornish masters of cool are now bringing their unique live experience to all areas of the country, including the Golden Lion on Bristol’s contemporary corner of Gloucester Road, where they are playing tonight.
On first impression it looks like a normal pub, with a few people milling around the bar area and not a lot else happening. Come 10pm, the place is packed, full of energy with crowds of people eagerly waiting the start of the gig. It’s quite obvious that these people have been aware of this band for a long time and not many have just popped along out of curiosity. The atmosphere is buzzing – in a laid back kind of way of course – and with such a loyal following it’s easy to see the popularity of these guys, which makes the anticipation of the show ahead even bigger.
They took to the stage at around 10.30pm and start up with an initial blasting from their trumpet player, soon combined with funky beats from the drum, bass, keys, sax, guitar and synth. This instantly causes everyone in the area to ‘skank’ simultaneously. You just can’t help it, believe me.
Lead singer Dean Forrest has an amazing voice full of soul, as smooth and silky as a coconut cocktail on a Jamaican beach. This mixes perfectly with the easy going and mellow vibe this band are all about. They are probably the largest in numbers of their kind you will come across, and to find a group of such gifted performers in one go is something to be seen. Each member is a huge talent in their own right; they are the funk, the soul and the rhythm, which equates to this mind blowing concoction for all the senses.
Songs like ‘Navigate the Motivator’ and ‘Mr. Nice’ prove that you can’t come to see this band without getting involved, singing and dancing and wanting to be right in the middle of the action, while ‘One Step Forward’ and ‘Love Dub’, will have you daydreaming about the seemingly distant memories of sunshine and waves of the sea in the festivals of last year, which are fast approaching for this summer.
If you haven’t discovered BBSS yet, then give them a chance. You will be telling your mates they are one of the best new bands you’ve heard in a long time, and will probably find they are the main reason you choose which festival to go to this year.