Carnival – the word incites culture, community and music. Last weekend The Hackney Carnival, held in the Old Baths, did an enviable job of emulating these principles.
It possessed many carnival staples; a weighty sound-system provided by Roots Guidance, diverse musical programming and flavoursome food and drinks on offer. At times, these elements came together fantastically – big shouts to Bem Vindo a Caporia Angola troupe who entertained a healthy crowd in the extensive outdoor area with martial artistry that paired acrobatics, dancing and Berimbau driven music. Roots Guidance and Shere Kahn showcased the dub component of the day to an intimate yet appreciative early audience in the hall, whilst in the Gallery punters could be seen wildly gesticulating to jungle and dancehall.
However, as with any UK carnival, you’re at prey to the elements. Not just in terms of nature, where the rain chose to dampen the spirits of those outside, but also in the form of threats of neighbouring noise complaints, evident from the volume restrictions. Yet the carnival prevailed, and when the downpour came, the Samba Drum Ensemble, originally billed for outside, were slotted into the main hall bringing the Latin groove inside and fully packing the floor.
This set the stage for Trojan Soundsystem, Iration Steppas and DJ Randall to keep the energy pulsating till night with intelligent selections comprising of a potent mix of lesser-known dubs and stock crowd pleasers. As Earl Gateshead called for things to get heavy, The Hackney Carnival’s triumph against uncontrollable factors was clear, carved onto the faces of those packing out the Old Bath’s boisterous dancefloor.
