Carl at the Notting Hill Carnival, August 2000 - London, England - Official Report

Carl Brown(Ipswich, England) visit to Notting Hill Carnival, London, England - August 2000

The music stopped me in my tracks. They playing some hardcore Ragga which moved me as I was going to go pass. The "Selector" and "Mc" had the Crowd eating out of there hand. I beleive they were touching on some Bouty Killer tunes

"If you want a rewind, give me this sign", I heard him say.

Whereby he was motioning to the crowd in front of him a circling action with his hand in the air. Suggesting that we give the DJ(the selector) the sign to rewind the track. The crowd responded brilliantly.

This certain "selector" dropped Beenie Man’s "Zim Zimmer", with which the crowd went mad. A number of girls in front of me were boggling. This attracted a lot of men in trying to wiggle in and between the crowds to join in. But a number of the girls were having none of it. And told them were to go. However, a lucky few were successful, and it did make interesting watching.

Another Ragga track that had a huge response was "Heads High". This had to be rewound 2 times due to the popularity of the song. Arms were flaying all around, girls were boggling, heads were nodding and smiles abundant. Made it a moment in which you didn’t want it to have to end.

"Who wants some UK Garage then?" Asked another Mc.
"By the way, where’s the noisy crew? Where the Noisy crew??". He shouted.

Horns, whistles and cheers greeted this question immediately.

"Okay, glad that you’re around. Who wants some Garage. Uk Garage then?

An almighty cheer went up for this answer. And a even bigger cheer went up for that track being dropped at that moment in time.

"I feel Good, Good, Good
I feel good so wonderful Good
I feel good, good, good
In mi neighborhood…"

Yes it was "Neighborhood", by Zed Bias, Locked On Records, England that was the tune if the Carnival for me.

Such was the noise. That he Mc, had to ask the sound system technicians to turn up the volume on his mic which was loud in the beginning.

"Just touch it back a little dj. Dj, Touch it back".

He waited until this was done and then procalimed..
"This is for the Uk Garage crews within London town…"...

And then finally the tune was dropped after the 5th time as he kept asking for the tune to replayed.

I tried to take a picture of the pandemonium but I decided against it. You could move let alone take a picture. The Sub Bass, the Ragga chat , and girls cooing with the song makes it a anthem already in England.

The Uk Garage sound from the Music Incorporated sound system remained the lick for the next 30 minutes, as tune after tune of UK Garage titles were dropped to the delight of the crowd.

However, a Fresh DJ and Mc came to the stand, and announced that they were to drop some Hip Hop.

"Yeah Haw"… went the Mc, and the crowd went crazy. Buster Rhymes was coming UP next. But he was teasing the crowd a bit..

"Where's my Hip Hop Crew?"

He then notion to his DJ, and the track was dropped. What a sight. The Music Incorporated crowd were well into their sounds. Boy did they love this. So did I. The beat was so funky.

"Watch out"…

A path had opened up for a group of girls all holding each other waist as they made there way through the dense crowd. There must have been about 6 of them making their way through. All of the fellas tried to grab them but they didn’t break sweat and carried through regardless. The music didn’t stop, but I did hear a few people cursing about them as they went by.

The music continued on a Hip Feel for about 30 minutes which bought more people to this particular sound system thenever. Classic such as "Strong Island", by Jvc Force were dropped as well. Get the picture?

Flags of Jamaica were everywhere, and a few from Trinidad as well as the Union Jack (British Flag) were seen as well.

What annoyed me was the sight of couples trying to force their way through the crowds via the buggies that there young children were sitting in .Age no more then 3 or 4 years old. I thought this to be irresponsible and dangerous with the way that this type of crowd were in.

They were using the symphony of getting through with a child in his buggy to get past you or further into the crowd. Someone should band people bring children to Carnival in this state. I thought.

The bright brilliant Sunshine that had greeted us earlier on in the day had now gone. It was still sunny but the it had lost it gloss. It was getting darker now.

However, we had another spell of UK Garage given to us. And now that the Music Incorporated Sound System had attracted its biggest crowd. It wasn’t going to disappoint.

"Sincere" by M.J.Cole was dropped, so was "Boom Boom Boom Selector" by Genius ( which was a firm favourite!!), also making the decks were "Casualty", "Love Shy", etc ,etc

Yes my favourite Mc kept on telling us.

"If you want a rewind, give me this sign", which towards the end got tiresome, but it worked for him still.

The final tune was I believe "Neighborhood"…

Which when the final bars of the songs were played a lot of people stood around in disbelief meaning that was it for next year. It was only 7.30pm.

There screams for ..

"Just one more Selector"
Drop sir, just drop one more seen?

But they were having none of it. Reluctantly, the crowd started to make it way to the nearest noise or sound systems that they could find. They were a few that were open. But everyone like me who didn’t want it to finish had the same idea. And that ment for and almighty clash of people. Those wanting to find another sound system, and stay a little longer and those that want to leave and get home as quickly as possible.

"Hold on People. Hold on there, let these people through first before we touch down with another tune"..shouted the Mc’ through the mega phone.

Some order was granted for a few minutes as these people that he was talking about were young women with children that were housed inside these child carriers or buggies. However, as soon as a path had been made for them and they went though pandemonium regained again. And reluctantly the Mc’ nodded in the direction of the DJ, who dropped some Dub Reggae.

Horns and whistles greeted this gesture as soon as the first bars of the song came over the crowd. The Crowd sway to the beat. Some had to held up such was the strength of the swaying.

"Mind me kid na" I heard one pissed off parent to another, as he nearly knowcked his son flying.

At around 8.00pm about 7 uniformed Police officers circled around this sound system which meant that the time was up.

"I’m sorry sar, but that is it. As you can see the boys in blue are here, and there is nothing we can do about it."

There was a huge groan as this meant that it was the end of yet another Carnival.

Well, that’s it for another year. Now the hardest part. Trying to get home whilst in this mass crowd.

It didn’t bother me really there were so many nice girls around you didn’t want to go home. Well, not just yet anyway.

carl@garage-music.com

carl@anglianet.co.uk