The Congos & The Gladiators | Paard, The Hague | 23-06-2024

The Congos are one of the last Jamaican groups to have remained in their original formation since the 1970s, and one inevitably feels this unity, this powerful cohesion during their concerts, which are like true Rastafarian masses. Indeed, Cedric Myton, Ashanti Roy, Watty Burnett, and Talash, the most recent addition, are true Rastafarians who live and act in accordance with the image they convey and who have remained close to their roots and principles. Of course, their fame was first built around the mythical album “Heart of the Congos,” recorded at the legendary Black Ark studio by Lee “Scratch” Perry and which contains pearls of roots reggae showcasing their vocal performances like “La La Bam Bam,” “Open The Gate,” or “Congo Man,” but especially the famous “Fisherman,” which is considered by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the top ten reggae tracks of all time. Like many other artists of their time, they have been less prolific in recent years, but their last two albums, “Swinging Bridge” and “Back In The Black Ark” (recorded again with Lee Perry), each contain timeless songs carried by exceptional vocal harmonies, such as “Ten Million Chariots,” “Spiritual Organization,” “La La Bella,” “Garden of Life,” or “Old Time Friend,” to name just a few. Ever tireless, they are once again entering the studio to record a new album, which will be released in the spring of 2024 during a European tour where they will share the stage with the GLADIATORS, another major name in Jamaican music. Get ready for some great festive moments.

The Gladiators were founded in 1967 by Albert Griffiths, who chose this name after seeing gladiator fights in the film “Ben Hur.” The idea of these men fighting for their freedom, akin to the struggle against Babylon, immediately appealed to Rastafarians and still resonates today in the fight against the harshness of life in Jamaica. They wrote iconic tracks of 1970s Roots Rock Reggae such as “Hello Carol,” “Bongo Red,” or “Roots Natty,” but it was in 1976 with the release of the legendary “Trenchtown Mix Up” on Virgin that they gained international fame and shared the stage with other reggae greats like Toots & the Maytals, U-Roy, or Jimmy Cliff in Europe and the USA.

WWW: THE CONGOS en THE GLADIATORS – PAARD