Roots Manuva
Manchester Academy 2 - 25th Feb 2005
Unmistakable vocal delivery and unique bass bubbling production have firmly established the “rooty tooty” man at the top of the UK hip hop heap, but he doesn’t get his self out on the road nearly enough; on this evidence he really damn well should.
There was some disappointment that Rodders wasn’t sporting his legendary leather adidas tracky, however the rather natty white waistcoat was as sharp as a Chris Morris satire. The Manchester leg of the Awfully Deep tour delivered an essay in the art of emceeing, and more importantly than that; an object lesson in how to work a crowd into a veritable frenzy.
The majority of the material on the night was drawn from his superb recent long player. The squelchy electronic sounds of the records were replicated in fine style by the new, tight as the proverbial nats chuff, band. Stompers like title track “Awfully Deep” and standout track “Chin High” were punched out with confidence, and spacier more melodic cuts like recent single “Collossal Insight” were equally strong.
Roots delivery was always sharp, and ably assisted by his fellow MC (whose name I’ve yet to find out). It was evident as the show went on that he and the band were enjoying the interaction with the crowd more and more, a triumphant call and response version of “Dreamy Days” was trumped by an epic “Witness” working itself into a dub skank frenzy, after which the crowd refused to let a pesky curfew get in the way of the good vibes; he obliged the gleeful audience with an improvised encore, and Rodney was even gracious to make himself look a plonker, (sincere apologies - only fools & horses jokes editor), by donning a rather foolish floppy hat lobbed from the crowd. If there was to be a criticism of the show it was that the soundsystem at the Academy2 didn’t possess the colon emptying bass power the heavy dub drenched Manuva rhythms demand; maybe next time he’ll be playing the Academy1 and make all of our ears bleed.