Jammin'

The Brussels weather couldn't dampen the crowd's enthusiasm at the One Love Sunday reggae festival at Recyclart earlier this evening. Despite a lovely warm day rapidly giving way to heavy rain and a cold wind, a couple of hundred people hung on in there to see a short, but memorable set from Omar Perry and Deep Culcha. Perry, son of Lee 'Scratch', has lived in Brussels since 1999, where he and his band have developed a powerful brand of roots reggae, owing more to Peter Tosh than Perry senior. A debut album is due out later this year. Hopefully that will also help the Brussels reggae scene get the recognition it deserves. Sure, it's hardly on a par with Kingston or London, but there are some fine groups here (Univibes for one) and the atmosphere at every show I've seen - from Linton Kwesi Johnson to local toaster, African Teacher - has been excellent.