Yow massive!

Just got back from Brotherhood's 12 Year Birthday Bash and trust me: the party was OFF THE HOOK !!!! While the Santa Fe shows were not attended very well, people in Colorado turned out in great numbers.

We arrived at the Steamworks Brewing Co. (venue) in the western town of Durango by 9pm to find some folks already waiting for the reggae vibes to start. The atmosphere of the place was kinda like the movies, ya know that old-school western type of flava, and it had Father Frank suggest that we really oughta rob a bank, in order to get the full experience.

Brotherhood hits Durango for 12 Year Party

By 11pm, the brewery had filled up nicely and Mister Kali was warming up the crowd with some early juggling. Don Martin took over after a while, rinsing the first few dubplates of the evening and getting the dancefloor moving with evergreens as "Get Busy" and "Hey Baby". Shortly after midnight it was time for Brotherhood's special guest: Father Frank from Germany's notorious Top Frankin Sound. While Don Martin switched over to handle the mic-duties and Top Frankin juggled tunes like the Alicia Keyes reggae-remix, "I'm Still In Love" and "Like Glue", the dance instantly got elevated to a higher level. Durango peops were getting their drink on and, judging by the red eyes left & right, their smoke on as well, as the dancefloor filled up more & more. Brotherhood & Frankin played nuff tunes for the ladies, bigging up all independent gals who support themselves and nuff females were following Don Martin's suggestion to "bruk out, model & wine". Riddims like Germany's CURE and South Florida's RED ALERT got the vibes even hotter, as Father Frank switched to play a stompin Soca-set with artists from Trinidad, Barbados & yard.

All sorts of German reggae riddims and artists were featured next to give this dance its very own, original flavor & identity. All of the biggest German forces got their spin on the wheels of steel. Ya know: Gentleman, Seeed, Doctor Ring Ding, Germaican, Pow Pow and so forth. The former, gently calmed things down a bit again, as the dance went into a rootsy direction. All of a sudden there were all kinds of GERMAN people in the place, that were not associated with Brotherhood nor Top Frankin. I'm not joking: in the bumboclaat middle of nowhere, there they were: from Frankfurt, Munich and Jah knows where else. The selection took a turn towards the ganja-anthems, as the crowd gave massive forwards to hi-grade tunes from Wayne Marshall , Sean Paul & Busta Rhymes.

Next it was remix time and we had Germany's remix-MASTER in the house. Father Frankin has been making remixes for quite a while and some of his gems have found their way into some BIG selecta's dub-boxes (Rodigan's, for example) as they have driven radio audiences on KISS fm in London and New York MAD SICK. Frankin let loose his Dancehallqueen remix as well as his HOT "Cutty Ranks/Mr.Vegas-kill em with the no" on the BAM BAM. Brotherhood then showcased some of their own WICKED remixes, featuring a number of vintage dancehall artists as Panhead, Cutty, Tiger, Dirtsman and Supercat on the GHETTO RED HOT beat. Don Martin proceeded to rinse a few more dubplates from artists as Antonio, Richie Spice and Everton Blender. Top Frankin answered with Tony Rebel and Michael Rose specials and the "Like Mountain Megamix" on the LALABELLA., which got a HUGE forward for Don Martin mc'ing "Like Mountains Round About DURANGO !!! Like mountains round about TELLURIDE (another reggae-loving town in the area) !!!"

Father Frankin then absolutely FLATTENED Steamworks with tunes like "Budy Bye", "Golden Hen", and the original "Boom Wha Dis" by Burro Banton. More classics followed one by one, as it was time for "Trailerload-a-Girls", "Action", "Romie", "Hot Gal Today", and "Bookshelf". Don Martin dissed all the "homos down in Chromo", which was a town we passed through on route from Santa to Durango, as TOK's "Chi Chi Man" blasted out into the night. The ever-so-hype COOLIE DANCE finally got its turn thru the voices of Sean Paul, Elephant Man, Beenie Man, TOK again, and Captain Barkey. During the latter's "Jamaican National Anthem" Don Martin gave respect to ALL Jamaicans, as reggae music makes him eat food. The selection now went more mainstream with artists as Nina Sky and Usher's YEAH beat, of which I heard not only the original but all kinds of remixes (Ele, Baby Cham, Vegas & Wayne Anthony) as well. Beenie Man's "King of the Dancehall" was up next, before Don Martin took things home by letting-off a last series of dubplates on the JOYRIDE, featuring artists like Capleton, Luciano, Mystery Man, Don Martin (no typ-o here!!) and Dabba. It was almost time to go and although many people were tired by now, most looked like they left happy! A few more weed anthems by Eek-A-Mouse, John Holt and others & a WICKED dance came to its conclusion.

Wanna give thanks to the Durango massive for the nice treatment. Big ups to all massive at KDUR radio, who keep the reggae flag flying HIGH in La Plata County (gwaan Rasta Stevie & Zen Ken & Michael X), all crew from Fort Lewis (easy red Indians), all the folks who drove down from Denver and all Steamworks crew (yow Mr.Baker). Oh yea-thanx also to the Durango police for letting me walk with my kiki.

Witness