My first experience of a “Sound System.” Quite literally, a wall of sound. Not the wall of sound Phil Spectre envisaged back in the 60’s, either. No, this is a custom built Jamaican Sound System, brought to The Trojan Rooms, by Middlesbrough’s, Instrument of Jah, with Dub Prophecy. Roots, Reggae and Dub aficionados.  It’s a huge wall of bass speakers, that vibrates the whole building. Honestly the bottles and glasses were shaking behind the bar. My face, chest, legs and stomach were all buzzing and when I went to the bog, the lids on the cisterns and the toilet seats were even rattling. Apparently the last time they turned up, an unattended chair had bounced itself across the floor, pint glasses had bounced off tables and some floorboards upstairs, needed to be nailed back down. It’s like a weapon. I’m sure the army could disperse crowds with a variation of this sound technology. It’s obviously more intense the closer you get to the speakers too, which is where everyone is crowding. From a few feet away warm wind pulsates out of the wall.

There’s not much else to say really, It’s hard for me to get that excited by DJ’s playing records, which is pretty much the night, but being in close proximity to that wall is incredible.

http://www.myspace.com/instrumentofjahsound

http://www.thetrojanrooms.co.uk

By Dave on December 31, 2010