Review Music: Camden | Grooves | Charlotte Chambers | LIKE everything good in life, Reggae Roast started off small – in this case, as a modest venture for reggae music lover James Harper in the basement of the Grand Union in Kentish Town.

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The Review - MUSIC - grooves with CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS
Published: 22 May 2008

Grooves

LIKE everything good in life, Reggae Roast started off small – in this case, as a modest venture for reggae music lover James Harper in the basement of the Grand Union in Kentish Town.
Within six months, it has become one of the biggest underground parties around – and best of all, it’s free.
The last one, a one-off night at the Big Chill House in King’s Cross, saw 1,000 people turn up; a long way from the 70 that went to the first one back in December.
James, a 26 year-old Kentish Town dweller and former Acland Burghley pupil, says he came up with the idea back in Brighton. “There’s a Reggae Roast in a pub there, where they serve jerk chicken and plantain with reggae music in the background,” he said. “So when I came back to London I thought I’d do it with more emphasis on the music. I started at the Grand Union and it was pretty small. It’s grown exponentially.”
A professional DJ, James said getting the sound system and the tunes right was important. They start with roots and ska and then move into 1980s dancehall before the harder bashment and dubstar comes out.
But another crucial part of the Roast is the crowd: “The most important thing is the vibe,” he says. “Everyone’s smiling and getting on.”
• Reggae Roast is on this Sunday at Cargo, 83 Rivington Street, near Old Street, EC2, starting 5pm. A special Saturday night Roast takes place at the Grand Union, Kentish Town Road, on June 21

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