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Club Tip CMU Approved
Approved: Notting Hill Carnival 2013
By Paul Vig | Published on Friday 23 August 2013
It’s Notting Hill Carnival weekend, so what else could I possibly tip this week? The huge West London street party, one of my favourite events of the year, takes place this Sunday and bank holiday Monday.
Carnival’s music policy embraces and mixes and blends many genres. The traditional calypso, soca and reggae from the Caribbean, and the steel bands, are excellent, as is the costumery; the attention to detail and planning is astonishing. The taste of the Caribbean is also a major part, roti and jerk chicken or saltfish and ackee with rice n peas, to soak up the Caribbean rum and Guinness punch.
But Carnival doesn’t just focus on the past, the music embraces jungle, ragga, hip hop, house, broken beat and dubstep, and the static soundsystems – peppered around Notting Hill over the weekend – are the places to catch up with such musical moves and grooves. They’re certainly worth hunting down, though maybe plan a route including the ones you want to see before setting out.
Soundsystems particularly worth checking out are CMC/Matrix and 4 Play, playing drum n bass and garage, King Tubby/Saxon for the reggae vibe, Sancho Panza, who are celebrating 20 years at Carnival, and Norman Jay’s returning Good Times bus, which is always mobbed. Latin Rave Street Jam, Fun Bunch and Channel One are worth checking too.
Sunday is traditionally children’s day, and it can get a little more rowdy on the Monday all round Notting Hill. As I say, get a map and plan where you’ll be heading before setting out. It can be mobbed at times, so keep an eye out for one another, and remember that mobile reception is dodgy as the overloaded networks struggle to cope. Time Out still does an interactive map, which is handy for knowing the location of the soundsystems and the float route, but the official website info seems somewhat sparse. Also many tube stations are exit only during the day – so pay attention.
As well as the daytime festivities, the weekend will also see some superb post-Carnival parties.
One I’d definitely recommend is being hosted by Ninja Tune, taking over the Flyover in Portobello. Congo Natty will be in the house, flying high from his quality recent album, with Toddla T and Om Unit there too.
There’s also a massive party at The Ministry Of Sound, with Groove Odyssey jetting in Kenny Dope from Masters At Work to play alongside songstress Bucie, Joey Negro and Jazzie M, amongst many others.
Meanwhile, Innovation will be calling in some big dnb heavyweights to Suffolk Street, with Roni Size & MC Dynamite, Dillinja, Grooverider, Mampi Swift, Original Sin, Sly & Bassman and Kenny Ken.
It’s a grade A London tradition – let’s hope the sun shines on West London, it just makes it so much more enjoyable. Viva Carnival!
