Having your tribe remains incredibly important. 45 years on from the Two Tone ska explosion across the Midlands in Coventry and Birmingham, the evergreen 65-year-old’s clan gathers in a flurry of Fred Perry, pork pie hats and chequered skirts on the Bodega dancefloor ready to roll back the years. Meanwhile, over at DHP’s newest venue, the revamped Palais, a plethora of Northern Soulers were digging out their talc and retro sports holdalls. The world may be unrecognisable in myriad of ways to when these two iconic scenes were birthed, but their appeal, hearteningly,
remains strong. Dakar, looking sharp in an appropriately two-tone vintage mini-dress, is on fine form chatting amiably with the front rows throughout.
A jovial gentleman in a ‘Love Crisps Hate Racism’ T-shirt has her in fits of giggles, while a surreal tete-a-tete about how wearing glasses at gigs can improve your hearing causes much mirth.
But to the music. Backed by a tight five-piece band led by a superb saxophonist, Terry Edwards, Dakar and co have the masses moving from the get go with their fusion of reggae and ska in early highlights Easy Life and Landlord.
Their cover of Morrissey’s wry take on the malaise of the British seaside town, Everyday Is Like Sunday, is a treat as she quips ‘We all know what he feels about reggae, so it makes me smile to know he’s having take the money from this!’, while Brinsley Schwarz’s Peace, Love and Understanding sparks a communal singalong.
The Northern Soul-inspired Backfoot ignites a story about her days living in Leicester (greeted by much booing) and shopping and clubbing in Nottingham, while an excellent cover of David Bowie’s The Man Who Sold The World sees Dakar reminiscing about hanging around the Thin White Duke’s London homes as a teenager.
By the time her best-known track, Rocksteady, brings things to a jubilant close, several of her acolytes have already began congregating around the merch stand eagerly awaiting her arrival.
Together with Pauline Black, Dakar truly was a pioneer for British female fronted bands and remains an inspiration, as the healthy scattering of the fairer sex in the crowd attests. This rude girl continues to deserve their and our respect.
Together with Pauline Black, Dakar truly was a pioneer for British female fronted bands and remains an inspiration, as the healthy scattering of the fairer sex in the crowd attests. This rude girl continues to deserve their and our respect.
Rhoda Dakar performed at The Bodega on 5th October 2024.
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