Origin One. Photo: Daniel Whiston
The Maze has a legendary and well-earned reputation for showcasing homegrown talent here in Nottingham and, not surprisingly, Friday night was no exception.
Bud kicked the night off with a chilled acoustic vibe, boasting reggae and pop-folk sounds with what can only be described as extraordinarily sweet and powerful voice. The set included original songs 1953 and Happy as well as a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water - a beautiful take on this classic song that had the crowd singing and dancing along, and left us all wanting more. Bud gracefully obliged, playing one more of her self-penned songs Follow Your Heart to end the set.
Next to take the stage was the highly anticipated Unknown Era. Headed by Nottingham legend Ashmore, along with a full band including Gaz Peacham (manager of The Maze), they did not disappoint. Their hip hop, reggae, gypsy-style sound combo had the entire audience on their feet, dancing and jumping about instantaneously. Their energetic performance of songs including My Town and Misfit held no prisoners and left no foot still, and after a busy week, The Weekend Tales truly brought on the weekend. Their vigour did not let up as they performed a cover of The Quarrymen's Inspite Of All The Danger that included masses of crowd participation and an incredible guitar solo by Joshua Crofts.
K.O.G & The Zongo Brigade stepped up to an already hyped and ready-to-go audience. Their mix of Afro beats, ska, reggae, blues and salsa-esque sounds, which felt a bit like a trip around the globe, had the entire venue (which was absolutely jam packed full of jolly, dancing people by this point) literally up in the air and showing off their hip-shaking salsa moves. Their set included Heroes, Before We Say Bye, Let's Get High and Jabulani - the audience loved it.
Origin One were the final band to perform, oozing vivacity and charisma from their interaction with the crowd, their dub and dancehall beats coupled with gorgeous vocals and clever lyrics. Despite the late hour, everybody in the venue was wide awake, drinking in and rocking out to these dynamic, funky vibrations. The songs Lost In You, Dope Town, and All For The Love, along with plenty of freestyles, topped the night off, as they truly lived up to their name and delivered an original sound - perfect for a night of music, dancing, and nothing but good vibes.
The night also featured an appearance from Motormouf, with his insane beat boxing and lyrical talents, while DJ sets keeping us all up and at it until 3am. All in all, a night packed full of talented performers and wonderful people.
Origin One, K.O.G & The Zongo Brigade, Unknown Era and Bud played at The Maze on Friday 23 January 2015.
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