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Freetown Collective takes London by storm

Last night, the band would have performed at the legendary Glastonbury music festival in the UK that featured an extensive and eclectic mix of performers including Coldplay, Disclosure, SZA and Nitin Sawhney. They were scheduled to hit the stage at 11 pm. There would be little time for them to soak it in, because they would have had to leave Somerset for Brixton as tonight they will be on stage at The Blues Kitchen as part of the Just Vibes Windrush Celebration.

The concert is part of the UK’s celebration of their Caribbean community, most of whom trace their roots to the post-World War II migration from the region to help the post-war reconstruction. The term “Windrush” refers to the ship that carried the first immigrants to London; it is the same ship that was photographed behind Lord Kitchener in vintage Pathe newsreels when he was serenading reporters with his new calypso, London Is The Place For Me. This will be a full band presentation for Freetown Collective, made up of Muhammed, Lou, supporting vocalists from the Trinity: Shanna Joseph, Tishanna Williams, and Malene Joseph, bassist/DJ Jayron “Rawkus” Remy, percussionist Sheena Richardson, and keyboardist Odelle Daniel.

As early proponents of the “new calypso” sound, the band has carved out a space for heartfelt storytelling in a resolutely Caribbean way. From the name that is rooted in T&T history, their output is replete with references within their music and visuals that are coded to a West Indian audience.

Coz is lead singer...

In reply to sgtdjones
So they didn’t get to perform?

In reply to Da-Vincy