Bob Vylan - Two Bob's with something to say!!!

*****

Political Yoga!!!
(Bearded Theory Festival - Pallet Stage)

Bob Vylan ***** One of the hottest acts of the weekend, Bob Vylan, who had played the Bearded Theory festival before on one of the smaller stages is something to behold. It felt like everyone at the festival near enough took a time out to catch his set. Starting things off as normal with some Yoga exercises, he gets the audience ready for something quite special. A little 'Guided meditation and light Stretching' as he puts it, something I have not seen done before at a show. He is getting ready for action, like a sportsman - however it has nothing to do with creating blissful vibes, or a sense of oneness. It is perhaps an expression of duality - it is the calm before he unleashes a lyrical storm.

And by the time he breaks into 'GYAG (Get yourself a Gun)' you know why he limbered up, because Bob Vylan is doing kicks and moving around the stage like a tornado. All the while Bobbie Vylan is keeping the beats on drums, as a duo that are feeling every note and making them count. 'Ring the Alarm' and 'I hear you want your country Back' are quite something, hard-hitting, fast-paced and memorable. They are songs that make you stand up and pay attention. Bob Vylan are truly not an act that you can ignore, they’re a duo that lyrically demands your full attention. Part way through the set the singer, Bob Vylan, makes quite a shocking statement "Martin Luther King was killed by the white Man", which loses a lot of the audience near the end of his set. This is a shame. He carries forward within his music the kind of racial angst from 80’s and 90’s Ska music, but his influences ‘such as Credit to the Nation’ sung to promote racial equality and highlight racism.

But Bob Vylan’s words ring with the tone of accusation to a predominately white crowd who, if transported back in time, and to another continent, may well have been among the people of all races and creeds who marched in support of Martin Luther King. The question of reaching his dream of a nation in which people are not judged by their skin but the content of their character still hangs in the air. It really doesn't matter what race someone is, everyone at the festival is here in unity. Here to enjoy a great evening of music.

Another big statement he makes is about him being put in the Hip Hop chart as a Punk Rock act, but this feels unfair since musically his sound straddles the genres of Ska, Hip Hop and Grime. Well, Ice-T also mixes up Rap and Metal, especially with his band Body Count. They are in the Metal and the Rap chart, so if you appeal to more than one genre... then that is a good thing. It has really worked for Limp Bizkit, House of Pain, Cyprus Hill and Run DMC, if you have something special then you should go with it. Bearded Theory is a festival about love and respect and inclusion, and the fact it doesn't matter how you look or who you are... everyone is there for the music.

And Bob Vylan have some great songs, like the infectious 'We live Here' which I think everyone knows by now. With it's political lyrics again and it's killer groove. They talk about Racism, that they have received. And I think a lot of people have received some form of Racism, so I think people in 2024 can relate to people that won't stand for it any more. He saves some of the best songs for last, because 'He's a Man' is also a cool track. A song that is about how a man can be these days, with good and bad things... but mostly bad things (A big dumb man). The last two tracks in his set are 'Hunger Games', which he performed on Jools Holland later show on the BBC and 'Wicked and Bad'.

Warming the audience up nicely for the rest of the Friday of the festival, but it will take something quite extraordinary to top his stage performance. I think the duo Bob Vylan will be around for a long time, they have great catchy songs with interesting meanings. I think that is what is needed, in a World that is so woke and doesn't want to talk about issues. Bob is not afraid to say what he believes, some of which you might not agree with, and some of which you might. But, at least he is not playing it safe. He is going out on a ledge and he is not afraid to jump.

Review and Photos by Dan Devour and Dezadie

Bob Vylan - Setlist
------------------------------
Guided meditation and light Stretching
Bait the Bear
GYAG (Get yourself a Gun)
Northern Line
Right Here
Ring the Alarm
I Heard you want your country Back
We live Here
He's a Man
Hunger Games
Wicked and Bad

Check Out! the Video for 'We live Here' Below...