Massive Attack - Come back home!!!

*****

Bristol’s musical royalty reign in the rain!!!

Massive Attack **** Apparently this massive outdoor gig had been over six years in the planning and now finally we were here the moment for Massive Attack to come home, back to Bristol. They were to perform in front of 27,000 to show everybody why this city, and the rest of the music world, has loved them for their nearly three decades of performing.

In a way it is strange it has taken so long for it to come about. But let’s get it out the way now, the big problem of outdoor events, six years of planning dry all week leading up to the event and then doesn’t stop raining all day. I hope I have captured the flavour, as to be honest notes were a waste of time as the paper would have turned to mush.

From the start they recognised that it has always been a collaboration, Massive Attack work with many artists combining their sounds to get more than the sum of the very sizably talented parts, Horace Andy appeared for ‘Hymn of the Big Wheel’ getting things underway.  I must say there cannot be that many people than be that cool at sixty five years old as Horace Andy. It almost, almost, got to the point where you could forget the rain as the sound drew you in with ‘United Snakes’ getting an airing.

Horace Andy was then back for ‘Man next Door’ and ‘Girl I Love You’. There had been an issue where a lot of people had arrived as late as possible, causing large loo and beer queues and I am not sure if this was a factor in my only gripe being that a few people didn’t stop and watch the mezmerising music but kept going back and forth.

This music is designed to be immersive which is harder when I effectively became a door for twenty minutes. But the music being great makes up for that a lot. You really get a feel for the many styles Massive Attack use from Roots and Reggae through to Dance and Rock, diversity mirrored in the diverse city they hail from.

“Two sons of immigrants, post Brexit, watched by a load of immigrants” was the opening retort from Robert "3D" Del Naja as he introduced their European anthem ‘ Eurochild’. You were never going to get a Massive Attack gig without a bit of politics thrown in as well as the amazing music, the lights show was impressive too.

The screen flashed up all the political parties and ‘we are all in it together’ obviously designed to get people thinking as well as dancing, which is a positive in my book. This was followed by more collaboration with Young Fathers taking the stage for ‘Old Rock and Roll’ and ‘He Needs Me’.

‘Inertia Creeps’ steadily built across the arena with it almost hypnotic sound before Horace Andy made one final appearance for ‘Angel’, we knew it was coming to the end as the hits were being wheeled out. The crowd had settled more now and were all engrossed by the sounds emanating from the stage.  ‘Safe From Harm’ concluded the main set it what had been a triumphant return for the Bristolians both on and watching the stage, battling the weather all the way, yet it had been a success, one I hope is repeated in the future.

Finally there was only the encore; I must say there are not many songs that are true classics and give you goose bumps to listen to but Massive Attack have one in their arsenal. The moment ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ started to play you could almost feel electricity in the air and it just seemed the perfect song to close what was, in the end, a perfect day. 

Review by Jon Cooper and Photo's by Steve Owen 

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