Gentleman’s Dub Club come early... to The Engine Rooms, Southampton
The pistons were already pumping at full force when we approached The Engine Rooms in Southampton’s industrial quarter.
The Engine Rooms' website stated a 7.00pm doors open, so naturally we assumed Gentleman’s Dub Club wouldn't hit the stage until at least 9.00pm. As it turned out, the lads from Leeds started their bombastic stage show at a very conservative 8.00pm.
Sadly, this saw us miss the opening of the show and have to change gears from pre-drink revery to full throttle mid-gig bouncing in a matter of minutes.
Luckily, it appears we were the only individuals not to get the memo, as the featureless industrial box that is The Engine Rooms was steamy, awash with colour, and throbbing with bass as we made our tardy entrance.
Despite GDC’s lack of commercial fame, their lively stage show always draws a big crowd.
Happily, we weren't too late to be treated to upbeat track ‘High Grade’, which never fails to raise a smile with it’s cheeky lyrics, pumpy baseline, and pleasing big-band brass sections.
A klaxon alerts us all to the next blinder and frontman, Jonathan Scratchley, begins his grime inspired rap as they belt out crowd pleaser ‘Emergency’, and the room becomes a mob, bouncing in unison.
Aside from their more famous two tone/ska style, tonight we are treated to a gentler side of the Dub Club with a good amount of smoky dub reggae, which would have been far more fitting being played on a beach or in a big field in the height of summer, rather than in a big industrial unit on a chilly October evening.
Tonight’s gig has highlighted a serious lack of decent medium sized live venues in Southampton, and GDB's show was let down by the venue's 10.30 kick-out policy. It also reinforced my belief that Gentleman’s Dub Club’s show is far better suited (if you'll pardon the pun) to outdoor festivals.
The Engine Rooms’ location, set up and early license meant that despite GDC’s excellent sound, boundless energy, and obvious fan-base, I came away from the gig unsatisfied.
In fact, after the encore, I actually uttered the words “was that it?” And no gentleman wants to hear that.
Image courtesy of Jamie Mogridge @ Three7evens Photography
