Neu! Reekie! # 2

A vintage episode of the gleeful Batman TV series opened the second typically eclectic bill curated by music, film and spoken word night Neu! Reekie! for the Festival’s Light on the Shore strand of contemporary music.

Berlin-based Swedish musician Molly Nilsson was certainly a cool contemporary customer singing in a sultry contralto over electro backing tracks with light dubby rhythms, which recalled her chart-topping 90s countrymen Ace of Base on occasion.

But this was mere disposable froth next to the calm authority and quiet rage of veteran dub poet Linton

Kwesi Johnson, who delivered a kind of greatest hits set from across his 40-year career to a rapt, respectful crowd.

Poems such as Sonny’s Lettah, about the wilful criminalisation of his generation by the Metropolitan Police, and New Cross Massacre, marking the rebel efforts of the children of the Windrush generation to integrate into British society, resonated with searing relevance down the years.

Credit to The Vaselines for following such sagacity with their mischievous indie standards Molly’s Lips and a joyous thrashing Son of a Gun, while their Glaswegian compadres The Pastels warmed up through their headline set to the Velvet Underground-inspired climactic maelstrom of their best song Baby Honey.