soul II soul
back II life
Back II Life - Antigua 2006
Words by Charlie Parrish,
Arena Magazine.
Wednesday 26th April 2006: Gatwick
It's early in the morning and the airport is beginning to get busy. People mill about looking tired. The 4th Back II Life group is no different. Christ, even Trevor Nelson looks fatigued: it's seven in the morning. But the burgeoning crowd gathering around the Virgin Atlantic check-in desk are that bit more excited than the average traveller. Nigel Gore, Mr Back II Life, Mr Can-Do, is on-hand with welcome packs and warm hand-shakes. He knows what's about to happen, what everyone has got in store. So do plenty of the crowd. The family atmosphere touted by everyone associated on the trip is already evident. In spite of sleepy eyes and weary limbs, experienced Back II Lifers are exchanging greetings with familiar faces, knowingly grinning at what the week promises. The Antigua virgins all look nervously excited. After all the looking-forward, brochure-scanning and watching Trev smashed on Base delivering his rum-soaked reports on his favourite tour of the year, it's time to jet off to the Caribbean.
Later that day: Antigua.
The flight wasn't that all that bad. A few decent films, some typically cheeky Virgin stewardesses and a tail-wind meant everyone arrived in Antigua relaxed and ready for the action. Well, besides the infamous Bournemouth contingent/mob. They had literally drunk the plane dry. This would be an accurate precursor for the rest of their stay. Arriving at Jolly Beach, the Back II Life crew were greeted with the obligatory rum cocktail and beaming smiles before eventually (and I mean eventually, as gloriously, Caribbean timekeeping comfortably endorses all Bacardi/Lilt stereotypes we've been force-fed down the years) ushered towards their rooms. Bags unpacked, a stroll to the beach was required. Absolutely stunning, real postcard material that provided pure, perfect proof that Back II Life was here and was happening. Once all had sauntered into position to catch some late-afternoon sun, the polite airport smiles soon turned to hearty greetings and effortless chat. It's incredible how a Caribbean paradise and glorious sunshine can loosen people up.
Thursday, 27th April: Abracadabra - English Harbour
With everyone in our minibus belting out John Legend's Ordinary People (soon to become a tour anthem), the excitement was building. As soon as the minibus careered through English Harbour - simply throbbing with people - and deposited its merry cargo, that was it: The trip starts properly right now. Norman Jay carried the burden of debut attraction and effortlessly took the crowd into a free bar-induced frenzy. The Sailing Week crowd attempted to join in on the act, but this was a Back II Life occasion. Soon, the dance floor, perfectly framed by towering palm trees, lost its polo-shirted, leathery-tanned yachting contingent and was straining with the presence of increasingly-familiar faces, all proudly donning their Back II Life VIP passes. The beauty of the VIP drinks pass cannot go understated. Your correspondent never waited longer than 30 seconds before being served 'generous' measures of dark rum by charmingly patient bar staff, which may be the reason that I'm straining to recall certain parts of the evening. Norman's set confidently took the throbbing masses through a true funk-fuelled journey. Dance moves deemed perhaps rather 'ambitious' at home were confidently dusted off, with the MTV cameras bringing out the inner shape-cutter in everyone. Lord knows what the free bar was bringing out in people, but everyone seemed to leave the party with far more friends than on arrival. The marathon performance had everyone riveted until the bitter end. Soon everyone was back on the buses, some gently nodding off, others animatedly discussing the evening's highlights. Personally, I spent 45 minutes discussing the plight of modern hip hop with Trevor. It was proving that kind of trip.
Friday 28th April: 'The Beach' - Dickinson's Bay David Rodigan.
Tim Westwood before Tim Westwood had even heard his first drum break. A true innovator, an original, a pioneer and a DJ with more dub-plate remixes featuring artists 'bigging' him up than any DJ in history. The Antiguans worship this small, unassuming, receding, bespectacled firejack of a DJ and within half a record, the uninitiated were converts. The guy flat-out knows reggae and the sounds of the Caribbean better than anyone. The locals swayed and grinded effortlessly on the sandy dance-floor of the sea-side club, while the Back II Lifers also swayed (that would be the free bar again) to another flawlessly-delivered set. A more relaxed evening, that ideally suited the tranquil surroundings. Rodigan is a true education, and an entirely compulsory night for those who claim to know their musical history.
Saturday 29th April: Secret Location - Beach Party
If Rodigan was an education, then Trevor's Secret Location Beach Party was play-time. Now, imagine for a moment, a perfect, blissful day. Chances are it might include the following: A cruise across a Caribbean island in perfect sunshine, with free bar and staggeringly tasty jerk chicken and other traditional cuisine. Docking on an entirely uninhabited beach. Well, uninhabited bar the appearance of Jazzie B and a monster sound system. Oh yes, and a free bar (my laptop is threatening to incorporate predictive text if I type that once more) Dancing in the surf like a crazy person. Sorry, obviously a crazy person with rhythm. While listening to some bona fide r 'n' b / hip hop classics encompassing everyone from Kanye West to Stevie Walker from Jill Scott via Minnie Ripperton through to Biggie, all laid down by the UK's urban music hero Mr Trevor Nelson. On a personal note, I'd also like to add to the list: Conducting a drunken interview for MTV that actually found its way into the final cut and prompted my editor (after watching the broadcast) to question my condition at that time in the afternoon. OK, there was rain, but it just seemed to add to the fun. It didn't take long for the skies to open, and everyone swiftly sought refuge in the sea, Trevor played on regardless, using the ocean- exodus as a perfect opportunity to dust down the more esoteric records in his repertoire. The cruise back was chilled and blessed by a glorious sunset. Scanning the boat home, everyone looked happy, and everyone looked content. Not often can you write that.
Tuesday 2nd May: Secret Location - BBQ Party
Well, the worst-kept secret on the trip was this: the 'secret location' was the Jazzie B's pad. Yep, the big man himself opened his doors, opened his grounds and opened his pool to the unruly masses. Caribbean hospitality: you really can't beat it. The days leading up to the final organised party had provided a much-welcomed opportunity to explore Antigua, and everyone came away utterly charmed by the most beguiling of all the Caribbean islands. May I mention for one moment the food. Oh Sweet Lord, the food. My personal restaurant tip has to be Sheer, up in the hills from the Coco Bay Resort. It boasts outstanding service, breathtaking scenery, and just heavenly food. If you're going to indulge to seafood, you might as well do it properly. Plus, you're not gonna get shark soup as a starter at a Conran. Right, back to the final party. I was a little sad to be attending the blow-out party. I didn't want to go home the next day. You make friends on these trips, you party and dance and drink in a completely un-selfconscious way that just doesn't exist at home. And I was getting far to used to all these darn free bars. The Back II Life veterans (those people who had been on all the trips through the years) had one very cool surprise. They were to be flown directly into Chez Jazzie via helicopter. A very nice touch, lads. This rather pimpin' arrival kicked things off nicely and soon all thoughts of home were postponed. The dance floor was simply shaking that night, with Jazzie presiding over a masterful and emotional set that spanned the genres and reflected the changes through urban music in the last twenty years. When 'Back II Life' finally dropped, I glanced up at the makeshift DJ booth and thought: "Christ, I'm dancing to one of my all-time favourite records, being spun by its creator, in the back garden of his mansion. Life just doesn't get any fucking cooler than this." And it doesn't really. It was just one of those nights were you feel removed from your life at home. All problems are forgotten for one night. You just party. And look forward to next year...
Wednesday May 4th: Gatwick Airport, London.
The flight home wasn't too bad either. The turkey sandwiches Trevor had smuggled onto the plane and shared with his grateful co-passenger certainly helped and the complete tiredness dictated it would be a peaceful return to reality. Back to real life, indeed. Fond farewells were exchanged and numbers swapped. This always happens at the end of holiday, but Back II Life isn't just a one-off. It'll be back next year, and so will most of this year's line-up. And they'll be plenty wide-eyed new recruits just gagging to discover the world's coolest word-of-mouth music-holiday-festival extravaganza. Count me in.
