This is a report from the Jubilee Dance Festival held in Manchester back around 1998. Today, Lee Jackson is one of the founders of 2Turntable.co.uk. DBA has been working with Howard Jones for some time now and has become a hit in both the Christian and Secular scenes. The World Wide Message Tribe is also still around, but goes by The Tribe now as most everyone called them that already. — Editor

This is a report from the Jubilee Dance Festival held in Manchester back around 1998. Today, Lee Jackson is one of the founders of 2Turntable.co.uk. DBA has been working with Howard Jones for some time now and has become a hit in both the Christian and Secular scenes. The World Wide Message Tribe is also still around, but goes by The Tribe now as most everyone called them that already. — Editor

It was wet, it was windy, it was wild, it was worship! I didn’t realise until I got there, but the Jubilee Dance Festival in The Castlefield Basin, Manchester, on 6th Sept was an open-air gig! Considering the weather and the fact of a certain funeral that morning, it was difficult circumstances in which to celebrate 150 years of theManchester Diocese (the gig’s raison-d’etre). Never the less, the drenched queues of expectant "sanctified dance" fans were overwhelming,and about 3000 people must have witnessed the occassion from start tofinish.

The "Master of Ceremonies" was Lee Jackson (ex. H.O.G.: hip-hop duofrom Leeds). As a warm-up, there were a couple of songs from "Bliss"(lead singer Jim Overton) and Doug Walker, both of whom were featuredon "Jumping in the House of God II". "Raze" were the first of the "big" bands on stage. Lead singer andrapper Jamarc is a talented front man, and is well able to give thecrowd a good time, getting them to join in the dancing, chanting andgenerally having fun. He’s also good at centering the attention ontoGod! The dancers were very lively and enjoyable to watch, while stayingtasteful and decent (as were the WWMT dancers, seen later in theevening). Though the Raze CD is good, seeing them live elevates theirmusic to another plane: if only their CD could capture more of theirlive energy and excitement!

DBA were next on, and endured the worst of the weather, though the fansjust danced all the more as the rain got heavier. A lot of thought hasgone into Shaz and Robbie’s costumes, which are quite theatrical, and attimes bizarre, but they add to the sense of fun. High-lights included(as always) "3-D" and a happy-hardcore mix of "Planet Love" (as heard onthe German compilation album "The Eternal Rave"). DBA didn’t quite have the charisma of Raze, the vocals often sounding either a bit weak, ordistinctly mimed! The music itself was quality though!

So finally, the home-team, "The World Wide Message Tribe". They justseem to get better and better, but then they’ve had enough experience at this! The colouful looks, the leaping around, the growling, theshouting, the high-pitched gospel-diva wailing: it was all a bitcaptivating. The new songs got a good reaction: the thumping "Pray" featuring new boy Tim, and Cameron Dante’s Prodigy-esqe "Hypocrite". Then the old tunes were revitalised with the new blood in the band. Andy Hawthorne remains one of the most capable “youth-preachers" of ourtime, and dealt with explaining the days events with sensitivity and professionalism, leading us all in prayers and candle-lit silence as we thought about life, death and our relationship with God!

It's quite rare that three dance bands like this get to play the samevenue on the same night in England. So when it happens, who cares what the weather’s like: just go to it!