Thanks and praise for some of the most challenging and innovative dub music of the '80s and '90s should go to Adrian Sherwood. From his label, On-U Sound, spring the likes of Tackhead, African Head Charge, Bim Sherman and a host of other dub renegades.
The U.K. producer/DJ was in town Nov. 4 as part of the Echomaniacs event held at Liquid Room. With a bill filled with live acts like Japanese roots rockers Dry & Heavy, 3-Head from the U.K., top DJ Andrew Weatherall and reggae veteran Dennis Bovell, the unenviable task of warming up the crowd when doors opened at 10 p.m. fell to Sherwood -- a challenge he accomplished with his usual nonchalant flair and rough-and-ready approach to DJing.
Utilizing tapes and self-recorded CDs, he treated the crowd to a good couple of hours of dub, starting with rare cuts from the original dub master King Tubby then testing out a set of his own as-yet-unreleased productions on a willing crowd -- rough rhythms, hard beats, with a strong roots feel.