On a pretty depressing day in Sheffield, where a (thankfully paltry) number of UKIP supporters marched through the city centre, the chance to spend an evening in the company of Ibibio Sound Machine and Steve Edwards felt like a welcome, inclusive and joyous antidote to the racist rhetoric that preceded it.
Now it might sound naïve, but there was something genuinely heartening about seeing a multicultural crowd packed into the Foundry on Saturday night, holding up a positive mirror of irony to the afternoon’s hate. For me at least, watching everyone moved by the same uplifting vibe ended the day with a glimmer of optimism.
A big part of that return to optimism came from the relentlessly upbeat set delivered by bona fide Sheffield royalty Steve Edwards, who kicked off the evening with a solid serving of Steel City soul.
Backed tonight by his five-piece band – complete with natty sax lines and even the odd flute flourish courtesy of Kent Roach – the effortlessly cool and impossible-not-to-like Steve worked his way through a selection of tunes from his formidable back catalogue. Highlights included a stripped-back World, Hold On, Watch the Sunrise and The Sound of Violence.
Steve probably doesn’t get the props he deserves in this city. Quietly, he’s up there with Sheffield’s most successful musicians; you just might not realise the breadth of his influence across so many genres. And even if you do know he was the featured singer on, say a Bob Sinclar dance behemoth, you might not know he actually wrote the lyrics.
But up on stage, Steve smiles. You smile. It’s all good.
Following Steve, Ibibio Sound Machine have come to party. From Electricity, through classics like The Talking Fish, and into newer tracks Fire and Pull the Rope, the electronic Afro-funk masters are bringing every bit of it tonight.
Inevitably, the first thing you notice as they take to the stage is singer and bandleader Eno Williams’ outfit: a bold splash of bright pink topped with a magisterial headpiece that screams queen energy. She, in turn, proceeds to rule the room.
Then, there’s the music. ISM have a reputation for being even better live than they are on record, and it’s hard to argue with that. The musicianship is mesmerising at times. The performances are big and bold, and the fusion of Afrobeat, funk, and electronic music is a purely happy place to be.
There’s hope and positivity running through every beat and, by the end of the show, everyone – and I mean everyone – is dancing.
Given the day we’d had, that’s a lovely place to finish.
