Sunday 27th August 06 - Concrete Jam at East Hull Skate Park (1/2) By Dick Spring

(1/2) (2/2)

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With pretty much most people who would have been interested in an event like this decamped to Leeds Festival, it could have been deemed a major faux pas on the part of the organisers of the first Concrete Jam, to hold the event on this particular weekend.

Concrete Jam was a one day festival of music and sport incorporating competitions for both inline and board skaters, as well as BMX, backed by the awesome sounds of the Funky Wormhole Sound System, as well as a live music stage featuring both acoustic acts and full bands, all taking place in the unfashionable East Hull. It appears to have been put together on a very limited budget by the enthusiastic organisers, who under the aforementioned circumstances, pulled off a triumph and need much encouragement and a little more financial support.

There must have been a good 300 young people of all ages from the toddlers on their scooters to teenagers, as well as the pensioners that came to have a gander at what was going on over there. The competitions were divided into your chosen sport (Board Skaters, Inline Skaters, and BMX bikes) then subdivided into age groups; under 12's, under 16's, and Adults with heats and finals in most categories.

There was plenty of entertainment and skill on show. With the chilled out Reggae and Drum and Bass sounds of the Funky Wormhole Sound System and a team of break dancers, the organisers did remarkably well for their inexperience of running such an event. There was also a live music stage which was rather shambolic and very late starting, with an awning that seemed to be struggling to contend with the periodic crosswind. The delay was blamed on the council rangers, however when I arrived with my friends no one appeared to be shaking a tail feather and moving with any haste.

The audience was largely made up of partners etc. of band members and a smattering of interested passers-by from the neighborhood. We caught acoustic act Joe Solo, who was giving it his best angsty political singer songwriter bit, though was sadly wide of the mark and is certainly no Billy Bragg. To be honest it was very stereotypical of anyone who plays the multitude of crap musician / jam / acoustic nights that take place in Hull regularly.

When are people going to realise that the acoustic guitar is an instrument in its own right and that electric songs rarely make the transition to the acoustic guitar?

Continued..Next Page (2/2)

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Photographs courtsey and Copyright © Dick Spring

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