Shaggy is Mista Luvah-Luvah-man who gives a bundle of it

Another postponed gig due to the ‘9-11 Tragedy’; my ticket is dated 15 October 2001 but at least – it is another Monday. (The only significance is the weekly’s lightest traffic, if you are curio.) Anyway, the sold-out hanger is full and ready to… reggae? Ragga? Rumble? All of the preceding and more, hits, hits and more hits.

We know the smashes, from ‘Oh, Carolina’ to the chart-friendly ragga-tastic ‘It Wasn’t Me’ and ‘Angel’, from the current elpee, ‘Hot Shot’. But, Shaggy is also a great showman (who likes to arrive onstage atop an elephant) with a spectacle that never stops. There is abandonment of energy, with the party starting (Pink will be glad to know) as soon as the houselights go down.

His pop-reggae is a charming proposition that makes one embraces it willingly into private reality. Mr ‘Bombastic’ is it, for an unforgettable experience. The show flies by and by the time he gets a guest on stage, Ali G, for their duetting single ‘Mi Julia’ that appears on the Sacha Baron-Cohen’s soon-out film soundtrack, we all are emotionally wasted.

The hip-hop would-be superstar emerged onstage during the beginning of the encore, decked out in an over-sized orange jumpsuit. He responded to Shaggy’s cry of ‘Big up Staines!’ with ‘Big up Jamaica!’ It was funny and amazing but the big question is – what’ll this do for Shaggy’s credibility?

Shaggy’s show is great entertainment but another hi-NRG gig was happening concurrently in town. Earlier in the evening, on the way to Wembley, I managed to squeeze in a visit to Shepherds Bush Empire for a debut show by Manu Chao. This Brazilian superstar, huge in Europe, offers a show that is eight men having a ball in front of ‘mad-for-it’ crowd! A true mixture, no cliché-land, of all musical types, from A major to a whistle, forms a set that is really and totally mesmerising!

A selection of songs, some from his latest album ‘Esperanza’, stimulates brain by emotions (as it is hard to imagine everyone being fluent in Spanish) and provides carnival for soul and body! Not even too many naked torsos, mainly ugly, among musicians could prevent this show impacting with its world-map-repertoire.

Someone behind me remarks, “Two hours ago I didn’t even know their name, and now I’m watching the best show, ever!” I leave to get Shaggy’d.