The Melting Pot 24th Sept Pavilion

So last Thursday at the Pavilion, The Melting Pot was all about the punk rock and the ska. It was a specially organised night in celebration of The Clash, a band that were an integral part of the 'Rock Against Racism' movement during the late 1970's in the UK. For the occasion, LMHR-NI organiser, and former drummer with Stiff Little Fingers, Brian Faloon, put together a one off band as a tribute to the legends that helped shape his own musical journey.

Known as Burton Suits they ripped passionately and respectfully through old Clash favourites such as '(White Man)in Hammersmith Palais', 'Career Opportunities', 'London Calling', and to our delight they finished with a blistering version of 'Alternative Ulster'.

Audience suitably warmed up, Burton Suits stepped aside for the new generation of punks. From Enniskillen Momma's Slippers hit the stage full of youthful exuberance, swagger and attitude. Their front man Ant confident and uninhibited, encouraged stage invasions and acknowledged hero's like Rancid and The Ramones. Their bass player Jolene is awesome too, and we're guessing it's only a matter of time before we see them in Belfast again. Our only criticism is, we're not entirely sure about the band name.

Pocket Billiards were the original LMHR band, having played the first ever Belfast gig in 2004 at the Empire, they now return a band on the verge of a resurgence. The debut album has finally arrived, and the sound is bigger, braver, and more infectious than ever. Horn sections are tighter, and the songs bounced around the Pavilion along with the crowd. It's ska with a party attitude, and punk with a positive spin.

Pocket Billiards launch their album on the 10th October at The Black Box in Belfast, and we urge you to go.

At the end of the evening we encouraged people to sign the letter put together by the Anti Racism Network (see other post)to have the BNP call centre in Dundonald closed down.

We would like to thank BBC Radio Ulster DJ Stuart Bailie for supplying the tunes in the DJ box, and to our resident stalwart supporter and shit hot DJ, Venus Rollergirl, and of course to Mac, the sound engineer and all round top bloke.

Thank you also to the people that bought our t-shirts.

Want to know why Brian and co decided on the name Burton Suits?

Then read the lyrics to '(White Man)In Hammersmith Palais'

Midnight to six man
For the first time from Jamaica
Dillinger and Leroy Smart
Delroy Wilson, your cool operator

Ken Boothe for UK pop reggae
With backing bands sound systems
And if they've got anything to say
There's many black ears here to listen

But it was Four Tops all night with encores from stage right
Charging from the bass knives to the treble
But onstage they ain't got no roots rock rebel
Onstage they ain't got no...roots rock rebel

Dress back jump back this is a bluebeat attack
'Cos it won't get you anywhere
Fooling with your guns
The British Army is waiting out there
An' it weighs fifteen hundred tons

White youth, black youth
Better find another solution
Why not phone up Robin Hood
And ask him for some wealth distribution

Punk Rockers in the UK
They won't notice anyway
They're all too busy fighting
For a good place under the lighting

The new groups are not concerned
With what there is to be learned
They got Burton suits, ha you think it's funny
Turning rebellion into money

All over people changing their votes
Along with their overcoats
If Adolf Hitler flew in today
They'd send a limousine anyway

I'm the all night drug-prowling wolf
Who looks so sick in the sun
I'm the white man in the Palais
Just lookin' for fun

I'm only
Looking for fun

Oh please mister just leave me alone
i'm only looking for fun

Stuart Bailie gave the event a mention in his blog on Saturday 26th, see related links.

ARN Call to close BNP Centre in Dundonal - Petition

The Anti Racism Network are asking people to add their signatures (and organisations/trade unions etc if appropriate) to the letter below. They are also asking people to circulate the letter. The aim is to gather as much support as possible with the idea of launching a broad based campaign of political leaders, community and trade union leaders, and anti racism activists and anti racism supporters, committed to having the centre shut down. Two MLA's including Anna Lo, MLA, AP and Dawn Purvis, MLA, PUP signed amongst many others.

Please e-mail celebrating_diversity@ymail.com to add your name to the list SHUT DOWN THE BNP CALL CENTRE

WE THE UNDERSIGNED are horrified that the BNP’s national call centre is located in Carrowreagh Business Centre in Dundonald. The call centre is playing a central role in organizing recruitment and fundraising for the BNP and distributing their racist literature. We pledge our support for a campaign to have the call centre closed down. The last thing that Belfast needs is the presence of an organisation notorious for spreading racist lies whose members boast a string of convictions for race hate crimes. Wherever the BNP organises, immigrants and members of black and minority ethnic communities come under attack. In the past year NI has witnessed the poisonous effects of racism, with over 1000 attacks being reported to the PSNI - a figure many believe to be only a fraction of the true number. The attacks on Roma families have shown most visibly where this can lead, over one hundred people including many children fleeing their homes in fear of their lives. More recently, two Indian families living in Portadown had a number of windows in their homes smashed in racist attacks. In this context a BNP call centre in Dundonald is extremely alarming. The BNP is a deeply vicious organization. Racism, prejudice, anti women attitudes and homophobia permeates every aspect of the BNP. They call for the “repatriation” of all non whites - despite the fact that there are many non white people who are British. They refer to the holocaust as the “holohoax”. Their leader refers to gay people as being repulsive. Another leading member denies that rape exists saying publicly that forcing a woman to have sex against her will is not a crime because it is like forcing her to eat chocolate cake. The reality is that the BNP is a fascist organisation built on advancing their political goals through violence and lies. Their leader has a conviction for inciting racial hatred, as do many other members. An undercover journalist at a BNP “family day” held recently in England revealed how children were encouraged to burn gollywogs on a bonfire while the adults discussed where they would find “real” ones to burn and boasted of committing racist attacks in their own local areas. The Belfast Telegraph who reported the presence of the centre in Dundonald refers to the party as being fascist, stating “The British National Party is peddling its vile fascist propaganda from a secret Belfast bunker”. The true nature of the BNP is why so many people are opposed to their presence and do everything in their power to shut them down. Recently it was revealed that the BNP have been unable to secure office premises anywhere in East Lancashire. Reports confirm that time and time again landlords pulled out of deals for premises when they discovered who their new tenants would be. During the recent election campaign postal staff demanded their right to use a conscience clause in their contract to refuse to deliver their election literature. Many trade unions expel members who are found to be linked to the BNP. Every police force in the UK bans its members from joining the group. We are absolutely opposed to the BNP. We are calling on political leaders, community and trade union leaders, anti racism activists and all those in our society concerned about this alarming development to take a stand and organise together to shut down these hate mongers.

Please e-mail your name to celebrating_diversity@ymail.com

Melting Pot August 20th August

The Melting Pot in August was back in The Menagerie.

This blogger was away on holiday, but by all accounts this was the night for anyone loving their funk and Jazz grooves brought to you by The Jahm band. An eclectic, multi talented bunch of musicians with good vibes and party tides, including our good friend and shit hot Sax player Chris Malinski from Poland. And of course the Jahm crew were reliably backed up by Belfast based Kagura and Dirty Roots, along with the usual DJ antics of Venus Rollergirl.

Melting Pot and Trans 18th July 2009

The Melting Pot in July was held at the Black Box in the Cathedral Quarter of Belfast. For July we teamed up with the wonderfully hip, urban, and informed Trans Festival.

We had the amazing Team Fresh from the North Coast of Antrim. Fuelled on punk rock and hip hop, they absolutely blew our minds, and we have to admit for the first time ever, we saw people actually bouncing on the dance floor before 10pm. Their attitude rocks and we love em.

Super Extra Bonus Party, all 7 blokes (and we don't think that's all of them), crammed themselves and their gear into a couple of cars and made their way up from Dublin to Belfast for the night. We were totally made up that the Super Extra Bonus Party dudes agreed to do this, not only because they won the Irish Choice Award for best album of 2007, but also because we saw them at Electric Picnic in 2008 in the Cosby Tent which was absolutely rocking. All we can say about that night is, wow, the place was totally jumping and full of the coolest party goers out and around Belfast, that Saturday night.

Another full to capacity gig, people we salute you. Once again thanks to Venus Rollergirl for her stonking dubstep, and DJ Parsley Monkphat for his intelligent beats, and hip hop vibes.

Kudos also to the sound engineer Sean Corcoran, the Super Extra Bonus Party engineer, who was roped into doing the whole night. You are a legend.

The Melting Pot 11th June 2009

On the 11th June The Melting Pot was launched to a sold out Menagerie in Belfast. Kicking things off were one of Belfast's hottest new bands Katie and The Carnival, featuring Katie Richardson, who back in March was invited to perform alongside Duke Special (who we might also add performed at a LMHR gig in the Limelight back in 2005) at this year’s Meteor Music Awards in Dublin. Have a look at her moment in the video below. Needless to say their blend of blues meets quirky soulful sounds, and brick a brack percussion went down a storm, and the venue was pretty much sold out by the time they went on stage.

Hot on their heels, followed a more seasoned group called The Sons of Robert Mitchum, a band from the dark side, flirting with the sounds of Tom Waits and Nick Cave, band members are made up of Belfast, Polish and South African musicians, and it was a indeed a melting pot of inspiration.

In the driving seat were Underscore Orkestra. This band were brought to our attention by our good friends at Balkan Alien Sound who know everything there is to know about bands with an Eastern, Gypsy punk , folk, spin and whirl. All the way from Portland Oregon in the US of A this band of vagabond musicians had the entire Menagerie on their feet and dancing.

The night ended with a bit of old school hip hop from Charlotte, and dubstep and reggae from Venus Rollergirl.

The party then continued on at an undisclosed location, until the very early hours of the morning. The last we heard Underscore Orkestra were on a ferry somewhere off the west coast of Ireland to meet up with Balkan Alien Sound for a stag weekend. If anyone has any information on their whereabouts please do contact us to put our minds at rest.

The night was a roaring success, and as we said on the night it's not just a gig, it's a movement of people standing up to the hatred and stupidity of racism. Way back in the day a group of DJs and bands including Soul II Soul decided that they would organise street parties and celebrations of music, fused or shared, or simply appreciated by all, and turn it on racism by simply getting people to hang out with each other, party, and learn from each other. We think that this along with the words and actions of Clash front man Joe Strummer, who once said "We're anti-fascist, we're anti-violence, we're anti-racist and we're pro-creative, we’re against ignorance” is probably two of the greatest examples music lovers can follow in combating racism and promoting multiculturalism.

If you were there, thanks for coming, if not, see you another time.

The Melting Pot is about to blog your mind.Stay tuned.