We Have Moved...

The NiceUp Crew has moved! Please bookmark our new address at : http://www.niceup.org.nz/

Wha Gwaan

This long weekend in Wellington :

Friday 2 - Jolly Rockers - Duke Willis & Ras Twig @ The Pit Bar (Bats Theatre), 10pm on - ska, rocksteady and golden oldies for your skanking pleasure

Friday 2 - Cornerstone Roots with The House Of Shem @ Indigo

Saturday 3 - DJ Lemon @ The Last Supper Club

NiceUp Website Launch Party

www.niceup.org.nz and The Package present the official launch party for NICEUP.ORG.NZ

For over a year, NiceUp - Wellington Reggae Online, has helped build on the capital's long time affiliation with some of the country's best reggae happenings, passionately supporting the scene in numerous ways with its strong local focus.

Providing coverage, promotion and involvement in local Reggae events with up-to-the-time news from the international reggae scene, NiceUp leads the way in online Reggae representation of this kind in NZ.

To celebrate the official move to the new web address: www.niceup.org.nz, come join us at Tupelo on Sat.10.June for The Official Website Launch Party. One of NZ Reggae's legendary vocalists, TUFFY CULTURE, returns to Wellington to help us celebrate, as well as some of the cities finest selectors who'll showcase the best in Reggae Dancehall music.

Big thanks to all the Wellington Reggae massive who keep us inspired to continue doing this ting, and even bigger thanks to everyone who's visited us online - keep on coming coz we'll keep the fire burning!

Desmond Dekker

Article from the Jamaica Observer on the very sad news that reggae and ska legend, Desmond Dekker, passed away last week.

Israel Vibration - Reggae In Holyland

Reggae In Holyland is the story of reggae band Israel Vibration and the time they spent on their first trip to Israel in 1993 – primarily focussing on the beachfront reggae festival they played at in Ahziv, backed by Roots Radics.

Israel Vibration have an inspirational history – the band members were born in Jamaica and met at a rehabilitation institute after being diagnosed with polio. They found strength through Rastafari, and their beliefs and stance on issues saw them eventually expelled from the institution. Music became the way the group would express themselves and after encouragement from those that heard them, they pursued their career.

This film is truly moving and has some great footage of the group in Jerusalem, on the River Jordan and in the Ethiopian Church, among other places. It also features parts of the live performance in Ahziv, and has bonus music videos of Hard Road, Livity In The Hood, Feelin Irie and the great tune, Rudeboy Shufflin.

The DVD is around an hour in duration, provides an insightful and poignant look at one of the great reggae bands of the world and is well worth checking out.

Wha Gwaan

This weekend in Wellington :


Friday 26 - The Spice Traders - DJ Manray and The Spotlight Kid @ Good Luck

Friday 26 - Rhombus with The Silverbeats and Pacific Bass Culture @ Sandwiches

Saturday 27 - DJ Lemon @ The Last Supper Club

Chuck Fenda - Track Ban

Article from the Jamaica Star Online about the recent controversy surrounding the banning of a Chuck Fenda tune from Jamaican airwaves - Gash Dem an Lite Dem.

NiceUp Tracks Of The Week

Frankie Paul - Worries In The Dance

Frankie Paul was born Paul Blake in 1965 - the singer was blind until having an operation during his childhood which gave him a small amount of vision. He is known as Jamaica's Stevie Wonder and was visited by Wonder during his school days, who encouraged the young Paul to get into music. Produced by the late and great Henry 'Junjo' Laws and backed by the Roots Radics band, this tune came out on the Volcano label in 1983. In this track Frankie expresses his concern of the unrest in the dancehalls - it was a hit and helped to establish him among the other top ranking vocalists of the time. The track remains a classic in dancehalls today. Other hits he recorded with Junjo Laws' Volcano label include Pass The Tu Shung Pen and Curfew In The Dance.

Queen Omega - Judgement

Born in Trinidad, Queen Omega was winning calypso song competitions at the early age of 9 and continues to impress in her early 20's with 4 strong LPs already under her belt. This is the track that sparked the Judgement riddim (one of the 'Judgement' riddims – there’s a few!) which also features Capleton, Lukie D and Jah Mason, Ras Shiloh, and Admiral T (the French artist, not Admiral Tibet). It is out on the label Special Delivery, and produced by the very talented duo BOST & BIM (Matthieu BOST & Jeremie "BIM" DESSUS) - reggae/dancehall/hiphop producers based in France. It is also on Queen Omega's LP Destiny, released on Special Delivery in 2004.