Uptown top ranking.

The Beat ft. Ranking Roger/The Selecter. The Engine Shed.


There were one or two bewildered student types at The Engine Shed last night but it was mainly an audience of baby boomers some resplendent in trilby’s, there were braces and Ben Sherman shirts and a good time was had by all.

Both these bands have been around a long time in various guises but they managed to produce an authentic sound and by the end the place was rocking helped in no small measure by a terrific set from The Beat. Ranking Roger aided and abetted by his son who brought a more modern almost hip hop angle to the sound and they produced a repertoire of new songs and old favourites, The audience lapped it up.

Ranking Roger has a great rapport with an audience and this was a venue perfect for him, his rude boy hat and coat soon jettisoned as the hall and the band warmed up and by the end of the session the crowd were baying for more. They didn’t have long to wait as the stage hands engineered a rapid change of set including removal of one set of drums and installation of an organ and settings for a large line up as The Selecter appeared out of the darkness and ripped into their presentation starting with the theme from the Avengers for those who remember it (99% of the audience).

If The Beat have metamorphosed several times they’re probably eclipsed by The Selecter who, like the Beat even had two outfits of the same name on the road at the same time although The Selecter without Pauline Black is rather akin to the Rolling Stones minus Mick Jagger. They didn’t disappoint and they too did old songs and new and managed to satisfy their fans with all the musical mileposts, On My Radio, surprisingly not the grand finale as it was when I saw them at Glastonbury but the precursor to a rip roaring non stop show ending medly that had the audience dancing and singing without exception. It was more party time than gig and the band, joined by Ranking Roger and son for the last song, their own take on “Madness” by Madness. It, predictably brought the house and the curtain down.

Except there wasn’t one but I’m sure Ranking Roger said to Pauline Black “that was the best one” as well he might, it was a fantastic show.