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MNE MAGAZIN IN BELGRADE: Memorable concert by The Brand New Heavies at Bitefartcafe
British band ,,The Brand New Heavies” held the first out of two concerts last night at the Belgrade club ,,Bitefartcafe”, as part of the concert series ,,Musicology Barcaffè Sessions”.
It was a night to remember. The band, who was formed in 1985. by friends from school Simon Bartholomew, Andrew Levy and Jan Kincaid, had returned after three years at the same place in Belgrade and shown once again the reason they had been in the music business for this long. The love of music and liberation, as Batholomew will say in an interview for MNE magazin after the concert.
Audience in Belgrade, previously Zagreb and Ljubljana, was the first to hear the songs from the new album ,,TBNH”, because the band is going on tour called ,,The Funk is Back” on Thursday. They (the audience) received the reinterpretation of Kendrick Lamar’s song ,,These Walls”, that is sung by N’Dea Davenport and produced by Mark Ronson, as well as ,,Getaway”, also sung by Davenport on the new album, very well. At the concert they were performed with unique powerful voice by Angela Ricci.
Apart from new songs, the audience enjoyed hearing old hits such as ,,Never stop”, ,,Back to love”, ,,Sometimes”, ,,Dream on dreamer” and ,,Midnight at the Oasis”.
– Thank you for coming. There will be lots of jamming and improvisation on stage. Hope you do not mind – said Ricci.
The audience accepted this with delight. That they are masters of their craft, ,,The Brand New Heavies” shown it with a great gig, unity and connection in every improvisation.
The contact with the audience was what this band is. Later, in an interview with MNE magazin, Bartholomew would confirm it.
– We are not here just to do a concert and go. We are here for the audience – Bartholomew said for the MNE magazin.
Ricci wowed the audience when after the instrumental ,,BNH” she was back on stage, saying in Serbian: ,,Da li sam vam nedostajala? Hvala.” (Did you miss me? Thank you)
Levy revealed to the audience, after his memorable solo in which audience held the rhythm with their hands, that his bass guitar was from 1968.
– 1968. The guitar, not me – joked Levy.
Bartholomew was also in constant communication with the audience and he started the encore, he will later say for MNE magazin, with a complete improvisation of ,,Queen”’s song ,,We will rock you”. He sung it together with the audience.
Ricci joined the improvisation afterwards, singing ,,Do you wanna hear some more music? Say ,,yeah”” and the audience responded ,,Yeah”.
– OK. What would you like to hear? Give me a song – Ricci asked the audience.
,,Universe”. The wish was granted.
,,Dream come true” was left for the end and the audience saluted the members of this incredible band from the stage by singing and applauding.
– Thank you so much, you’ve been incredible – Levy greeted them.
Tonight, ,,The Brand New Heavies” are waiting for the audience at the same place, the same time – ,,Bitefartcafe”, 22 p.m.
Article and photo: B.Radonjić
