Review: Rich Mix Launch

Rich Mix Summer Season Launch
(Rich Mix, Bethnal Green Road, E1, Saturday 7th May 2011. Review and photos by Roger Thomas)

Rich Mix, the multi-purpose venue in Bethnal Green Road incorporating a Club/Bar, Cinema, Theatre and a Gallery had a typical pre-launch buzz last Saturday evening for its Summer Season Launch with performances from Ruby And The Vines and Wara and DJ Movimiento.

I must say this venue has a real good vibe, it's like being entertained in your own living room. With a mix of tables and chairs and comfy leather sofas with the odd coffee table thrown in you just need to sit back and chill-if that's what you feel like-and watch as the proceedings unfold.

Filling in the gaps before the evening performances were Movimientos DJs setting the scene nicely for Ruby And The Vines. This trio consisting of Binisa Bonner-Bass/Vocals , Greg Saunders-Bass and Fabio De Oliveira (replacing the band's normal drummer Ben Assiter)-Drums.

Ruby and the Vines

The band was certainly living to its namesake Rich Mix as the sound was a rich mixture of Afrobeat, Funk, Jazz, Reggae and Rock and sounding much larger than it's three pieces.

After a short filling of Movimientos one could tell that something was afoot as the comfy armchairs and coffee tables were being shunted to the outer edges of the room and thus revealing the dance floor. And a dance floor is exactly what was needed when the next band-Wara- came on stage.

This eight piece outfit-with the occasional member of the audience joining in the gyrations on stage-hit was with some hot and funky Cuban sounds that left you with no doubt that the party was fully launched and I'm sure had the band a bigger horn section the neighbours would have leapt from in front of their tv's to come and join the fun.

Wara

What a great venue, and I hear that Jazz FM is to continue it's regular Shoreditch Sessions starting next month where new musicians from the jazz, blues, funk and soul scene can showcase their talents and probably bag a signing from Clifford Street Records or even Decca who have their scouts out with an ear cocked for things new and promising.

Well if the launch party is anything to go by then I would suggest that this summer will be a real hot one both musically and culturally and proves that music is well and truly alive in many parts of the capital.


richmix.org.uk