Highlights from The Downs 2019: Grace Jones & Nightmares on Wax
Posted on: 02 Sep 2019Elley Escott caught Grace Jones and Nightmares on Wax at this year's Downs festival.
It’s the 31st of August and up at the Downs, two huge stages are occupied by bonafide living legends. This year, in contrast to the last few years, features a triple bill of pop Queens Neneh Cherry, Grace Jones and Lauryn Hill.
Backed up by the likes of High Contrast and Crazy P, the 2019 lineup caters for all ages, and there’s a full spectrum in the audience as middle-aged punters hoping for 80s and 90s throwbacks are accompanied by younger parts of the crowd and, in some cases, their own kids.
It's early afternoon at the Avon Stage – the smaller of the two festival stages set up on The Downs – and the stage is under the accomplished control of Leeds legend Nightmares on Wax. Relaxing behind a pair of shades and a baseball cap, his downtempo, smoky beats are a hit with the crowd. With an accompanying five-piece band, he creates a fascinating fusion of hip-hop and electronica.
The clouds make way for a clear sky as the afternoon’s audience are drawn together through the music. They nod and bounce with attitude. The band drop the hit ‘Nights Interlude’ with JD 73 taking the lead on the keys.
It’s lovely to see groups of older raves reminiscing to some of their favourites, and it’s a respectful environment across the dancefloor – no stepping on each other’s feet, no invading each other’s personal space. It is, however, still early doors.
Over on The Downs stage a short time later, the crowd are getting agitated. Grace Jones is late – IDLES finished up some time ago – and the atmosphere feels like it’s starting to get slightly hostile.
Finally, after scattered chants of ‘We want Grace!’ ring around the crowd, a huge black curtain falls from the stage and the iconic model and musician appears. Bursting onto the scene wearing a golden skull mask adorned with feathers, a black PVC corset, black acrylic cape and white body paint, Jones looks like a Zulu warrior queen.
Upon the centre backstage on a hydraulic platform, she bellows out one of her best-loved songs ‘Nightclubbing’. The drummer rolls the snare, joining the thumping tribal bass line, which is layered with bass keys.
Any doubts about the band not being as good as the recorded songs soon fade away as they remain as tight as they’ve ever been. From the outset, they play perfectly, carrying the vibe through guitar slides and switching through rocky reggae to clear sounds. The intro solos are sharp and on point.
Jones’ energy matches a cheeky youth who has no fear, and she strolls around the stage, making naughty expressions and rolling her tongue flirtatiously. ‘Doesn’t she look good at seventy-one?’ is the typical discussion in the crowd.
The old cliché is that her body shouldn’t look this good. But isn’t her blackness and its refusal to follow the routes of ageing white femininity, disputing what a woman of this age should look like?
Her aura still manages to magnetise everybody in its path, as the audience's eyes stay glued to her every move. Her musical ability is second to none as she sings in two-and-a-half octaves. Mastering the relatively high notes and singing in an idiosyncratic "masculine" deep voice, she slowly and menacingly punctuates the music.
It seemed to be an unspoken consensus among large parts of the crowd that The Downs festival had just seen its best show to date, ending Bristol’s 2019 summer festival calendar on a massive high.
Jones’ face on the walkway into the crowd (sucking up the atmosphere) says it all, where we’re left thirsty for more. Bristol will hopefully invite her back to this event, encouraging more acts to follow suit - creating an even better line up next year. If that is at all possible.
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Elley is an English Literature student at UWE. Music and poetry have always been a huge part of her life. She’s been DJing for several years alongside studying music technology at Weston College. She has decided to mix her love of music and writing together to forge a career in music journalism.
