Live sound clash will ‘add spice’ to Sashi Festival

Legendary sound selector/owner Keith 'Bass Odyssey' Walford said the upcoming Sashi Festival has returned with a creative, revamped style of sound system clash, which he believes will showcase the creativity of the veteran artistes while imparting knowledge on how to have peaceful sound-offs.

The musical veteran told THE STAR that despite the concept being practised in earlier dancehall era, he believes this can be the revitalisation of something new.

"Back then they used to play the vocals, then they turn over the vinyl and then the DJ would deejay on the riddim and entertain the crowd. So it's something like that [Sashi] is trying to revive," Walford explained. "It's a lot different for this generation but I'm hoping that this new crowd will adapt to it [because] I know in the past it was very successful, the way people used to go to events just to hear the deejays going at each other. And in this case, I think it will be something that the market can use going forward."

He said that he was looking forward to the show "because anything with music, there is always a room for it".

"And people used to the regular juggling and the playing of recorded music so this will definitely add some spice to it," he added.

With the new wave of dancehall/reggae era, Walford said he strongly believes that sound clashes can once again become part of the 'in the streets' dancehall culture.

"It will definitely be accepted by the fans with all that's happening now with the nowadays music. Is just that we're gonna have the DJs on spot now going up against each other which is different from a staged show. So it definitely will be adding something to the mix," he stated.

After two decades, Sashi Festival will be hosted as a four-day event from May 23 to 26 in Ocho Rios, St Ann. Walford further underscored that with the sound clash concept being a major highlight of the Sashi event, it's an opportunity for the older artistes to showcase their on-the-spot composition of lyrics.

"I hope these young acts can take a page outta these veterans' book. I hope they'll also recognise that these older artistes are not hostile against each other and they do not want to physically get entangled. Because I realise these young artistes tek clashes so personal that they more want to get physical with their colleagues more than anything else. Of course, they were some bad incidents in the old days too, but I hope they will copy the good ways moving forward," he shared.

He implored established musicians to do more to impact and uplift the young and aspiring artistes positively.

"You can never do enough in the music, really, because there's always something there you'll think you missed out on or that you could do better. I wouldn't put all the artistes under one umbrella, but some a dem not putting the youth dem in the right direction at all, while you have those who are doing their best and tryna steer youths away from all the violence. But we recognise and appreciate the artistes who are putting in the work, but quite a few a dem need to do better than what they are putting out there," he reasoned.