Fela Kuti Glastonbury 1984 full show

Confusion break bones He orchestrates with his body and being, moving about the stage setting the rhythm and then bringing the thing to life the mass of musicians dancers and audience once it is up and on the rails set by the steady rolling beat it becomes chant and returns swaying preaching gyrations and visitations as Fela strides from microphone to keyboards to drums directing all the time the wall of musicians and dancers flanking Him driving them harder with clenched fists and twisting body the whole thing opens like some bright flower the round returns voices blend into one another riding the spine of the rise and fall one half hour into the whole the first song ends and then comes a description of His love for the vernacular "No coloureds No dogs" he reminisces He is a teacher the english and their democracy and His demo-crazy the demonstration begins again now stripped down ringed and painted teacher don't teach me nonsense He sets the pace with His hard hand cigarette magic like smoke from the keyboard now the dance begins proper fire light and plaited horns blow and we rise to the richest poor in the world while another steps forward from the flow and gives a solo that parts the wash like Moses at the sea sound is the treasure here the whole brass wave breaks over us there are few black faces in the crowd He knows he is the core here and Femi bows to the future trance birds launch themselves from the stage out over the darkness of a night that does not exist lighting the way jewels in the velvet spectacle of sound they hold as a solid mass one with the work of the Master lightning man a hand waves brings the whole to a lull a slow deep roll where words become stepping stones for the mind rounds bend from front round the world Iran Jordan Vietnam New York Spain and back again Nigeria pearl of Africa bleeding like a car dragged corpse on the road side still spitting the name of her murderer poor man he cry rich man he miss I beg everyone to join my song the piano becomes a rhythm instrument now it is but song and beats dancers rush and performs the books the bars to a world they are trapped by and in the circle of knowledge that came with everything they now claim in play like water through the hand a small light makes a grain of sand seem like a diamond it closes over in blur as they leave the stage.