Express & Star

Chronixx and Koffee, Birmingham Arena - review

So, who is Chronixx?

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Chronixx. Photo: Cee Gordon

If you’re not well versed in reggae then you might not know, but it’s safe to say that after he raised the roof of the Birmingham Arena that everybody should know who he is.

He is a Jamaican reggae artist and one of the most sought after of his generation and mine.

Chronixx has been making music for a long time but he has only become prevalent in more of a mainstream way in the UK for the past six years or so.

Or at least, I started becoming more tuned in to him over the last six years.

Thousands of people flocked to the Arena Birmingham yesterday, there was such a diverse range of people there.

I saw whole generations of families at the concert from teenagers to pensioners, showing how addictive and diverse his music is.

I took my friend Cee Gordon who is a DJ in Manchester and does a little photography too.

It was a real faff to get in to the event, we were sent from door to door by the staff at the arena and to begin with no one knew where our press passes were and told us to join the (huge) queue.

We popped next door to Bottega bar instead for a few shots of tequila to warm us up.

Finally, we got hold of an employee who knew where we were going and what we were doing and headed for the press pit.

There was a real buzz on entrance to the arena, Koffee was just finishing up her set and it felt like a Saturday night out on the town rather than a wet and weary Sunday in Brum.

The crowd started to go crazy as his first song began, a few people told me and Cee to move as they’d not paid to see our backs but instead see Chronixx. They had a fair point.

As he came out, so casually dressed in a beanie hat, tracksuit bottoms and a casual hoody, he began singing and it was effortless. Not a note out of place.

One of my favourite things about Chronixx is how undoubtedly proud he is of his culture, his roots and where he is from.

During many of songs, he had memories of his childhood and growing up in Jamaica playing to the audience. It made you feel a deeper connection to him.

I asked Cee Gordon what his favourite part of the concert was and he said: “My favourite song that he performed was ‘black is beautiful’, it’s quite a politically charged song and brings to light some of the connotations that the word black is associated with.

"For example, he sings about the fact that we have terms such as ‘black magic’, ‘black markets’ and ‘black witches’ but that people aren’t taught about all the things that are beautifully or positively black.

"He sings that ‘this is not a racist song’ and it’s not, he’s highlighting some of the subtle injustices that many people may take for granted.”

In conclusion, a thoroughly enjoyable evening with faultless vocals.

By Beverley Momenabadi

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