Once again, the holy grounds of the West Indian Centre came alive to the relentless beat of an eclectic mix of Reggae, Dub, DnB, and Dancehall music, for Sub Dub’s return last Saturday (5th October).
The well-established and intensely popular night, SubDub, is an institution in and of itself. Founded in 1998, the night has flourished over time, centering around sound system culture and constantly promoting the musical genre across both Leeds and the UK. SubDub was created by dub and reggae titans, the Iration Steppas, who have played a vital role in the festival scene for Outlook and Dimensions.
There are few humble and understated venues that evoke a community feel left in the country, but Leeds is lucky enough to still have the West Indian Centre. It’s been over six months since I last committed myself to the intense sound notoriously associated with SubDub, and with high expectations promised by its strong line up, it did not fail to deliver, offering an unmissable six hours of music.
As expected, the beloved Iration Steppas dominated the main room joined by Fatman Sound System hailing from London and Hytal Rockas Sound System all the way from Bristol. Room 2 boasted a mixture of drum and bass and dubstep courtesy of Grandmixxer, The Bug ft Manga Saint Hilare & Jamakabi, Subdub favourite Mala, and Swamp 81’s Loefah whose pounding set was a highlight.
A night like SubDub is quite unlike any other in Leeds, never failing to deliver an interesting mix of music whilst a DJ chats throughout the evening. With a relationship between the event-goer and host that is both bizarre and unique, it is no wonder that the crowd rightfully goes crazy for this injection of a necessary dose of dub and reggae into Leeds nightlife. As long as you have a trusty Red Stripe and a pair of ear plugs in hand, you are sure to have an incredible night. After so many years on the Leeds scene, Subdub is no longer considered just an event but an experience and, quite frankly, not one you want to miss out on.
(Main image: Sub Dub)