At the Museum of London until January 2021 is ‘Dub London: Bassline of a City,’ a new display celebrating dub reggae and its influence on the capital – and there’s plenty of Brixton archive material to be seen (and heard).
Here’s how the museum describes the exhibition:
From its roots in Jamaican reggae to how it shaped communities over the last 50 years, our new display explores not only dub music, but also the cultural and social impact it has had on the identity of London and its people.
Dub has had a far-reaching impact across the music industry and the history of the capital. It has influenced multiple genres from drum and bass, garage and hip-hop to even mainstream pop, and played an important role in the early days of the city’s punk scene with bands such as The Clash and The Slits drawing on its unique sound.
Exploring this musical influence alongside community, fashion and spirituality, Dub London examines how dub is a varied thread that runs through an entire community. Highlights include:
- The iconic speaker stack belonging to Channel One Sound System that has appeared yearly at Notting Hill Carnival since 1983
- A bespoke record shop created with Papa Face of Dub Vendor Reggae Specialist with a selection of 150 vinyl records available to listen to* chosen by fifteen London based independent record shops
- Collaborations with notable names and organisations including Mad Professor, Rastafari Movement UK, Sisters in Sound and more
- Historic and contemporary photography, including 21 newly acquired photographs by Dennis Morris, Charlie Phillips, Eddie Otchere, Adrian Boot, Jean Bernard Sohiez and Richard Saunders
Through collecting objects, memories and personal stories from some of Dub’s most iconic people and places from across London, including Hackney, Lambeth, Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove, Harlesden and Lewisham, the display plunges you into the heart of Dub Reggae and invites you to explore this cultural phenomenon.
The walls are lined with old flyers, with quite a few Brixton venues appearing.
There’s Dub Vendor DJs and guests playing tunes all day, making us wish there was a bar there!
More info
Dub London: Bassline of a City is a free display but requires a free timed entry ticket to the museum to be booked in advance.
Tickets are available 6 weeks in advance, with more dates being released weekly.
Opening times: 11.30am – 3.30pm (Mon-Fri) & 10am-6pm (Sat & Sun)
Book tickets here
Museum of London,
150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN
Click here for directions on Google maps
More details on the Museum of London website