London

A-Z guide to soundsystems at Notting Hill Carnival 2008

Soundclashes – where rival soundsystems play alternate records to win over the crowd – were fiercely competitive. Today the kudos of winning a clash is still very much sought after. Sites at Carnival are like gold dust – and they come up every year. So welcome to two making their Notting Hill debut in 2008: High Grade and Lord Shane. Wheel an’ come again! Feature continues

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Aba Shanti-I
Sound Roots and dub
Found Corner of East Row and Southern Row
Renowned Heavyweight international roots soundsystem with a diverse multicultural audience

Channel One
Sound Roots and culture
Found Leamington Rd Villas, outside 176 Westbourne Park Rd
Renowned Played to just ten people when they debuted at Carnival in 1983. Happy 25th!

CMC/Matrix
Sound Drum ‘n’ bass
Found All Saints’ Rd, opposite The Pelican pub
Renowned The only strictly D&B soundsystem

Confusion
Sound Soulful house and garage
Found St Luke’s Rd, facing Lancaster Rd
Renowned Headed by house don Paul Isaacs

Disya Jeneration
Sound R&B, hip hop, bashment, soca, calypso and a bit of old school
Found Powis Terrace, outside number 12
Renowned For their new school party vibe

4Play
Sound Across the board
Found West Row, near junction with Kensal Rd
Renowned House, garage and bashment party

The Fun bunch
Sound R&B, hip hop, garage and boogie
Found Talbot Rd, at junction with Sutherland Place
Renowned Former home of the sadly departed DJ Swing

Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues
Sound Classic ska, revival and New Orleans R&B
Found Talbot Rd, outside number 103
Renowned For 80-year-old pioneer DJ Duke Vin. Gaz Mayall, meanwhile, has performed at every Carnival since 1976

GI Roadshow
Sound Reggae, bashment, salsa, and R&B
Found Adela St
Renowned Amateur horticulturalists and active members of the Friends of Brimmington Park

Gladdy Wax
Sound Roots and culture, reggae and ska
Found Portobello Rd, adjacent to number 304/306
Renowned Headed by Gladdy, widely respected for his all-knowing reggae brain

Good Times
Sound Funky house, disco, rare groove, hip hop
Found Corner of Southern Row and West Row
Renowned Master of the Carnival good time, one Norman Jay MBE. Born in Notting Hill, few have played a more important role in our city’s club and music scenes

GT FleX Roadshow/Mayhem Crew
Sound R&B, soul, ragga, old school and revival
Found St Stephen’s Gardens
Renowned An explosive crowd lifter, thanks to the merging of two soundsystems back in 1982. Pow!

High Grade
Sound Across the board
Found Oxford Gardens facing St Lawrence Terrace
Renowned Their dynamite reggaeton soundsystem

High on Hope
Sound R&B, reggae, hip hop and classic garage
Found Bonchurch St, at junction with Portobello Rd
Renowned For playing classic garage and being really hopeful

Jah Observer
Sound Roots and culture
Found Ledbury Rd, at junction with Talbot Rd
Renowned For banging out high-grade roots for 30 years

KCC & The Rockin Crew
Sound US house
Found Wornington Rd
Renowned Can they top last year’s guest spot from DJ Spoony?

Killawatt
Sound Across the board
Found St Luke’s Rd, on corner of Tavistock Rd
Renowned For founding UK garage chart-toppers So Solid Crew after MCs Megaman and Romeo met here in 1999

King Tubby’s
Sound Reggae, dancehall, bashment and R&B
Found Clydesdale Rd, outside Clydesdale House
Renowned For pioneering the playing of dubplate originals

Latin Rave Street Jam
Sound Latin and salsa
Found Portobello Rd, outside number 318
Renowned The only system playing Latin back-to-back

Lord Gellys
Sound Reggae, R&B and soca
Found Cambridge Gardens, outside number 47
Renowned South London institution since 1964

Lord Shane
Sound Across the board
Found Alderson St
Renowned Handed down from father to son

Love TKO
Sound Reggae, R&B, soca and hip hop
Found Golborne Rd, junction with Hazlewood Crescent
Renowned For playing a great mix of new and revival music

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