The Abyssinians – Postponed to 09/12/2020

  • Wednesday | 03.06.20
  • 7.30pm
  • Band on the Wall
  • £18 EARLYBIRD / ...

TICKETS ON SALE 9AM 13TH MARCH.

Few groups better captured the heart and soul of roots reggae than the Abyssinians; the vocal trio’s heavenly close harmonies, dark melodies, and Rastafarian themes, all delivered with a deep spiritual feeling, were instrumental in defining and refining the genre.

Bernard Collins and Donald Manning were longtime friends, and neither initially planned a career in music. That all changed one night in 1968, when during a creative burst, the pair composed “Satta Massa Gana” (also spelled “Satta Amassa Gana”). Proof of their Rastafarian devotion is found in the title, which is Amharic for “give thanks and praise”, Amharic being the language of Ethiopia.

The Abyssinians released three further hit singles in 1971. First up was “Declaration of Rights,” and never has a call to revolution sounded so sweet and heartfelt. The equally evocative “Jerusalem” also appeared in 1971, and completing a quartet of hits for the year was “Let My Days Be Long.”

Over the next few years, the trio continued releasing excellent singles, both on Clinch, as well as recording for other producers. However, in a musical scene renowned for its prolific output, the Abyssinians recordings were now to come few and far between, at least by Jamaican standards. But what records they were: 1972’s “Leggo Beast,” a simmering blend of deep roots and soul, and the deeply religious “Yim Mas Gan,” excellently produced by Lloyd “Matador” Daly, were just some of the more notable.

The trio finally cut its debut album, Forward Onto Zion, in 1976, with producer Clive “Azul” Hunt. Including hits, re-recordings of older classics, and new material, the record remains a roots masterpiece and brought the group international acclaim.

This is a standing show.

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FOOD AND DRINK
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Open from 5pm on gig nights, our bar is the perfect pre-show meeting place. Every gig night we serve up a range of freshly-prepared pizza, bar snacks, over 50 speciality gins with paired tonic waters, beers, wines, fine spirits and more.

Get down early and sample our delicious food and renowned gin menu.

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HAPPY HOUR
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Sun-Fri 5-7pm / Sat 12pm-7pm

Pint Carlsberg Pilsner £3
Bottle House Wine £12.50
Prosecco £15
Two Cocktails £12
House doubles £5
Pizza & Pint/Soft Drink £10
Two Pizzas & Bottle House Wine £21

More info: https://bandonthewall.org/food-drink/

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TICKET EXCHANGE
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We know that sometimes you can’t make it to a show you’ve got tickets for. If you would like to pass on your tickets for a sold out show to someone else, we recommend listing them via Twickets, an ethical and secure face value fan-to-fan ticket exchange.

If you are looking for tickets to a sold out show, we strongly advise you DO NOT PURCHASE from people you don’t know online – particularly those advertising spares on Facebook, due to a sharp rise in scammers and touts.

More info on Twickets here: https://www.twickets.live

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