Timeless, released back in 1995, was and still is one of my all-time favourite albums. Representing a groundbreaking moment in drum and bass and its place within mainstream music, it is an album that pushes the boundaries of its artform, combining driving beats and heavy bass lines with melodic arrangements and soaring orchestration, moving effortlessly between the frenetic and upbeat, to the lush and euphoric, with moments of great beauty and poignancy on tracks like Inner City Life and Sea of Tears.
I remember going to jungle and drum and bass nights at clubs back in the 1990s, including venues where Goldie and Metalheadz were DJ’ing. Slightly scuzzy rooms with sticky floors and walls that dripped with the condensing sweat of a few hundred overheating dancers trying to negotiate dancing to a slightly-faster-than-human bpm – the atmosphere was always electric, the crowd always seemed friendly.
Staged as part of James Lavelle’s Meltdown, this collaboration between Goldie and the Heritage Orchestra marked an achievement of a long-standing ambition for the godfather of drum and bass. As he took the stage to introduce the evening he explained that he had been ranting about getting this project off the ground to anybody who would listen for the past twenty years. His excitement was palpable, as was that of the audience.
I tell you what, it was worth the wait. The arrangement was flawless, the vocals effortless, the drumming superhuman. Utterly hyped by the excitement of seeing the album realised onstage, the audience was lively and raucous – whooping, dancing, wolf-whistling vocalist Vanessa Haynes in her sequined dress. Once people were on their feet they didn’t sit back down, aided by thrilling renditions of tracks like Kemistry and the fantastic title track Timeless, that elicited yells and applause at every bass drop and drum riff. Goldie was often moved to leap up on stage and dance with (or more accurately at) the musicians, pumping his fists and holding his arm in the air in sheer joy.
This evening couldn’t have been any more perfect. I left the Royal Festival Hall feeling exhilarated and ready for more, which was fortunately amply provided for by a late bar and DJs on the Clore Ballroom. Goldie must be very proud.
Jules Buckley, conductor
Vanessa Haynes, vocals
Adam Betts, drums / electronics
John Calvert, bass
Matt Calvert, guitar/ synths
Rob Gentry, keyboard / synths
Produced by Goldie, Chris Wheeler & Southbank Centre
Arrangements by Matt Calvert, Jules Buckley, Tom Trapp, Ben Cottrell and Simon Whiteside
PS: There are a few dodgy audience-recorded videos of the concert on YouTube that are well worth a look if you want a flavour of the performance and don’t mind all the crowd noise getting in the way, including plenty of Goldie joining the orchestra onstage