THE SPECIALS/KELTIC POSSE

THE SPECIALS/KELTIC POSSE (Ormond Multi-Media Centre, Dublin)

Because of my tender years I arrived too late for ska first time around but had the New Romantic movement as the mise-en-scène for my musical initiation.

So while this reunion concert gave all the die hard Specials’ fans the chance to bask in nostalgia for the good ol’ days when everything was black and white, I was approaching the gig in a more virginal state of mind; engaged, if not yet married, to the band who more than any other typified ska subculture.

Reggae funksters Keltic Posse kicked off the evening with a competent well-received set and were a good choice for support band. However, the capacity crowd was there to see only one band and The Specials (minus founder members Terry Hall and Jerry Dammers) responded to their adulation with a show that did not disappoint their legion of loyal supporters and sent even the most frozen footed fan into a wild frenzy.

At most gigs, you can take a breather and retreat to a strategic position at the back of the hall for resuscitation of your Duracells but tonight there was nowhere to hide – every inch of the place was filled with Specials obsessives throwing more shapes than Jason McAteer on speed; almost all of whom sang along to every syllable of a set that delivered such classics as ‘You’re Much Too Young’, ‘Enjoy Yourself’ and ‘Message To Rudi’.

There was a certain quasi-religious quality to the occasion with the devoted congregation gathered there to pay homage to their siritual leaders...and have a damn good time in the process!

If there was one snag it was in the poor sound quality.

I wasn’t too happy either when the mischievous contents of a can of Budweiser inadvertently found its evil way onto my upper person leaving me to rue my bad positioning, to borrow a standard Johnny Giles expression.

But while this may have put a (ahem) dampener on my night, nothing could quite extinguish the excitement of hearing the closing ‘Ghost Train’ which, hot on the heels of last issue’s Hot Press cover story on the battle that (Irish) rock is fighting against dance music, had me thinking just how much The Specials were ahead of, as well as of their time as they sang the chorus : “This town is ’coming like a ghost town/ Bands don’t play no more/ Too much dancing on the dance floor”.

On tonight’s evidence, they’re as relevant and as much loved as they ever were... maybe even more so.

• Nicholas G Kelly