Skindred Bring the Ragga Metal Party to the Maid of Stone Festival!!
Written by Louise Phillips on August 2, 2023
When the electrifying Skindred took to the stage at the Maid of Stone Festival prior to the release of their new album ‘Smile’ with their own brand of ‘ragga metal’ the atmosphere in the audience was crazy in the best possible way!!
Skindreds absolute joy is infectious, this is a band who really know how to have a good time and as Frontman Benji Webbe whipped the crowd into a mass of happy dancing bodies. It was party time, and rain or no rain everyone was having a great time and I mean a really great time!!! Parents with their kids, the teen festival goers, the nine to fivers getting their weekend festival fix, this was a party Skindred style!!
As Benji swaggered across the stage, cooler than the Fonz in a refrigerator, jumping and dancing in his python print coat with it’s rainbow coloured police badge, sequins galore and signature uber cool spiked shades, Skindred were on fire! With his black Union Jack flag in hand, Benji literally owned the stage! And this band are tight, really tight with Mikey Demus on guitar, effortlessly cool with his gangster vibe, Arya Goggin on drums with his infectious smile and the awesome Daniel Pugsley on bass, its clear to see that in the last 20 years Skindred have just got better and better!
And then of course there was the ‘Newport Helicopter’ that magic moment where the entire audience whipped off their clothes and waved them around their heads to the sounds of their hit song, ‘Warning’! A gloriously joyous moment where the band and their fans went wild together!!
And this band are tight!! With dirty grinding guitar riffs, pounding drums and infectious raggae vibes! Summer on a stage! That feel good feeling at it’s very best! So if you’re feeling low, then there’s one place to go to lift your spirits and get back that happy feeling and that’s a Skindred gig!
Skindred are bringing their unique brand of happiness on the road in March 2024. For information and tour dates see www.skindred.net
Words and photos by Louise Phillips
