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The Shocks Of Mighty Sound System & Club Nights @ The Victoria in Old Town Swindon (every other month)
The Shocks Of Mighty Sound System is owned by Johnny Rench. A regular club night is being run by Erin Bardwell and Pop-A-Top Records at The Victoria in Swindon where we use the in house PA system. The Shocks Of Mighty Reggae Club Nights (as they are known) run every other month and always feature guest DJs and bands.
Coming up in 2014 are The Urban Lions, Jason Hughes, SN Dubstation, Erin Bardwell Collective, and King Soloman Band plus many more.
See 'Events' page for more details on dates etc
The Shocks Of Mighty idea came about in 2003. Around the time when Pop-A-Top Records was first launched. Initially set up by Johnny Rench, Nevil Banton and Erin Bardwell. A platform to launch reggae nights with Erin & Johnny as the selectors and Nevil as the DJ. The idea was to play their own music (Pop-A-Top recordings) along side classic West Indian & associated music from the 1950s to present day. With a huge focus on the 60s period (ska, rocksteady and skinhead reggae). But with a healthy dose of 70s dub, roots and lovers rock as well as 80s dancehall up to present day. With a sprinkling of calypso, mento and Jamaican R&B you had the ingredients of a good night out and a filled dance floor. Modern bands playing in a retro style are also on the play list. The Shocks Of Mighty name came from the Lee Perry produced Dave Barker classic. Quickly decided one night by Erin & Johnny after they were booked to do a set at the Modrapheniacs scooter rally in 2003. A name had to be put in the programme! Erin, Johnny & Nevil had all been DJing reggae & ska for years with other people but the time had come to bring it all together under one banner.
By 2006 Johnny had built his Sound System. It gets a regular airing around Somerset (UK) and sometimes comes up to Swindon (like it did in 2007 to the Swindon Caribbean Carnival).
DJs we have put on include DJ Amma (see pic below), Bambi (Miss Reggae Reggae Sauce), The Sons Of Thunder, and from Swindon 105.5 Radio - Selector D-Bo and MC Ranks, and DJ Lee J from The Big Shot Sound System radio show (Newport City Radio). Also bands have graced the stage. Acts such as 'The Estimators' from London, 'The Smokestack Shakers' and 'Reggae Riddim Club' from Bristol, 'The Social Ignition' from Leicestershire, 'Seventh Sense' from Berkshire, 'The Raydiators' from Somerset plus many more.
DJ AMMA