Daptone Super Soul Revue feat. The Dap Kings, Sugarman 3, Charles Bradley, Antibalas & Sharon Jones - Shepherds Bush Empire, London 28/06/14

Enter The Dap Kings. Gabe Roth, bassist and co-founder of Daptone, steps to the front of the stage and turns to face his band. They crash to life, Gabe leading them with a synchronised foot and headstock stomp, telling them when to stab and crash, rolling thunder from the offset. He steps back in line and we’re away, thick and fluid. This is syrup funk, and he’s the Golden Lion. Our MC for the night is Binky Griptite, the wonderfully monikered guitarist of the Dap Kings. He tells us what’s in store and brings on Saun and Starr, aka the Dapettes. They may be backing for Sharon Jones, but they hold the stage in their own right, voices and bodies gliding together across the floor.

Next is the Sugarman 3, led by Dap Kings Saxophponist and Daptone cofounder Neal Sugarman, with their take on the rare groove formula. Whats most impressive is the seamless transitions that take place between acts, most bands sharing most members but not a second wasted between sets, facilitated by a second drum kit.

And then comes the Screaming Eagle of Soul himself, the majestic beast that is Charles Bradley, a vision in black and gold, shimmering like the star that he is. Rolling peacefully onto the stage and taking a bow, arms spread wide, here is a man so full of love I have to try my hardest not to cry for 30 minutes. The crowd roar after every song, every move, every scream from those golden lungs and his response to this wordless lavishing of affection is a pitched “I love you too!”. For a man of 65 he seems to have a new lease on life the way he dances, spinning and dropping to the floor. He exits through the crowd to rapturous applause, hugging and kissing fans, sweating and crying when Antibalas crash onto the stage behind.

Duke Amayo, in yet another incredible outfit leads us through what sounds like night time in the hot, sweaty centre of the world, switching from street carnival to swamp crawl and back again; and back again. For a moment, under the blue and red stage lights with this glorious racket, I forget that I’m under the crimson and gold roof of the Sheperds Bush Empire and not in some humid club in the latin quarter as this pulsating stutter runs through me and all the awkward abandoned gyrating bodies below like a needle and thread. The groove bends and thuds and sinks, an elastic sack of potatoes, animated and taught to dance like a champion.

The Dap Kings reclaim the stage and on comes Sharon Jones, another shiny ball of charisma in a black and gold dress. Early in to the set she hoists a random onstage who slips into his new role with gusto, strutting and dancing with this tiny powerhouse, singing when offered the mic, hitting a bum note and continuing as Miss Jones looks our way with a wry smile, taking every little moment and making it golden. Even a monitor fail is an excuse for showmanship as she beckons a techy onstage to go down her dress. Facing us she writhes with a hand down her back issuing directions, “to the left, no no, right, yeah that’s it! Ooh, I haven’t been touched in a while… stop it!” she scolds as if we’re the ones being suggestive.

Other guests include a random giant of a kid with a glorious afro from side stage and the DJ from the beginning of the night who comes up and runs through some spectacular dance pieces with Sharon; the Boogaloo, the Turkey, the Funky Chicken and more, then it’s the band’s turn for a mini solo and a move. It’s clear to see why we’re all here: the crowd, the band, the label- she is a force of nature and we are swept up in her. It may be Gabe calling the shots but it’s Sharon that runs the show, leading into “Get Up And Get Out” with her best Tina Turner impression. She adopts the stance, legs staggered, head shaking, heavy vibrato in her voice telling us how she’s going to start it slow and bring it back up. The Dap Kings act on command, Gabe the middleman between Sharon-as-Tina and the band, again leading with the stomp of a foot as she testifies, running about the stage, wailing the story of her battle with cancer, “I was laying in bed, tube around my throat, I looked at my hair- I ain’t got no hair!”, all in the greatest of humour, an incredible display of showmanship as the Dap Kings bring it to speed and Sharon kicks off her heels and runs on the spot, every spot all over the stage with the Empire screaming approval.

As Sharon exits the stage, the rest of tonight’s cast come on to see us off with a rendition of “It’s A Family Affair”. We were promised non-stop soul action and its been high octane from the get go. I leave the Empire on a high in awe of the two hours that passed by all too quick. If I could be Bill Murray, this would be my Groundhog day