Mad Lighters 1991 live in concert at Sedel Luzern

Saturday, 28th of september 1991 live at Sedel.

That was my very first live concert I planned and promoted. Togehter with Vesna I have built the Ska Connection agency to promote Ska events in Luzern. This was our first.

At that time I was working in a record store in Luzern and saw this CD (Play On Mr. Music – Mad Lighters) on the desk one day. I saw Rico Rodriguez is playing as guest musician. I was a big fan of Reggae and Ska and this was the right music at the right time.

I took all my courage and wrote a letter to the contact written on the backside of the booklet. Because I had no logo yet I made a template for a stamper. I cut the Don Drummond pose from 100 Years After and sprayed the negativ on the head of the letter. The template still exists…

Antonello Lubello, the leader of the band received that letter and Claude Baumann get in contact with me as the manager of the band. I said yes to everything (the contract still is around).

I get promotional material.

Vesna & I planned everything.

Click the photo gallery and use the full screen button to be able to see the full pictures.

About the articles from the newspapers after the concert I have to say, I see the difference today even more. There was the great journalist from Luzern Charles Schum. He wrote about almost every little concert around Luzern. He wrote (approx.): “After ‘Selecter’ there is a comeback of ‘Madness’ as well. Switzerland was always open for Ska and Reggae. Luzerns reggae-connoisseur ‘Claudie’ [= Ras Claude] took the staff leadership and presents for the first time ‘Mad Lighters’. A seven men and one woman piece band from Neuchâtel. Sweat runs from the walls and the full brass blew the Jamaican summer breeze into the audience. …” all in all the whole article is fantastic, as the whole event was.

The other article is terribly wrong. I’m not sure if this journalist was in the audience. Mad Lighters is not from Lausanne, but from Neuchâtel. And they didn’t cover Bob Marley more than in one track. The article is that bad, I don’t want to translate.

Alain Salvi took a full recording of the show and sent it to me afterwards. This is one track example. If you want some more of this great show, please get in contact with me. I know this release is illegal, but I hope nobody gets angry about.

I’m really bad in names. I don’t know all the names of the band. All I remember is:

Antonello Lubello (bass), Cristina Lubello (keys, melodica), Philippe Santschi (vocals), Daniel Spahni (drums), Cedric Vuille (guitar). The horn section I can’t remember the names. And I don’t have a photo of the whole event.

Playlist of the concert:

• Love Peace & Justice
• Roast Fish & Cornbread
• Rejoice
• Smokin’ My Ganja
• Turn Me On
• Java
• Al Capone
• Christine Keeler
• Chang Kai Check
• Ska Town
• Armageddon Times
• Bongo Tango
• Bend Down Low
• Mad Lighters Stomp

After the concert I took the turntables and played some of my heaviest records. After a short while there was Alain Salvi at my tables and asked me where I got all this stuff from. We became close. And short after I was invited for my first NoF-NoF session in Neuchâtel.

But this event was a controversy between the Ska & Reggae in the promotion. Vesna was more the Ska and I was more the Reggae. Together we were quite cool, but on the other hand, the people were confused. At that time Ska was the music for Skinheads, baldheads and other hairless people. And Skinheads were named fascists and nazi in the media. Ska became a genre that was aggressive and no good. Knowledge was very limited and bad journalists made it worst. And reggae was the music that was known as spliff smoking and ganja blended Bob Marley style with long hair.

Can you imagine both in the same place at the same time? Long hair and bald headed people. In 1991 it was very exotic to think like that. To me it was naturally the same. Ska as grandfather of Reggae is just the consequence. And Bob Marley did both as well, but he was just the one who earned the most attendance. He wasn’t the best or the coolest not even the toughest. But that is not the story.

Many of my Ska friends didn’t come to this event, because it was also a Reggae event. And many of my Reggae friends didn’t come because it was also a Ska event. But all who came, were fascinated from the musical recipe that Mad Lighters served. It was too good. Nobody left before it was done.

Thank you all for helping and making it possible. Thanks to the Neuchâtel possee. I love you all.

Preview:

• 1992 august 15: NoF-NoF session in Case à Chocs, Neuchâtel 1992
• 1992 september 4: Mad Lighters at Sedel
• Mad Lighters in Neuchâtel by bicycle
• NoF-NoF session at Festi Neuch in Neuchâtel