Did you know that today is exactly
29 years to the day since arguably the UK's biggest 80s hip hop festival took place?
Saturday July 19th 1986 was the date, Wembley Arena was the venue.
Playing live over two separate shows - one in the afternoon, the other in the evening were the following acts:
GRANDMASTER FLASH
LOVEBUG STARSKI
HASHIM
SIR MIXALOT
ROXANNE SHANTE
DR JECKYLL & MR HYDE
STEADY B
WORD OF MOUTH & DJ CHEESE
THE REAL ROXANNE & HITMAN HOWIE TEE
MANTRONIX
THE WORLD CLASS WRECKIN KRU
ALEEM
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| Word Of Mouth MCs |
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| Punter |
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| More punters |
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| Aleem and Leroy Burgess |
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| Bambaataa |
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| Captain Rock |
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| The Furious 5 |
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| Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde |
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| DJ Cheese |
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| Dre & The World Class Wreckin Kru |
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| Lovebug Starski |
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| Mantronix |
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| Mona Lisa with The World Class Wreckin Kru |
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| Bambaata & Soulsonic |
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| The crowd |
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| Another crowd shot |
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| Cheese signing autographs |
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| Seating only |
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| UK B-boys in '86 |
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| GM Flash |
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| The Furious 5 |
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| Mantronik & Mike Allen |
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| Mike looking sharp |
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| Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde |
I will always regret in never having gone as in retrospect this concert seems to be the greatest hip hop event that ever took place in the UK. However I have a tape-rip of most of the acts and many pictures of the day after scouring the 'net.
If I recall correctly I think I was doing my school Work Experience at the time of this in Sainsbury's in deepest, darkest Camberley, Surrey. I remember being in the warehouse out the back and listening to a Mike Allen show on my Walkman as a way of compensating.
As it's the 30 years anniversary next year wouldn't it be great if there was an event to mark the occasion? Street Sounds I'm sure are probably already aware. At least I'd hope they were.
For more info on
UK Fresh 86 go to
Simmo's excellent Mike Allen website
here.
And also please check this
great recent post from the man, Waxer.
Also, whilst flicking through an old issue of
Grand Slam Magazine I came across this ad for UK
Fresh '03. Does anyone even remember this? I'm pretty sure it never actually took place.....anyone?
All photos are copyright A McGuire, Olaf & Simmo.
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5 comments:
I was there in 1986. Amazing day. Chanting Z.U.L.U inside and B.R.U.N.O as we left as Frank was fighting that night!
Haha, nice one, FP.
Yes I remember when they advertised uk fresh 03,I sent off for a pair of tickets,as you said it never happened,just like uk fresh 87 and 88,still,great memories of fresh 86!
I am the young black guy wearing the Kangol Hat with the Glasses known as Specs from Balham. This is the first time in 34yrs I am looking at this picture..UK Fresh 86..Wow..the memories..Bodypopped my ass off that day 😂😂
I was there for the afternoon show, none of the photos on my cheap halina 110 camera came out. I remember it well, we were sat high up and when cheese came on the place went nuts and we vaulted those chairs to get a better look. There were bboy battles going down at the back of the room and I remember some of the faves in these pictures. An iconic day for this little Sandhurst based B. Boy
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