Better.

I consider myself a bit of a Salmonella Dub aficionado, mainly due to the fact that I have now seen them live more times than I could count on my fingers, and would probably be well on to my second foot if I was to carry the counting on my toes... therefore, I feel qualified to say that their performance Friday night was their best ever. Ever, ever.

They rocked, big time. Maybe it was the venue, the great Shepherd's Bush Empire (an intimite, yet roomy Victorian theatre built in 1903), or the audience (a capacity crowd of 2000 mainly kiwis and aussies spread over the four levels), or the infectious patriotism that no kiwi abroad can remain immune to, but it went off! Everyone was so into it - there was not an unsmiling face in the crowd (apart from in the queue to the ladies, which was about 60 people deep!) and everyone was grooving and skanking to the beat. Touring with them were Concord Dawn had opened the night, and MC Tali who performed on stage with Salmonella for 'For the love of it'. The band, featuring a number of new faces, played an animated and enthralling 1hr 45m set. At 11:30pm the lights went up, and they were gone. And in my mind the reason that they are still one of my favourite live acts, nearly 8 years after I first saw them perform, is clear. Salmonella Dub are one band who are doing it all purely for the love of it. Feel free to sing along.

- The lyrics (mainly for Hannah - cos she normally just makes them up)

For the Love of It - Salmonella Dub

Simplification of skank beat
Free stylin' ourselves while we jam
Stripping it back to the roots, Virgin
Nothing else treats me like you do

We move to the music
Pushing and pulling ourselves
Feeling the drum and bass
That's why we do what we do

Unite the people we of the land
Re-light the fires we burn again
Stripping it back to the roots, Virgin
Nothing else takes me like you do

Virgin, we do it for the love of it.