January Blues Festival: Fantastic Negrito at 229, London

It’s not every night you get Mississippi blues, social commentary, and James Brown-level showmanship all wrapped into one. But that’s exactly what went down at the 229 Club, where Fantastic Negrito brought the kind of fire that can’t be rehearsed, only lived.

The Too Bad Jims

The evening kicked off with The Too Bad Jims, who set the tone immediately with a sound drenched in grit and soul. By the second song, the room was already filling fast, and the crowd fed off their energy. Between some dry-humoured banter and tight chemistry, they didn’t just warm up the audience, they earned them.

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Fantastic Negrito

Then came Fantastic Negrito. Dressed head-to-toe in a red suit and already in motion before the first note, he didn’t so much enter the stage as take it hostage. You could feel the shift in the room. Backed by a incredible band featuring musicians young enough to be on their first major tour but playing like seasoned vets, the show hit with zero delay.

You couldn’t really pin the sound down, one moment it leaned gospel, the next it was snarling with rock, before swinging back into something funkier and looser. But through all of it, Negrito was relentless. He’s not the kind of artist who needs an encore to make an impact. His humour filled the space between songs without deflating the intensity.

The set moved quickly but never felt rushed. Even heavier moments, like the raw delivery of “Bullshit Anthem,” came packed with purpose rather than posturing. It’s easy for artists to talk about the state of the world, but Negrito makes you feel it, then dance through it anyway.

There’s something disarming about watching an artist lay everything out like this in a relatively small venue. No barriers. No big screens. Just sweat, stories, and the kind of grooves that leave you unsure whether to close your eyes or lock in. Some shows entertain. This one testified.

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