This looks like a very fun way to spend an early evening…

The Island Records documentary which was shown on BBC4 on Friday night went down a storm with viewers and critics (the Guardian called it an ‘exemplary film”). If you missed it (and you’re based in the UK), you can watch it on the BBC iPlayer by clicking here.

Tonight sees the broadcast of two special shows on BBC4 celebrating Island’s 50th birthday. First up, at 9pm, is Keep on Running: 50 Years of Island Records, a Damian Lewis-narrated documentary telling the colourful story of Island Records. After that, at 10.30pm, it’s Island at the BBC, a compilation of performances from the BBC archives of top Island artists, including Cat Stevens’s Father and Son, Roxy Music’s Do the Strand, Stir it Up by Bob Marley and the Wailers, Steel Pulse, U2, PJ Harvey, Baaba Mal and Amy Winehouse.

Well worth staying in for, we think.

We look back on a wonderful week of shows…

TUESDAY 26th MAY
The first show of Island’s 50th anniversary celebrations at Shepherds Bush Empire got off to a raucous start with Latin funk Cab Calloway lookalike Kid Creole kicking up a Caribbean flavoured storm with his three scantily clad Coconuts and his eight piece band, who ran through a hit-packed set that included “Gina Gina”, “Annie, I’m Not Your Daddy”, and “Stoolpigeon”. Then followed the most famous Jamaican rhythm section of modern times Sly & Robbie with The Compass Point All Stars, who proceeded to shake the venue to its very foundations with a rumbling half hour dub set of reggae standards before introducing a selection of star vocalists from Island’s illustrious roster. First up were Aswad (Brinsley Forde, Drummie Zeb and Tony Gad), the UK’s most successful reggae group, who sang their chart-topper “Don’t Turn Around” and the rootsier “African Children”. Next up were the i-Threes (featuring Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths and Erica Newell), who ran through a medley of Wailers classics with Brinsley Forde standing in for Bob Marley – the crowd lapped it up singing along to every song, especially ‘Redemption Song’. Then came the turn of two of Island’s current roster – grime star Tinchy Stryder, fresh from his No 1 collaboration with N’Dubz, and VV Brown dressed to kill in a gorgeous red gold and green spangly number, treated the audience to a 21st century working of Sly & Robbie’s biggest song “Boops” before VV took lead vocals on a wonderful version of Gwen Guthrie’s “Padlock”. Last but not least was arguably the biggest star of the night – Grace Jones appeared resplendent in 7 inch heels, an outlandishly revealing outfit and a huge black mushroom shaped hat to steal the show wih a rump-shaking version of her biggest Island hit “Pull Up To The Bumper”. The encore featured a full-cast rendition of Marley’s “One Love” something of an “Island Life” anthem that would resound throughout the week.

WEDNESDAY 27th MAY
The second night of ‘Island Life’ opened with a set from fast-rising NME-tipped guitar slingers Bombay Bicycle Club who blasted their way through an exhilarating 40 minutes of tune soaked indie rock taken from their soon come debut album “I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose”. Second up were Birmingham reggae legends Steel Pulse, who made their name in the punk wars playing Rock Against Racism gigs alongside the Clash and X-Ray Spex; the passing years have not mellowed them and they played a wonderful mixture of old and new with lead Pulser David Hinds dressed in dramatic multi-coloured robes a blur of energy. Headliners of the night were Scottish rockers The Fratellis who fully lived up to their billing. Racing through hit after hit from their two albums and smiling broadly to be back in the saddle the band had the audience in the palms of their hands. Highlights included rip-roaring versions of “Chelsea Dagger”, “Creepin’ Up The Back Stairs” and in honour of the occasion their wonderful version of Bob Marley’s “Stir It Up”.

THURSDAY 28th MAY
The fastest night to sell out and attracting fans from some 20 countries night 3 of ‘Island Life’ proved to be very special indeed, not least because of the appearance of some secret guests to enliven proceedings. Opening were Noxshi, headliner Yusuf’s son’s band, who contrary to expectations rocked as hard as Audioslave. Next up was Senegalese superstar Baaba Maal, whose 13-piece band treated the crowd to an object lesson in polyrhythmic pan-African vibes before they were joined to audible gasps from the gathered throng by U2 to perform a gentle African-Irish version of their beloved ballad ‘One’ which neatly morphed into Bob Marley’s ‘One Love’. Maal and band departed to leave U2 to perform an acoustic version of one of their biggest hits ‘Vertigo’. And then they were gone. After a brief break Bono returned to the stage to introduce Cat Stevens/Yusuf thus: “singer, poet, pilgrim, guitar picker, natty dresser, the singer and songwriter of some of the finest ever songs…” Cat/Yusuf went on to perform a 90 minute set of songs old and new to a rapturous audience including his 3 year old granddaughter who memorably called out for ‘Grandad’ to play her favourite song ‘Thinking About You’.

FRIDAY 29th MAY
Night four of ‘Island Life’ featured the most eclectic of line-ups bringing together reggae, prog rock and Brit rock aristocracy. The evening commenced with a wonderful instrumental set from Jamaican jazz and reggae legend Ernest Ranglin, who at a sprightly 77 years of age, demonstrated that age has not slowed the speed of his guitar picking. Ranglin was the guitarist of choice at Jamaica’s legendary Studio One and helped define the ska sound before Chris Blackwell brought him over to London in the early sixties to record Island’s first huge record Millie Small’s “My Boy Lollipop”. Next up was the far out space rock of Spooky Tooth featuring original Toothers Mike Harrison and Gary Wright, who were in fine voice. The assembled throng of Weller-ites on one of the hottest nights of the year looked only moderately bemused as Wright threw shapes with the oft abused instrument the key-tar! When Paul Weller finally hit the boards the thirsty crowd were in fine voice and sang along to every song including his note perfect rendition of Manfred Mann’s ‘Pretty Flamingo’.

SATURDAY 30th MAY
For the Saturday night event of Island’s 50th birthday celebrations there was an art-pop thread running through the three acts picked to match. The evening kicked off with NZ singer-songwriter Pip Brown AKA Ladyhawke who had expanded her band for the occasion with a 4 piece string section. While Ladyhawke’s 80s flecked pop owed a debt of gratitude to the new wave trail blazed by Tom Tom Club, they were clearly impressed with her too. Tom Tom Club’s legendary singer Tina Weymouth dedicated a cover of Hot Chocolate’s disco classic ‘You Sexy Thing’ to Pip. London’s anticipation for their return was at fever pitch; the dance culture legends didn’t disappoint – classics like ‘Wordy Rappinghood’ and ‘Genius of Love’ sounding funky and fresh. With the crowd thoroughly warmed up there was a chance to catch Island’s stadium stars Keane up close. Talking Heads-influenced single ‘Spiralling’ blew the roof of the Shepherd’s Bush Empire and connected the dots between three luminous art pop groups.

SUNDAY 31st MAY
The final night of ‘Island Life’ moved to the slightly more modest surroundings of The Bush Hall around the corner from Shepherd’s Bush Empire, but it was no less exciting for that. Coco Sumner and her band I Blame Coco, at one of their first ever shows, got proceedings off to an auspicious start with their blend of pop and reggae rhythms that promise a very interesting future. It fell to reggae legend Toots Hibbert to round off proceedings with Toots & The Maytals who blew the roof off the Bush Hall in front of a crowd that included Isalnd founder Chris Blackwell, Grace Jones, Adam Clayton from U2, and Simon Kirke from Free. Toots, Jamaica’s answer to James Brown, had to be dragged from the stage well after curfew after a set that included hit after hit after hit including “Pressure Drop”, “Sweet And Dandy” and “Monkey Man”. There couldn’t have been a more perfect end to what had been a fabulous week-long party in celebration of Island’s illustrious past as well as its present and future.

Here are some links to more pictures from last week’s storming Island shows in Shepherd’s Bush, courtesy of urbanimage.tv. Click to see pictures from the gig of your choice…

- Paul Weller show

- Keane show

- Toots and the Maytals show

Check out our new Island Map, showing dozens of locations related to the label’s artists. Click here to start your journey…

Today sees the release of Keep On Running, a full colour hard-cover commemoration of Island Records. Here’s a glowing review from the London Paper.

Click here for more info and to buy your copy. You can also buy it from Amazon here.

The 3CD Island Life compilation is released today, featuring two discs full of Island’s greatest hits, plus a bonus CD including exclusive covers – including Keane’s version of Pulp’s Disco 2000, Amy Winehouse’s take on Toots and the Maytals’ Monkey Man and Paul Weller’s reworking of Nick Drake’s River Man. Click here to check out the full tracklisting and/or to buy the CD from the official Island Shop.

Yes, we kid you not. At tonight’s Cat Stevens/Yusuf Island Life show at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire, the surprise support act turned out to be none other than Island legends U2, who played an amazing three song acoustic set (One, One Love, Vertigo) joined by Baaba Maal.

Click on the thumbnail to see a bigger picture.

Picture courtesy of urbanimage.tv/Adrian Boot – click here to see more.

Here’s some more pictures from last night’s Island Life show at Shepherd’s Bush Empire. They come courtesy of UrbanImage.tv/Adrian Boot. Click here to see even more of them.