WHAT IS A SOUND SYSTEM?
The term sound system originated in the ghettos of Kingston, Jamaica in the 1950s. At that time, a new form of public entertainment was emerging in which DJs would load their generators, turntables, and speakers on the back of a truck and host street parties. The end result was a combination of live performance and pre-recorded music that was sort of like a rock concert without the band. Over the years, the sound systems evolved to include live instrumentation, dancers, and elaborate light shows, gaining popularity all over the world, but especially in the UK. The Afro Celt Sound System is based more on the UK model, in that live instrumentation and performance have always been a part of the equation. Ever the picture of versatility, the Afro Celts have performed shows both as DJ sets featuring Simon and Martin spinning pre-recorded elements of the bands music, and as a full band, with all of the players and their respective instruments present on stage. Other musical acts that have ad
