The best news of the week is buried on page 62 of Saturday’s Fiji Times, where music legend Ken Janson announces an exciting reunion at the GPH on May 17 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of his Golden Dragon nightclub.
The Diamond Jubilee celebration will bring together performers from around the world who once played at the “Dragon” – with Ken confirming the participation of Fiji music greats such as Victor Rounds, Henry Foon, Tom Mawi, Jimi Nathu, Nez Hazelman, Sam & Annie Mawi, Eni Kumar, Joe Heritage and Ditui Abariga.
It’s going to be quite a night and the clamour for tickets is bound to be intense. Because the Golden Dragon has been part of the collective experience of so many Fijians over the past six decades, with indelible memories of taking the stairs to the magical world of Ken and his “Dragon Swingers” – the packed dance floor, the sweat, the beer – only Fiji Bitter in the old days – and, wow, the music.
Grubsheet first took the stairs in December 1970 – two months after Independence and back in Suva on holidays from boarding school in Sydney. I was 17 and wide-eyed and naïve. But I had two of Suva’s most sassy girls to keep an eye on me – Eileen Jack (now Van Loan) and Merlyne Jamieson, who I knew from my father’s Butt Street Methodist Church and were hell bent on leading the talatala’s son astray. Er, correction. We were all hell bent on leading each other astray.
I don’t remember anyone asking us how old we were. We just had to get through the bouncer and up the stairs. But thousands of others have had the same experience – the sheer exhilaration of simply being there to hear Ken Janson and his fellow musicians – always the tightest of bands at “the Dragon” – doing cover versions of the great songs of our time.
It’s funny what you remember half a century on. It was before television, videos and the Internet. So we were barely connected to the world except for Radio Fiji and some things clearly got lost in translation. Others of the same era will remember Glen Campbell‘s “By the Time I get to Phoenix” and the second verse of the song “ By the time I make Albuquerque”. Somehow at the Dragon it came out as “By the time I make Alba-barbeque (BBQ)”. But hey, that was Fiji in the early 70s – a long way from anywhere, apart from Ken and his fellow “musos” keeping us connected with global pop culture and who were the epitome of cool.
I happen to know Ken Janson, Victor Rounds and to a lesser extent, Tom Mawi, from when I lived in Suva more recently. And it’s amazing how music seems to keep people looking young and thinking young. Scanning the old photos, there’s a timeless quality about them and despite the fact that some of the big names of the time are gone. Ken, Victor and Tom have definitely aged better than most people of their generation. Many “Suva-siders” will be keen to see everyone together again in May – 60 years of magic compressed into a single night.
The local music scene is one of Fiji’s proudest achievements and especially the way many local musicians have taken their talents overseas, generating new fans but never losing touch with their roots back home. Take Victor Rounds, for instance, who is a big name in Australia and whose son, Abraham (Abe), was recently part of a group that won a Grammy Award in the US. It all began at the Dragon, or a lot of it did. And the same is true of many others.
Fiji is also fortunate to have the likes of music writer Felix Chaudhary keeping the memories and the stories alive. And others like fellow scribe Bharat Jamnadas who’ve captured photographic records of this golden age of Fijian music.
Many of the Dragon musicians staged a Diamond Jubilee reunion concert in Sydney last year but it’s wonderful that Suva – the birthplace of so much creative talent – will see them all together again at the GPH on May 17.
A big shout-out to Ken Janson – truly a national treasure – for 60 years of wonderful memories. As the man says – “this night is a night of celebration, a night to salute the good musicians we have lost and a night to celebrate those who are still with us. This reunion will be one of a kind and it will definitely be a nostalgic trip down memory lane.”
So Fiji. Be there or be square. ( you have to be of a certain age to “dig” that bit ).
A little bit OFF TOPIC here, aren’t we Graham?
You mean no bonking and weed? I never saw any weed back in those days and wasn’t getting any of the other either. But I’m sure these guys were getting plenty of the other 🙂
GD, I think that might be Maxie Columbus in the pic not Victor
Thanks, “Joe”. Anyone else able to confirm this?
Yes. Confirmed. Absolutely. That is Maxie.
My apologies. To him and to Victor.
Congratulations Dragon Music,Dragon Swingers and Golden Dragon for a milestone benchmark.
Thanks for the great music. This food of love that brings the new dawn’s hope.
God bless and loloma bibi.
Met Henry Foon in Sydney but haven’t heard from Aneil Kumar
(married to Ani Kumar) hope he is well, last known address USA. Bharat J and Jimi Nathu in NZ and Maxi in USA, dude hasn’t aged. We also had lead guitarist Vimal Sharma, former Air Pacific Pilot in Sydney.
Oh man, I’m not missing this gig…Peace man..
This would be awesome. And I’ll bet the first number will be My Girl, hahaha, “I got sunshine on a cloudy day …”
ISA…..I love this post. What a great time we had then. No TV. No McDonalds, Traps, Lucky Eddies. The big crew haunt The Mocambo.
Swimming at Natadola before it became another bloody resort. Fishing in Nasoso when it was basically swamp and NAISOSO Namu island was not even a dream. Nasoso road wasn’t tar sealed.
We had good (and naughty) simple fun.
Best post on a Sunday. Made us happy to reminisce.
Golden years. How lucky we were!!
The Queens Road wasn’t even sealed. And no weed, no meth and no porn. Isa indeed.
The memory dims!!! That’s right. But it was better than Kings Road!!! Isa yes. No drugs Sad eh.
Great article to wake up to on a Sunday. Yes and I am one that is guilty as charged for going up those stairs still under 18 or just standing outside with my friends and listening to the music of late 70’s.
@mroko1740 haaaaaaaaa. No wonder Nau was waiting outside with sasa for your butt lol. How she coped with 5 boys. She was a legend. X
Oh my… the bell bottom of the 70s. When we came along in the early 80s, Ken and his band were still around until disco took over the dance floor
in the 80s. That was when we Modri(s) followed after with either walking in with high heels and dressed up to look like we were 18.
No money to go in on the weekends, we sat opposite the library to listen to music from Lucky Eddie’s on Friday and Saturday nights. Paidar from Knolly Street was no big deal because the streets were safe after midnight.
And if it was dragon for the night. We’d be calling out to Siteri or Ken’s brothers wife- Shirley, to let us in. We so hard up that we sometimes braved the long line … even some loyal patrons screaming…Siteria me please…kaila..Then came Traps for the kaivalagi(s). But we stuck with dragon until we outgrew it at 20 and then parted ways. Good times while it lasted.
Dragon
Rock on✌️
I had a school mate of mine named Pravin “Spooky” Sharan playing there in the late 70’s. Anyone remember him (or was it Lucky Eddies??). Been a long time but great memories of yesteryears, those bell bottoms and an era of “free spirits”, love and joy where everyone came together for the love of music. One picture of a guy in a dyed tee shirt reminded me of the 1969 Woodstock…thanks for the post, just makes me happy once again.
Isa! Weekends at the Dragon, here we come. So many memories. My best friends (you know who you are [RIP KW!] ) and I had such memorable times at the Dragon. Even though we were regularly told “no look see” we still braved the crowds and had an unbelievable time until after closing.
OMG the Dragon in the early 70’s was the greatest place on earth I don’t remember much weed but the greatest music (I have industrial deafness as a result) lots of Fiji Bitter lots of dancing (and fighting) and lots of love.