Ganja smoke clears on a changed Lee 'Scratch' Perry

Lee "Scratch" Perry gave a much more coherent performance than last time.

At least this time you can see him. Lee "Scratch" Perry is tiny and the last few times he has played in New Zealand you could not see him for the big bellows of smoke he was emitting. That ganja abuse also made for some pretty shabby performances from the reggae and dub legend.

But tonight, all hail the new and improved, ganja and alcohol-free Lee "Scratch" Perry.

Although he is looking frail, his mind is clearer, the music still chugs and bounces along behind him, and his banter is more sensible, yet still entertaining.

Earlier in the evening, before Perry shuffles on to stage, the dub is so slow it is at a standstill. One punter, with a lagered-up look in his eye, as opposed to the predominantly irie eyes of the rest of the crowd, says: "They better speed it up soon ... The Prof will do it."

He was right, the Mad Professor did, with a mix of skanking dub, some new, fresh, and very cool dance hall sounds, and his famous shin-splintering echo.

Then, after being teased for more than half an hour about being ready for Perry, the man himself appears with a puff of smoke (from the smoke machine, not the bong).

Wearing a brown safari-like suit, a hat covered in badges ("You could pick up every Sky channel with one of those on," is what one visitor from Raglan reckons), and draped in a Rasta scarf, Perry's presence immediately whips the jam-packed crowd into whoops and cheers.

Let the head bobbing begin.

The straight-up skank of Punky Reggae Party (a song Perry and Bob Marley wrote) and the delicious Soul Fire are two highlights.

The Mad Professor runs the show well from behind the desk and he breaks things up by dropping dashes of drum'n'bass in with the dub, to which Perry starts bobbing like a chicken being fed in a farm yard.

The only weak parts of the set are the moments of nursery rhyme dub, which get tiresome in their playfulness.

Perry has been many things in his musical life: the Upsetter, a talent scout, a spiritual being, an angel being, as well as the more normal roles of musician, producer, and pioneer.

Tonight he proclaims himself "The Changer". And with this he informs us that: "Instead of saying the same words, I change them because I get bored. I am The Changer," he smiles.

He's a changed man for sure and it was great to see him back on form, especially since this might just be the last tour Downunder by this cute, slightly crazed, little man they call Scratch.

What: Lee Scratch Perry and the Mad Professor
Where: The Studio, K Rd