++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Jamie "range rover" Samans is a freelance photographer and reggae writer in Washington, D.C. He is currently V.P. of Communications for TEBJR Music/Ram Jam Productions. He can be reached at jsamans@erols.com or through TEBJR Music at (888) 619-1938. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Culture Niteclub 9:30, Washington, DC September 14, 1997 Words can hardly do justice to the sonic tour-de-force that Culture put on for the DC massive Sunday night. In an incredible set lasting well over 2 hours, frontman Joseph Hill and the ever-solid Dub Mystic proved once and for all that heartical vibrations and 1990's-style technology can indeed be blended to produce a potent roots sound that goes far beyond rehashing 70's material. Locally-based Jah Works provided a solid opening set, and were well received by the capacity crowd. After a short break, Dub Mystic took the stage, and guitarist Ricky "Swann" Richardson led them through some guitar- oriented dub shots. While they were still playing, the legendary Ras Pidow took the mic and welcomed onstage Joseph Hill and Albert Walker. Swann provided the third harmony vocal for the evening, filling in admirably for the departed Ire'lano Malomo. Dressed in flowing robes and carrying a staff, Joseph Hill approached the microphone and launched into a spectacular rendition of "Love Shines Brighter." This show had been billed as the kickoff to the World Tour (although I saw a post on the newsgroup rec.music.reggae detailing a show on 9/6 in Columbus, Ohio), and press from MTV and Rolling Stone Magazine was in the house. Culture obviously knew this was the case and treated everyone to an incredible show, playing material from their first album right up through their new release "Trust Me." Standouts included "International Herb," "Too Long in Slavery," "See Them A Come," Two Sevens Clash," and "Addis Ababa." Dub Mystic featured two keyboard players, Barry Aikens and Asher Brisset, "Lion" Arthur on bass, "Digital" Pond on drums, and Swann Richardson on guitar. They sounded extremely tight, as anyone who has heard the album "Stoned" would expect. Additionally, much of Culture's older material sported new arrangements. When I have seen Culture before, one keyboard player always used his synth to play all of the horn parts just as those parts sounded on the lps. For this tour most of the horn arrangements have been replaced with new original keyboard lines, which are based on the original brass parts, but obviously written for keys. To the purist this may come as disappointing news, but I felt that the new arrangements sounded fresh, and certainly better than, well, a keyboard player playing the horns on his keyboard. It was abundantly clear that Dub Mystic is making Culture's repertoire their own. Before the first encore, Ras Pidow came back on stage and did some of his incredible dub poetry, prior to Joseph Hill and Albert Walker's return to the stage. It is worth mentioning that Albert Walker completely changed outfits during this short break. ;-) THE BOTTOM LINE Since the release of their first album "Two Sevens Clash" in 1976, Culture has maintained a position among the best harmony groups out there, anchored always by Joseph Hill's distinctive, reedy tenor. But it is their ability to adapt positively not only to the changes in personnel that have occurred over the years, but also to the changes in reggae music, that is Culture's real strength. In their current form, backed by Dub Mystic, Joseph Hill and Albert Walker seem ready to take real roots music into the 21st century. While recent years have witnessed them taking full advantage of technological advances, they have never strayed far from their own roots, and the result is a sound that expands the very foundation of roots music. Respect. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++ Israel Vibration backed by the Roots Radic Nitclub 9:30, Washington, D.C. June 1, 1997 The Israel Vibration tour made it's second stop last night in Washington, DC - with all the talk about them breaking up, I knew this was one show that I wasn't gonna miss. True to form, the Radic and IV didn't disappoint, bringing an intense, mystical vibe to a packed-out 9:30 Club. The evening kicked off with Jah Works - a good intentioned 10 piece(!) unit out of Baltimore. Now the packed house loved these guys - and the dance floor filled up by their second or third song - but does it tell you anything about the crowd if I told you that: (1) it was an all-ages show; and (2) I almost ran over a hacky-sack trying to park...but seriously, other than a *terrible* cover of "Country Road" these guys weren't half bad - and you've gotta love the three piece horn section (that trumpet player was NICE). I guess their sound was just a little too "pop" oriented for me... Maybe us here in Washington have been spoiled by Willie Paul & DKGB band - it was weird going to a reggae show and *not* hearing their excellent original "Sensimilla" featuring area DJ Screechy Ranks. Well, the anticipation and excitement really mounted while all of Jah Work's equipment was taken off stage and they began setting up for the Roots Radics. This was helped by an excellent set by the house selector, who showcased some of Lee Perry's Black Ark output. As usual, the Radic put on a good half hour set before Israel Vibration took the stage. Highlights included "Hot we Hot" and "Radically Radic" - plus a killa medley livicated to Bingy Bunny featuring some of the Radic's HARDest material from the 1980's. Brother D (Dwight Pinkney) also hailed up Scientist who was in the house, and who probably mixed most of the songs in the medley ;-). Ah...it made me wish for a tour featuring Eek-a-Mouse, Gregory Isaacs, Barrington Levy...all backed by the Radic! They really sound nice in their present incarnation - guitar player Stevie did an admirable job...he and Dwight's guitars interlocked and meshed really well throughout the evening. The drummer was great - he also sang really well on a couple of numbers in the Radic's set. Oh yeah, did I mention Flabba? 'Nuff said - that brother is the definition of reggae bass! For all of the guitar geeks out there, Flabba was playing a great "Beatle Bass" and Dwight used a really old (I think maybe from the 1950's) Gibson Explorer! By the time the members of IV took the stage, the Roots Radics had whipped the crowd into a veritable frenzy. 'Nuff lighta flash both in the air and in the crowd as probably 50 spliff were lit simultaneously. I had wanted to title this review "Apple Who?" - but as good as IV sounded there was definitely an element missing from this show. Joanne McDaniel did, however, do a great job rounding out the harmonies. I was relieved that she didn't try to "replace" Apple by singing lead on songs that he generally sang, and she was great to watch - she kept cracking up b/c this really loud overweight guy right up front kept flirting with her (she's very attractive). For the most part, Apple was hardly missed. Only one song, "Feelin' Irie", came up noticeably flat sounding, the rest of the material sounded incredible. Standouts in the close to two hour set included "Same Song" and "Cool and Calm." The Radics dubbed it pretty hard at the end of each song. One thing: they ended most songs with long, drawn out "anthemic" endings - more like I'd expect from Lynyrd Skynyrd or something - I just think bands sound tighter when they just stop at the end of the song rather that drawing it out. As good as IV sounded, tho', as I stated above, there was definitely an element missing from the show. Musically speaking, they were only affected by the lack of material that Apple sang lead on. But for those of you who have been to an IV show before, you know that Apple has a great stage presence, and generally nices up the place with some on-stage antics. For example, the patented IV "crutch dance" was nowhere near as long (or entertaining) without Apple's generous contributions. However, this said, Wiss really picked up a lot of slack (he's usually so mellow on stage), singing lots of lead parts and just generally increasing his stage presence. Even the stoic Flabba came over at one point and actually skanked with Skelly before retreating back to his usual spot next to his bass cabinet. THE BOTTOM LINE: Undoubtedly, this was the best show I've been to since the Congos came through last fall. The vibration in the club was fantastic - nothing but love and respect from everyone made for a very enjoyable night. With Apple gone, there is something missing, but it doesn't really "glare" out at you, I guess, unless you are a big fan of the songs that he sang lead on. But otherwise it was excellent roots music by arguably the best band in the business. And of course you'll go check these guys out when they come to your town - they may have lost a member but they haven't lost a step! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Eek-A-Mouse Niteclub 9:30 September 13, 1997 Eek-A-Mouse came through the Capitol area last night, but unless you called the club beforehand, you probably missed his excellent performance. The show was at the 9:30 Club, which usually gets nothing but respect from me for booking so many reggae acts (tonight is Culture). Oh yeah...it *is* nice to hear alla dem bands through a truly world class sound system, too! But they really screwed it up last night. Somebody had the great idea that if the opening band started at 8, and Eek-A-Mouse started at 9, then they could clear the club, and open it back up at 11 for a "rave." Except they didn't advertise it as an "early show", so the club was empty for the opening act, and I saw lots of disappointed reggae lovers out front at 11... The handful of people who *were* there for DKGB with Willie Paul and Screechie Ranks were treated to the full arsenal of stage antics by this upful duo, thanks to the fact that they had a photographer in the house taking some promo pix. Now y'all know that I really dig these guys, so believe it when I say that musically, their performance last night was sub-par - most likely due to the small crowd. I did enjoy their new tune over that Everton Blender "Blow Your Nose" riddim (does this riddim have a name?) By 9:15 Eek's band was 'pon the stage and they did a couple of tunes dubwise. They were a really tight four piece (drums, guitar, keys and bass), and provided a solid sonic foundation for Eek-A-Mouse's various warbling, singing and djing. By the time Eek-A-Mouse took the stage at 9:30, a lot of the crowd had migrated down to the dancefloor from the upper levels. Dressed in black jeans and a black western shirt, with a white cowboy hat and boots (no doubt to promote his new lp "Black Cowboy"), the 6'5" Eek- A-Mouse took the stage and treated his fans to a delicious reggae stew seasoned with generous helpings of his older material. To hear Eek-A-Mouse on record is an interesting experience. To see him live is not to be missed. There is something almost unreal about his vocal delivery, how he switches between the falsetto and his natural bass, that reaches out and grabs you when you see him live. They played lots of material from "Wa-Do-Dem" and "Assassinator" - including my personal favorite "Ganja Smuggling." Along similar lines, Eek- A-Mouse introduced the band as "...on keys: 'I love to smoke ganja'; guitar: 'I smoke ganja everyday'; drums: 'legalize ganja'; and bass: 'somebody give me some ganja please'." ;-) I was very impressed with how rootical the band was - even on Eek-A-Mouse's more recent material they sounded as good as the Radic did in 1983 (!) on "Assassinator." THE BOTTOM LINE: Killer show. Too bad nobody knew it started so early. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + THE ITALS The 28th Annual Rally, March and Concert to end Marijuana Prohibition, Washington, DC July 4, 1997 Washington, DC area fans were the beneficiaries of a real treat on the Fourth! Every year, right behind the Lincoln Memorial, there is a "Concert to End Marijuana Prohibition". Past years generally have showcased Grateful Dead-type bands, as well as a ring of police that bust people as easy as shooting fish in a barrel. Well this year was a different story altogether. I saw only one person being hassled by the police all day, and that was for selling beer out of a cooler! There were actually people circulating through the crowd all day long passing out spliffs. Whoa. This year's headliner was the Itals - and it was such a beautiful day I couldn't resist going down and checking it out. Baltimore based Jah Works was also on the bill (along with a bunch of - you guessed it - Grateful Dead cover bands). Well, Jah Works really suprised me. While I'm still none too fond of their "pop" style of reggae (think Big Mountain), they really put on a flawless performance on Friday. Serious. Tight three-part horn arrangements, good singing and dj-ing - these guys really have some potential. I just don't understand why they'd want to play that cheesy pop style reggae (but, hey - to each his own). After Jah Works, we spread out far away from the stage (it's a big park), the better to avoid the sonic onslaught of two really boring hippy bands and the annoying musings of the aging hippies who screamed into the microphone about how pot will save the planet. By the time the Itals came on at about 7:30, we estimated there were about 4,000 people in attendance, but hey, we were all pretty stoned. We moved right up to the front where the tireless volunteers were *still* handing out free joints, and dug in for one of the best shows I've seen in a while. Featuring the great Keith Porter, David Isaacs, and Keith's daughter on vocals, the Itals mashed it until they literally pulled the plug (their permit for the park only lasted until 9:00, and I guess they didn't want to give the police any excuses). The backup band featured two DC-area natives - the legendary Englishman on bass, and Chris (who has toured with the Itals before) on guitar, as well as a keyboard player and a drummie (synsonic). They were real tight, and thanks to Englishman, they really dubbed it up on most songs. More than once I saw Keith Porter looking back at Englishman with a "What are you doing?" type look, as Englishman just skanked away - dubbing it HARD. Chris had some very nice effects on his guitar that made for some mind- blowing dub passages. The whole performance had a real spontaneous vibe to it - with Keith Porter telling us about how "Herbs Pirate" was an autobiographical song, and generally chatting up the crowd in between songs. "Temptation" almost brought a tear to my eye, and "Rastafari Chariot" was also a real standout. One of the brethren I was with knew Gold, who checked out part of the show with our group ;-). THE BOTTOM LINE: There could be a lot of reasons why this was one of the best reggae shows I've been to this year - the giant soundsystem, the holiday atmosphere, the $93,000 worth of fireworks following the show, the day-long illusion that herb was legal - but really, I think the Itals (and Englishman) should get the credit for putting on a great, dubbed-out show. For the DC massive, if you haven't checked Englishman's three piece play at the South African Cafe (18th & Columbia) on Friday and Saturday nights - I highly recommend it - it's like an education in dub. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Itals w/ Englishman Jamaican Independence Festival, City Park, Silver Spring, MD August 10, 1997 First of all, respect due to all Jamaican massive and crew celebrating 35 years of independence. In the DC area, the celebration was marked with a two day festival at City Park in Silver Spring, Maryland featuring the area's finest in Jamaican food (big ups to Takoma Park's Spicy Delight crew!!), arts & crafts, and of course, reggae music. Sunday featured headliners the Itals, along with a veritable who's who of the DC reggae scene: Moja Nya, Intellect Keith, See-I, and Englishman, as well as several Jamaican youth who niced up the place dj-style at the end of Moja Nya's set. If you haven't had the opportunity to hear Englishman, I would suggest doing so ASAP (he has a new record out "Turning Point" distributed by RAS). His bass playing is arguably at the same level as Family Man or even Robbie Shakespeare. His fluid, rolling style seems to have a life of its own, and adds inestimable depth to whatever song he's playing. The Englishman band ably backed up Intellect Keith raggamuffin style, then played several songs off the new album, including a brilliant version of John Holt's "A Love I Can Feel." Englishman stayed on stage to back up the Itals, but unfortunately the most of the lineup was different from the their excellent July 4th show. The drummer, Brother Eugene, was the same, which meant that the riddim section was tight, and the guitar player Iymani (formerly of DC's Soul Defender Posse) did a great job, but it seemed that the keyboard player was just learning a lot of the songs in the Itals set. Because the promoters' permit expired at 8:00, the Itals only got to play for about an hour, but they did manage some real gems. Featuring Keith Porter, David Isaacs, and Keith's daughter on vocals, they played inspired versions of "Show me Your Intention," "Blood is Thicker than Water," and "One Dance." The highlight of the set was a 10 minute version of "Heathen" during which Keith Porter went off stage, returned with a set of bongos, and played percussion nyabinghi style. They also did an extended version of "Temptation," but it came off poorly as it was the second song and the soundman didn't have the vocals mixed properly yet. David Isaacs also sang a medley of his brother Gregory's songs that sounded pretty nice. They returned for a short encore featuring "In Dis Ya Time" and an improvisational medley featuring covers of 60's R&B songs like "My Girl" and the song that starts out "Don't know much about history..." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tony Rebel backed by S.A.N.E. The Crossroads Nightclub, Bladensburg, MD June 22, 1997 The Crossroads Nightclub in Bladensburg, Maryland was the site of a cultural extravaganza last night as Tony Rebel, the inestimable S.A.N.E. (Sounds Against Negative Expression) band, and Sugar Black & Lebanculah mashed it for the DC massive. My spar and I arrived at the club at about 10:15 to the sweet sounds of local reggae dj G-Nice juggling on the wheels of steel. We made a beeline for the pool table, where we linked up with members of the Anointed Souls - the opening band. Although this had been advertised as an "early show" - we all knew better - "soon come" being the operative term - especially when the M.C. announced at about 11:00 that Tony Rebel was on his way from an "important conference at the White House"...did someone say "Chalice in the Palace"? ;-) Shortly thereafter Danny Dread and the Anointed Souls took the stage. Formerly the lead singer for the local band Uprising, Danny was nursing a sore throat last night that really affected his vocal delivery - but the Anointed Souls sounded tight throughout their set of covers. Big up to Roots on bass for holding down some *solid* foundations! After another short set from G-Nice, S.A.N.E. made their way onstage accompanied by Sugar Black and Lebanculah. My only complaint - their set was way too short! These two brethren have got a really nice thing going here - their voices complement each other perfectly, and the vibes were pure niceness. Their sound reminded me of recent Culture - unadulterated roots vibrations, harmony style. Without further delay, Tony Rebel took the stage. With his imposing figure swathed in flowing robes, he interspersed his cultural dancehall musings with spoken messages on everything from family values to repatriation to the herb - a large cloud of which quickly settled over the front of the packed dancefloor. For over an hour he ran through all of his hits, returning for an extended 15 minute encore of "If Jah is by My Side." THE BOTTOM LINE: What else could one possibly want? Last night's show featured one of the best bands in the business, a strictly cultural vibe, great vocals (both inna dancehall style and singing) and positive messages. What else could I want? Simply put - more! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Toots & the Maytals The 8 x 10, Baltimore, MD June 10, 1997 Well I recently made the trip to Baltimore, Maryland to check out Toots and the Maytals. Truly a "founding father" of reggae music (and there is some debate over whether his song "Do the Reggay" was the first use of the word) - Toot's career stretches back some 30-odd years. I may be mistaken, but didn't he first begin recording at Studio One for Coxonne Dodd around 1962 ?!?!! Simply put, Toots showed no signs of slowing down anytime soon, and he had the capacity crowd at the 8 x 10 in the palm of his hand for the 1:45 minute set. Of course the most striking thing to me as my girlfriend and we arrived at the club was the difference between the Baltimore and DC reggae "scenes." For two cities only an hour apart, the difference is remarkable. There is an indisputable "downhome" vibe - but in a positive way, very irie and way more friendly than DC - I knew it from the bartenders' "South Baltimore" accent and her frequent use of the word "hon" ;-) The opening band - I think they were called "Orange Whip" - were a funk-pop-hardcore outfit that were remarkably unremarkable - so enough on them! I have heard Toots called "Jamaica's Otis Redding" - but I thought he was more like the "reggae James Brown" (and I mean that in a completely complimentary way!). Dressed in bright orange slacks, matching jacket, and a black cowboy shirt, he kicked, he spun, he jumped - his high-energy stage presence really was reminiscent of some of that late 60's-early 70's James Brown footage. Right from the start he mashed it - the second song was "Pressure Drop" - to the delight of the crowd. The Maytals were incredibly tight - each song ended with them speeding up to an incredibly fast pace, while the frenzied audience did their best to keep up. After the immensely popular "Pressure Drop" Toots kept the hits coming, playing "Country Roads", "Time Tough", "Funky Kingston", "Louie, Louie", "54-46" and (I think) "Sweet and Dandy" off "The Harder They Come" soundtrack. He also played some tunes off of his new studio album (his first in a number of years - like 10!) which has yet to be released but was $12 at the show. Although he didn't have any backup singers on stage, he had approximately 300 in the house - the interaction between Toots and the audience was magical, with almost every song featuring some sort of audience participation. THE BOTTOM LINE: When I go to shows, I generally tend to "play the wall" somewhere around the sound booth in order to get the best sound. This show was an entirely different story - I left the venue sweaty and revved up after skanking the night away to Toot's high energy performance. His voice sounds every bit as good as it does on my copy of "Funky Kingston" and the Maytals provided an extremely solid foundation. Just make sure you get plenty of rest before you go check fe Toots - you'll need it! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Wailing Souls The Bayou, Washington, D.C. March 17, 1997 Well, another groggy Monday morning at work after a Big D Sunday night reggae show at the Bayou! Last night's show featured the Wailing Souls, and I was well impressed with these brothers and their backing band. The show started around 10:00 with DKGB band taking the stage. It's pretty hard to go to a reggae show in DC and *not* see DKGB - it seems like they open up for just about everyone who comes through here...but I'm not complaining...its just a shame that there's not a little more variety...like how's about the Downbeat Rulers, Access or some of the other DC-based groups getting the nod!?! Anyway, DKGB put on a solid set featuring the always energetic Willie Paul on lead vocals. I just kept having dejavu - oops...maybe it was because DKGB played pretty much all the same songs they played last weekend opening up for Luciano's Messenger Tour! Two things stuck out from their set: first, I hope Ambi (drums) ditches the electronic kit he used last night, (seemingly for the first time) - those electronic rim shots sound pretty fake; and second, big up to Ratty (rhythm guitar) - he really is creative when it come to the "skank" guitar. By 11:00 or so the Bayou had filled up pretty nicely (the upstairs was closed tho') and the Wailing Souls were set to take the stage. On vocals it was Bread and Pipe, whose voices sounded great, and a female backup singer who really rounded out the vocal mix and made the harmonies sound nice. Bread and Pipe were wearing matching leather vests with the Jamaican flag on the back but these were quickly discarded as the set heated up. I'm not too familiar with a lot of the Wailing Souls material, but they did play "Old Broom", "Firehouse Rock", and some other songs that sounded familiar - no doubt off the "Best Of" album I have...they *didn't* play anything off of "Stranded in L.A." which is the other album I have...They also probably played some songs off of their new CD (I think called "Tension") which they passed out before the show and is slated for release next month. The Souls were expertly backed by Ras Pidow's regular band the Modern Antique from Baltimore. They switched effortlessly between high quality "modern roots" sounds - think Dub Mystic, Culture's regular backing band, and more classic sounding styles. That was the real suprise about the show - it was an really good mix of classic stuff and newer sounding reggae. (I had expected more modern sounds.) The drums sounded really good (maybe that was why DKGB used the electronic kit - to make the Souls drummer sound so good...) and the bass player was a straight up Robbie Shakespeare "head" - same playing style - he even looked a little bit like him! (in his younger days...) The keyboard player was good in that you could tell he was there but he wasn't real loud in the mix and the guitar player blew me away. Some of his solos, especially on the dubbed out stuff, were pretty incredible in the use of effects and playing skill. THE BOTTOM LINE: Good crowd, great band, killer set. What more do you want? If these guys come to your town do yourself a favor and check 'em! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ras Pidow and the Modern Antique Kaffa House, Washington, D.C. Winter, 1997 The legendary Rastafari elder Ras Pidow and his band Modern Antique truly nice up the Kaffa House in Washington, DC on Saturday night. Unfortunately, not many people from the area checked the vibe, as there was probably only 30-40 people (and that's a generous estimate) in attendance. WHATS UP WITH THAT!?!!! If I can borrow from the man Sergio Leone, it was a night of "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"... THE GOOD: Some of you may remember my review of the Wailing Souls concert we had here in DC a few weeks ago - and how impressed I was by the backing band. Well imagine my suprise when the same band comes out and started dubwise on Saturday night and then proceeded to back up Ras Pidow! A little asking around, and I found out that the band is Modern Antique, Ras Pidow's regular backing band, and both the band and Ras Pidow are now based in Baltimore, MD. Quality, quality, quality - man, the band is good. It seems that most reggae bands these days are "keyboard centered" i.e., sonically speaking, the keyboard is the central instrument in the mix. Well, Modern Antique are completely "guitar centered" (the best comparison would be to go back and listen to some OLD Steel Pulse, Aswad, or other British reggae, which I find to be much more guitar-oriented than even a lot of Jamaican reggae from the same period). The Modern Antique's guitarist is excellent, and his sound is in the front of the mix, whether it be skanking on the rhythm, or taking a little solo excursion. Bassie and the drummer were tight (as always - I'm telling you, these guys are GOOD) and the keyboard player was there and really adds depth to the mix, w/o being overpowering - he even played brass on a couple of tunes. They also had a percussionist who mainly played this big bass drum looking thing (he used like this hammer thing to hit it) which added a lot of bottom to the mix. After a couple of tunes dubwise by the Modern Antique, Ras Pidow took the mic. For such a big presence on record, I was suprised at his diminutive stature. I guess I would call him a "dub poet" - he basically chanted and recited over HARD rhythms. For an older brother he was dancing and moving pretty good - especially after his vocal portion of the song was over and the Modern Antique would dub it for a while. I thought I heard him sing on a couple of tracks, but the brother I was with didn't have the same impression...which leads me to THE BAD: Why was there no one doing sound? Everything appeared to have run through this tiny little mixer that just sat untouched on stage. You could barely hear Ras Pidow's vocals. As much as I dig the Modern Antique band, the purpose of the show was to highlight Ras Pidow's vocals! Also, the drums were not mic 'ed so they had that "garage" sound (kinda mushy w/o compressors, reverb, etc.). Hey Kaffa House - next time hire a soundman! THE UGLY: Well, the most painfully obvious thing about the whole night was the complete lack of audience! I mean, whats the deal? I know for a fact that Kaffa House was the ONLY venue in the whole city of DC to offer this kind of strictly roots and culture atmosphere, and on a Saturday night no less. The $8 admission was cheap by most standards. Where were all the people? As a result, Ras Pidow put on a pretty short set, no encore, and looked pretty pissed off when it was all over. Y'know, everyone complains about how the live reggae scene seems to be dying here in the US, yet no one goes out to support a show when it comes around. THE BOTTOM LINE: Ras Pidow and the Modern Antique MASHED it during their short set, giving those in attendance a real rootsy, cultural experience featuring excellent dub poetry and backed by one of the best reggae bands I've heard in a long time. Add a soundman and like 100 more people in the crowd and it really would have been a night to remember. As it was, tho', the evening was only memorable for what it COULD have been. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ YELLOWMAN: RAM DANCEHALL The Bayou, Washington, D.C. June 4, 1997 For weeks I'd seen them, the promotional posters advertising Yellowman backed by Sagittarius last night at the Bayou in Georgetown. Kinda hard to miss...since they consist of a large fluorescent Jamaican flag with Yellowman's face in the middle. The posters proudly proclaim "The Original King of the Dancehall!!!" Let me tell you - this was no empty boast, as Yellowman ruled the stage inna fine style last night. As I walked into the Bayou's dark, stony, cool embrace to the booming bass of the Mad Professor and Horace Andy's "Roots & Branches," I was wondering what Access, the opening band, would sound like. I hadn't had the opportunity to check out this six piece, dreadlock outfit from the DC area, featuring drums, bass, keys, guitars, and two lead singers (one male and one female), and I was looking forward to doing so. When they finally took the stage (dub-style, no singers yet), the band proved themselves an able back-up unit by playing a great medley of reggae standard rhythms, effortlessly switching between them. Bassie seemed to be the musical leader of the group, and he worked well with the drummer, giving their performance a tight, solid foundation. When the two singers first took the stage I was well impressed - they both could really SING, and with the guitar player adding his vocals, they pulled off some great three-part harmonies. But the band's choice of material leaned towards the "lovers" end of the reggae spectrum - which was not what I was in the mood for as I was getting excited for some hard riddims from Sagittarius. One of the bright spots of their set was the song they did "combination style" with the male lead singer DJing and the female (incidentally, from Trinidad) singing. Well, I gotta big up the DC massive for coming out in full force (and just 3 days after the Israel Vibration show) last night, especially the gal dem, who are inexplicably drawn towards Yellowman like moth to a flame! Trust me, I didn't let my girlfriend out of my sight for long... ;-) By the time they had finished setting up the equipment for Sagittarius, the dancefloor was packed, and everyone was maxing to the sounds of U-Roy's "Babylon Kingdom Must Fall." Suddenly the lights went down, the music stopped, and when the lights came back up the mighty Sagittarius was on stage. Consisting of drums, bass, guitar, and two keyboardists, they pure and simple just mashed it, stopping only once or twice until the evening was over. After a dubwise riddim medley, Yellowman took the stage. For the next 2 hours, he was King and the audience were his loyal subjects. Nothing was missing - from his trademark high energy stage antics, to his legendary slackness and the way he completely manipulates the crowd. He says "Jump" - the crowd dem JUMP! As "fit as a five string fiddle" Yellowman and the Sagittarius just didn't stop or show any signs of slowing down. They tore through all the classics: "Operation Radication", "Nobody Move, Nobody get Hurt", "Blueberry Hill", "Zoom Zooma Zoom a Zeng", "Yellow Like Cheese", and a 10 minute version of "Jamaica Nice." He did an incredibly slack version of the Shaggy tune "Boombastic" - lyrically just think "Mr. Rubber, rubber..." and you can figure out the rest! THE BOTTOM LINE: While I don't think I can say that Yellowman never makes an empty boast ;-), he more than backed up his claim to the title "The Original King of the Dancehall" with a thrilling set here in the Capitol. It is true he was a little flat with some of his singing, but once he catches the groove and begins to DJ, he sounds virtually the same as he did during his heyday in the 1980's - and even today not too many DJ can top the original! A challenge to all the DJ - go see Yellowman, and if you think you can kill him onstage, inna clash- stylee, WELL THEN COME WITH IT ME BREDDA!!! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Yellowman backed by the Sagittarius Band The Bayou, Washington, D.C. August 16, 1997 I had an opportunity to check Yellowman and Sagittarius a for second time on their current tour as they made a triumphant return to Washington, D.C.'s the Bayou last Saturday night. The show was opened by DC's own DKGB band, with Willie Paul and Screechie Ranks. Both acts showed the hard- earned results of much touring and playing out, and both band's sets were polished, professional, and tight. Although DKGB's hour and a half set was marred by sound problems at the beginning, these guys are really starting to reap the benefits of playing out a couple of times a week, as they are showing some serious maturation as a unit and are beginning to develop a distinctive sound. Everytime I see them they just get better, and last Saturday was no exception. The quintessential "warm-up band," when their set began the dancefloor was empty, but by their last song it had filled up to capacity. Resplendent in matching outfits, they ripped through their set inna combination stylee, with Willie Paul handling the singing and Screechy providing some excellent djing. The highlight of their set was a 10 minute version of their song "Stalk of Sinsimilla" done over the "Pass the Kutchie" riddim, with Screechie Ranks circulating throught the crowd with a spliff. The word on the street is that these guys will have an album out in the near future, with the legendary Scientist at the controls. By the time Sagittarius took the stage shortly after midnight, the crowd had really filled out, and as is to be expected anyplace Yellowman goes, it was full of some beautiful daughters. Having been on the road since at least June 4 (the last time they played in DC), Sagittarius sounded tighter than ever, and put on a flawless performance. There was 'nuff slackness inna de dancehall, with Yellowman's characteristic ad-libs in between songs, but I was a little disappointed that he played pretty much the same set as he did when he was here 10 weeks ago. Highlights included "Nobody Move," "Oh Carolina," "Ease Up," and "Operation Radication." The only really noticeable difference between the two shows was that in June the set was much more concise, while at Saturday's show Sagittarius dubbed out each song at the end and there were a lot more "wheel ups" - which certainly had this reviewer shouting "FORWARD!" THE BOTTOM LINE: I read somewhere that since Bob Marley passed, no reggae artist has sold more albums than Yellowman - and he's put out more than 40 in a career that spans two decades. Many people would say that he was instrumental in developing the guns and girl themes that still rule Jamaican dancehalls today, and his sales numbers, along with the lasting popularity of the "toasting" dancehall style that he helped pioneer, speak volumes about his influence on modern Jamaican music. It's hard to imagine what 1990's reggae would sound like if it weren't for Yellowman. His live show is always an experience - once the band starts he just doesn't stop moving, jumping, dancing, and of course, chatting, until he is sure that the fans are satisfied. Maximum respect to King Yellowman and the Sagittarius! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Black Uhuru Niteclub 9:30, Washington, D.C. June 11, 1997 The legendary group Black Uhuru came through Washington DC last night and pulled off a very polished, energetic set for the small, but irie all-ages crowd that turned out. Consisting of Don Carlos, Garth Dennis, and a female singer, Uhuru put on an extremely tight and spontaneous show that quite frankly came as a pleasant surprise. I got to the 9:30 at about, well, 9:30, hoping to tuck into some of their delicious vegetarian cuisine before the opening band started. I was shocked to find the opening band, David Israel (formerly lead singer of the now- defunct Downbeat Rulers) and Cornerstone, well into their set when I arrived, and even more shocked at the fact that there were only 13 (yup, I counted) people standing at the edges of the 9:30's rather spacious dancefloor. BIG UP to David Israel and Cornerstone for still putting on a positive, professional set despite the lack of crowd. Nuff respect! Not to mention the fact that drummie was hobbling around on crutches and a full leg brace after their set - I want to know how he played drums like that! But despite their valiant efforts, these guys still need a lot of practice. I always thought the Downbeat Rulers were OK, but their lead singer, while having good stage presence, often strayed off-key. Well, it was clear last night that he hasn't been taking any singing lessons in his time off! He started one song so badly that Cornerstone actually stopped playing and made him start again - and it wasn't a "rewind". Fortunately their set included a couple of guest vocalists - Jah Locks did a great cover of Don Carlos' "Prophecy" - foreshadowing what was to come. The Cornerstone Band was OK - two keys, drums, and bass - but one of the keyboard players had his synthesizer set for guitar mode and it sounded, well, like a synth set in guitar mode. These guys have potential, but they need to let drummies' leg heal up and get a guitar player! By the time Black Uhuru took the stage, the crowd had filled out considerably, and the band was greeted with enthusiastic applause. They started out the first two songs with Garth on lead vocals - I'm pretty sure the second song was "Word Sound." The first hour and 15 minutes was primarily material from the albums "Now", "Strongg", and "Iron Storm." They particularly showcased "Now", playing the aforementioned "Word Sound", "Army Band", "Thinking About You" (yuck!), and "Reggae Rock." The back-up unit was very, very good - extremely tight, but not at all "slick" sounding. This was good, because it led to a rootsier, heartical translation of material from their "slickest"-produced albums. The drummer was, IMO, the best of the group - he had a full synsonic kit (except, thankfully, for the snare and cymbals) and he utilized lots of cool effects, dub-style echoes, and the like. The high point of the first set was when a girl from the audience passed up a piece of paper with a request. Without missing a beat they launched into "Black Uhuru Anthem" - 'nuff dreadlock flash as Don and Garth shook out their locks to the refrain of "I & I are the living dread..." Interestingly, that song was originally recorded when neither Don or Garth was in Black Uhuru! The real treat came during the hour-long encore. The crowd was well into it, and despite the fact that they were smaller in numbers, they were just as loud as the full house for Israel Vibration last week. This was Don Carlos time, and Garth let him go. They just mashed "Plastic Smile", "Shine Eyed Gal", "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", "Sponji Reggae", "General Penitentiary", and "Sensimilla." The female singer, while no Puma, did an admirable job on the high harmonies - in fact all of the harmonies for the whole show were exceedingly well done. An accapella version of Marley's "Roots, Rock, Reggae" was incredible, and as Don Carlos put it "...not a 'ting we usually do..." Throughout the encore set, and much to the crowd's delight, Don Carlos teased us with spontaneous, accapella verses from his solo output - and promised that next time they came to DC they'd perform the entire songs, as well as some Wailing Souls material fronted by Garth! THE BOTTOM LINE: For my money, the Niteclub 9:30 has got the best soundsystem around, and it was a real treat to hear such a crack unit just mash up the place. Extended dub versions of every song (with killer effects), fantastic skanking 'pon the stage, and really good crowd interaction made this a great show. I also walked away with a heightened appreciation for several records that I had pretty much dismissed - hearing them in a rootsier light was really nice. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Congos The Bayou, Washington, D.C. December 15, 1996 Well, I'm going to try to put down my thoughts on the incredible show that the Congos put on at the Bayou on Sunday Night. Right from the start the vibe was wicked. It was like the show's MC, Papa Wabe said: "You are here because you know...and if you don't know, you will by the time you leave." Luminaries in the small, but very irie crowd included Peter Broggs and See-I. The opening act was Culture Shock, a very talented threesome from the area (as anyone who has been in Adams Morgan on a Friday or Saturday night can attest to!). Culture Shock played mostly reggae covers - which was a bit of a disappointment - when I have seen them before they played more afro- pop, which really showcases their fine vocal capabilities (all three of them sing). By the time the Congos came on the postive vibrations had intensified inna the club (or maybe it was the kingsbread...hmm...). Backed by the always killa A-Team band they proceeded to tear it up - even Congo Ashanti Roy was not present. Cedric Myton (lead vocal) and Watty Burnett (the bass vocal) were there, but apparently Ashanti Roy was absent due to what Cedric called "transportation problem." No matter really, his replacement, "Preps" (formerly of the Tartans) was excellent - these guys sounded as good vocally as they do on the classic "Heart of the Congos" album. Their set lasted for almost two hours without a break, and they returned for a great encore. I think they played everything from "Heart of the Congos" and they played a good 7-8 songs that I didn't recognize. In between songs Watty made a couple of references to "the net" and Ras record's homepage - but alas, no mention of the RMR massive! THE BOTTOM LINE All in all an unbelievable show - all of the rave reviews of the NYC show that I read were for real! I pretty much stood there like a cobra transfixed by the snake charmer for the entire show - unbelievable! Big up to Big D for following up the Gregory Isaacs no-show debacle with such a fine, fine show!