Live Concert Review - The Wailers, Passafire, Tropidelic - House of Blues - 6.10.08 By Nathan Veale Published: June 13, 2008 PrintEmail
Some things in life never get old. For me, a few of those things are ice cream, reruns of 'Scrubs' on Comedy Central, and the music of The Beatles. Another is the legendary reggae music of Bob Marley who, with The Wailers, wrote some of the best music since the dawn of rock n roll. Together they created reggae music that transcended genres and has since transcended generations. Bob has been gone for many years, but his legacy lives on with The Wailers, who continue to tour and make music, headed by original bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett and new singer Elan Atias. Tuesday night (6.10.08), The Wailers took to the stage at the House of Blues, bringing along with them two young reggae rock acts, Passafire and Tropidelic.
There are two main attractions to the current incarnation of The Wailers. The first is, of course, hearing the music of Bob Marley performed by some of the people who helped create it, and the other is the captivating stage presence of Elan. First performing with The Wailers in 1997, Elan has recently returned to the group following the recording of his solo album ‘Together as One,’ produced by No Doubt’s Tony Kanal. Elan not only brings with him to the stage a remarkable voice so similar to that of Bob Marley that his original songs sound like they could be Marley’s, but also a childlike enthusiasm that adds a bright new freshness to old material.
Taking to the stage at 10:15pm and not exiting until midnight, Tuesday’s 20 song set included many of Bob Marley’s classic hits, but also successfully mixed in some of Elan’s solo material. Protest music dominated the early portion of the show, with Elan bouncing on stage in a camouflage jacket while performing “Keep on Movin,” “Them Belly Full,” and the emotional “So Much Things to Say.” When The Wailers brought out “Stir it Up” the atmosphere began to change, and much of the rest of the performance showcased the dance-ability of The Wailers’ classic roots reggae sounds. Stirring performances of “I Shot the Sheriff,” Elan original “Nothing is Worth Losing You,” and “No Woman, No Cry” led to set closer “Jammin,” but the excited all ages crowd would not let the show end there.
The encore started with Elan taking the stage to talk about a charity the band is part of, www.iwenthungry.org, wherein the band chooses to forego its tour rider to help feed the million of starving people around the world. “I Went Hungry” wristbands were available for three dollars at the merch booth, with all proceeds going to the organization. A fantastic performance of “Redemption Song” followed, and the show concluded with a mix of the classic hits “Exodus” and “Punky Reggae Party,” as Elan and The Wailers proved that Bob Marley’s music will likely never die, especially if there continues to be outstanding musicians out there performing it.
Openers Passafire were surprisingly well-versed in reggae music for a foursome of young white dudes from Savannah, Georgia, and mixed some rock and jam influences into their mostly authentic reggae sound over a 45 minute set. Highlighted by singer/guitarist Ted Bowne’s soulful storytelling, bassist Will Kubley’s athletic and versatile rhythms, keyboardist Adam Willis’ Tom Cruise-esque excitement, and drummer Nick Kubley’s steady beats, Passafire flowed humbly yet confidently through a mix of roots, dub, and alternative sounds from their 2007 full-length ‘Submersible,’ forming a very cohesive and enjoyable set.
One of the hardest parts of starting a successful band is finding a competent lead vocalist, and Kent natives and show starters Tropidelic have yet to find one. Musically competent if unremarkable in a mix of rock, funk, hip-hop and reggae, the band is brought down by their goofy frat-boy lead singer, who gruffly sang and rapped his way around the stage for about 40 minutes. Obviously just kids happy to have landed a gig opening for a legendary band, Tropidelic has a lot of growing up to do before they’ll ever find themselves on the main stage at the House of Blues again.
dawn of rock n roll. Together they created reggae music that transcended genres and has since transcended generations. Bob has been gone for many years, but his legacy lives on with The Wailers, who continue to tour and make music, headed by original bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett and new singer Elan Atias. Tuesday night (6.10.08), The Wailers took to the stage at the House of Blues, bringing along with them two young reggae rock acts, Passafire and Tropidelic.
showcased the dance-ability of The Wailers’ classic roots reggae sounds. Stirring performances of “I Shot the Sheriff,” Elan original “Nothing is Worth Losing You,” and “No Woman, No Cry” led to set closer “Jammin,” but the excited all ages crowd would not let the show end there.
from Savannah, Georgia, and mixed some rock and jam influences into their mostly authentic reggae sound over a 45 minute set. Highlighted by singer/guitarist Ted Bowne’s soulful storytelling, bassist Will Kubley’s athletic and versatile rhythms, keyboardist Adam Willis’ Tom Cruise-esque excitement, and drummer Nick Kubley’s steady beats, Passafire flowed humbly yet confidently through a mix of roots, dub, and alternative sounds from their 2007 full-length ‘Submersible,’ forming a very cohesive and enjoyable set.
