Redemption Song

(Above: The Wailers perform Bob Marley’s eternal “Is This Love” at Glastonbury 2014.)

By Joel Francis
The Kansas City Star

Bob Marley has been dead for almost as long as he was alive, but his music isn’t going anywhere.

Several hundred fans flocked to the Uptown Theater on Friday night to hear the late reggae legend’s music performed by his former backing band, the Wailers. Although only one member of the current lineup performed and recorded with Marley, the band does an outstanding job of replicating Marley’s influential sound.

The arrangements stayed faithful to the recorded versions, making the rare moments when the band stretched out even more insightful. Guitarist Audley “Chizzy” Chisholm added a pair of inventive guitar solos to “Lively Up Yourself” and “Jamming.” Despite the band playing it safe, the songs remained encouraging, inspiring and, at times, confrontational.

Songs from “Legend,” Marley’s omnipresent greatest-hits package, drew the biggest responses. The opening notes of “Could You Be Loved” and “Jamming” were all it took to get everyone dancing. An enthusiastic call-and-response during the chorus on “Buffalo Soldier” pumped up the already energized crowd.

Chisholm and singer Dwayne Anglin performed alone for a stirring version of “Redemption Song.” The full band returned for an extended medley of “Exodus” and “Punky Reggae Party” to close the 90-minute set.

Rusted Root, a five-piece band from Pittsburgh, mixes world instruments and rhythms with jam-band sensibilities. Its 100-minute opening set included two new songs and highlights going all the way back to the band’s 1992 debut album.

Standout moments included the propulsive “Rain,” a duet between lead vocalist Michael Glabicki and utility player Liz Berlin, who also played washboard. The hypnotic “Laugh as the Sun” found Berlin on pennywhistle. A reworked cover of “Suspicious Minds” opened with dueling bass and drums.

The set peaked with a massive romp that started with the Indian-tinged chant “Voodoo.” That led into a drum solo and jam, before working into “Ecstasy.” Everyone sang along with the closing number, “Send Me on My Way,” the band’s first and biggest hit.

Boston’s Adam Ezra Group started the night with a heartfelt half-hour set.

The Wailers setlist: Intro; Easy Skanking; Could You Be Loved; Lively Up Yourself; Survival; The Heathen; Rastaman Vibration; I Shot the Sheriff; Who the Cap Fit; Trenchtown Rock; Buffalo Soldier; Jamming; Encores: Redemption Song; Medley: Exodus/Punky Reggae Party.

Rusted Root setlist: Welcome to My Party; Martyr; Lost in a Crowd; Suspicious Minds; Tumbleweed; Food and Creative Love; Laugh as the Sun; Cover Me Up; Save Me; Rain; Voodoo (drum solo); Ecstasy; Send Me on My Way.

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(Above: “We and Dem” was one of several new cuts the Original Wailers performed in Kansas City.)

By Joel Francis
The Kansas City Star

New material can be problematic for established acts. At a Kemper Arena concert several years ago, Elton John apologized for playing new songs and promised the he’d get to the hits as quickly as possible.

The Original Wailers took the opposite track Friday at the Voodoo Lounge, making several tracks from their upcoming album the centerpiece of the show. The gamble paid off.

Bob Marley casts a long shadow over all reggae acts, but the Original Wailers are especially stricken: Their two guitarists, J unior Marvin and Al Anderson, played with Marley on some of his greatest albums, including “Exodus” and “Uprising.”

The seven-piece band didn’t overlook those moments, but it was clear they want to be remembered as something more as well. After introducing themselves with a trio of Marley numbers, they dove into several songs from the as-yet unreleased album “Justice.”

Even though the crowd couldn’t sing along, they didn’t seem to mind. Part of this had to do with band’s enthusiasm for the numbers. It was evident they were happy to be playing their new creations, and as a result the performances bounced a little bit higher. The other reason is that the songs maintained several of Marley’s hallmarks, like socially conscious, yet upbeat lyrics underlined by gospel organ lines and subtly textured guitar parts.

“Blackbird Fly” was dedicated to the late Joseph Hill from Culture and floated as effortlessly as its title implied. “Backslider” was a song about hypocrites in the vein of “Who the Cap Fit,” and “We and Dem” featured a nifty dub bass-and-drum breakdown.

After several new songs, Anderson declared the band would take a request. There were shouts for “I Shot the Sheriff” and “No Woman No Cry.” Both were good suggestions; neither was played. Instead, the band played another new number, “What’s Love Supposed To Do.” It might have been a cruel trick, but the poppy number kept everyone dancing happily.

Marvin and keyboard player Desi Hyson shared vocal duties. The pair were as much educators as entertainers, pausing between tracks to frame each song. The song “Justice” was prefaced by a quote from founding Wailer Peter Tosh, which drew a big cheer.

The band didn’t deliver a big Marley hit until nearly halfway through the two-hour show. The Voodoo Lounge wasn’t close to full, but just about everyone in the place ran onto the dance floor during the opening chords of “Three Little Birds.” A more obscure cut “Heathen,” also from the “Exodus” album, kept the floor crowded thanks to Anderson and Marvin’s extended solos. A master of feel, Anderson added touches of Latin, psychedelica, blues and even metal into the songs.

After introducing “Jammin’” the crowd didn’t need an incentive to stick around, but Marvin gave them one anyway, leading them through dance steps, hand claps and a call and response. Anderson added a weird, dissonant blues riff to the mix that didn’t seem to fit but somehow worked. As the band worked the groove, backing vocalist Erica Newell, spurred on by fans near the stage, unleashed her funkiest dance moves of the night.

After a brief break, Anderson resumed the stage alone, playing a guitar solo that recalled Jimmy Page’s “White Summer/Black Mountainside.” Eventually joined by drummer Paapa Nyarkoh, the rest of the band fell in as he slid into the familiar intro to “Redemption Song.” The performance had a hymn-like solemnity until Marvin kicked it into doubletime, reworking the last verse into a ska number.

The night ended with a 15-minute romp through “Exodus” that wouldn’t quit. After jamming through all the verses, Nyarkoh took a drum solo that didn’t slow the dancing by a single step. Marvin eventually regained the stage, but the band wouldn’t stop, working the groove tighter and tighter as Anderson took a long solo. At this point there were two options: continue playing the number for the rest of the night, which no one on stage or in the crowd seemed to mind, or break it off immediately. Realizing the band had an upcoming gig and the audience may have weekend plans, Anderson chose the latter. If he hadn’t we might all still be dancing.

Setlist: Natty Dread, Rastaman Vibration, Forever Loving Jah, Solution, We Are the Children, Backslider, Justice, Pimper’s Paradise, We and Dem, Blackbird Fly, Three Little Birds, Heathen, What Love’s Supposed To Do, Jammin’. Encore: Al Anderson guitar solo > Redemption Song, Exodus/drum solo.

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Tag: Redemption Song

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