Energetic
reggae sensation Luciano warmed up the crowd
with his spirited dancing and soulful music.
• Courtesy of RAS Records
Bunny
Wailer made his Hollywood Bowl debut Friday
spreading his message of love and keeping
the memory of Bob Marley alive. •
Courtesy of Lycos Music
Wailer,
Luciano spread the love to the left hand
side
By
Trent Loomis
Online Forty-Niner
God
and marijuana. That was the message at Friday's
Reggae Night III at the Hollywood Bowl,
and what better messengers than reggae star
Luciano and reggae legend Bunny Wailer.
Reggae
Night III was the fourth installment of
KCRW's 2004 World Music Festival at the
Hollywood Bowl and was emceed by KCRW resident
DJ, Raul Campos and was intended to span
all major music genres that don't get the
mainstream attention that they deserve.
KCRW
and the Hollywood Bowl succeeded in bringing
some of the biggest acts that appeal to
a universal audience, yet their impact in
the United States have flown under the radar.
When
I say under the radar, I mean everything
except Bunny Wailer and his contribution
to the Reggae genre.
Bunny
Wailer, or Neville Livingston, was one of
the original Wailers along with Peter Tosh
and Bob Marley and is the only living member
left.
Luciano
is larger than life in his native land of
Jamaica and was found flying across the
stage with the exuberance and rambunctiousness
of a 12-year-old who had just consumed ten
pounds of sugar.
Luciano
is the modern voice of reggae, combining
dancehall, rock and R&B along with the
driving influence of spirituality, which
made for a refreshing and energetic set.
As
Luciano danced around in his olive-green
jump suit, wooden staff in one hand, microphone
in the other, he sang of unity and peace
– not just world peace, but inner
peace for everyone.
As
the sun went down, and the sweltering tranquility
of Luciano's set ended, the crowd sat back
and inhaled the togetherness that they shared
not knowing what was to come next.
What
came next was brighter than the crowd had
anticipated – Bunny Wailer dressed
in white with red, yellow and green scarves
draped over his shoulders and a pie sized
medallion with a marijuana leaf inscribed
on it.
Wailer
kicked off his set with a five-minute sermon
on how reggae comes from a divine source,
and after four songs the source he was crediting
was the almighty weed.
He
did treat the crowd to four songs that everyone
was familiar with. "No Woman No Cry,"
"Three Little Birds," and "Legalize
It," are reggae anthems that most associate
with Bob Marley.
The
Skatalites opened the show with easy predicable
grooves as the fans poured into the Bowl.
It was a perfect night in Southern California
for a concert and all three acts didn't
disappoint as the crowd finally exhaled
peace and love.
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