Review: Rebelution at the Greek Theater in Berkeley 8/16/14

Rebelution vocalist/guitarist Eric Rachmany

In case you haven't heard, there is somewhat of a reggae revolution going on right now. It's not necessarily of the dreadlocked Rasta variety though-this recent movement is characterized by roots-reggae and dancehall made by kids who grew up wearing skateboard clothes while listening and playing along to it their reggae favorites.

Leading this new-gen group of musicians are Rebelution, a group of guys who met in the Santa Barbara college town of Isla Vista. The band have been together since 2004 and have grown to become one of the world's top selling reggae acts, blending an island vibe with a modern songwriting approach that embraces the best components of reggae.

The band is clearly very talented and they possess certain factors that set them apart from the rest of the genre. One big factor is the band's energy, exemplified by hardworking vocalist/guitarist Eric Rachmany. Rachmany, who is heavily influenced by Don Carlos and Black Uhuru, sings with a clear, reggae-tinged nasal inflection and he also spearheads the group's vibrant stage show. It's a show that simply levitates the audience. Another factor is the band's impressive musical versatility. Their horn section is solid, punching out solid lines while big bassist Marley D. Williams stalks the stage with grooving intent. Finally, the group's lyrics have universal appeal, but feel personal at the same time.

Last Saturday night, Rebelution rolled into Berkeley's Greek Theater with their Count me In tour, which also featured the bands Iration, The Green and Stick Figure. Stick Figure started the night off with great energy as singer/guitarist Scott Woodruff set the tone with solid guitar chops while keyboardist KBong hopped around with infectious energy. Next up were The Green who are from O'ahu. They were big guys and brought BIG energy to the stage, with three of the band members sharing the vocal chores.

Iration, like Rebelution, came together as a band in Isla Vista. However, all of the original band members are from Hawaii. Their sound is a mix of reggae, dub and rock, but has also been called Sunshine Reggae. They don't exude quite the same energy as Rebelution onstage, but are fast on the rise because they write very good songs. Watch out for this band to make a big impact in the next year or two.

It was easy to see that another year of touring has seasoned Rebelution since they last headlined the Greek Theater. The band are at a whole new level. This is evidenced by their new record Count me in-it's not only the best reggae record of the year, but one of the better releases of 2014 period. The record, the band's fourth, features great songwriting variety and stays on point with the band's core message that encourages people to spread love and positivity around them while giving the listener food for thought.

Micah Pueschel of Iration

 At their best, this seven-piece band, have a deep understanding of how to accentuate sharp changes with a level of r&b and jazzy versatility that is accessible and danceable. Such live reggae versatility has been unseen in the genre since bands like Third World and Black Uhuru ruled the world. I can't think of a reggae band that would bust out with a long refrain from Bobby Caldwell's "What you won't do for love" before smoothly jumping into their catchy new tune "De-Stress." Excellent performance.

Rebelution bassist Marley D. Williams