international night 1 Archives - Beaver on the Beats

Saturday was the last leg of the Reggae Sumfest 2013 music and dance marathon in Montego Bay, Jamaica…International Night 2. Another sunrise finishing affair, and another awesome one.

I’ve said it before and I’ll just have to keep saying it…Jamaican parties are fun. The party at International Night 2 was no exception.

Same festival as on Dancehall Night and International Night 1 – but with different artists, drawing a different crowd and creating a different vibe (still friendly and chilled ones).

Chronixx

Like on Dancehall Night and International Night 1, every one of the musicians in the bands was absolutely top quality and super cool to watch and listen to. Same for the back-up singers.

Again on International Night 2 the main stage sound, lighting, visuals and band changeovers could not be faulted.

International Night 2 Music

I got to International Night 2 in time to catch Romain Virgo – Chronixx – Miguel – Damian Marley – and Chalice.

: Romain Virgo

: Damian Marley

: Chronixx

All music and all performances, mostly of the roots reggae kind like at International Night 1, were stellar. All except one that is.

Miguel

Oh Miguel, I can happily (now) admit to never having heard any of your songs before Reggae Sumfest. I heard you were a bit famous, somewhere in the pop/r&b genre, and I was willing to give you a chance. But man you were disappointing – musically (the songs themselves – pop that sounded ever so boring to me) – and the performance (I had hoped for some mind blowing soulful voice, but I didn’t get it, at all).

Chronixx

Chronixx, a young and very popular artist in Jamaican reggae right now, was good. The music was sweet sounding, but most of it was too cheesy for my taste.

Chronixx

Damian Marley

The highlight act – the phenomenal act of International Night 2 – was Damian Marley.

Damian Marley

One Kingston taxi driver told me Jamaicans in Jamaica don’t listen much to Damian Marley’s music. I’m not sure I believe him – there was a big crowd for him at Reggae Sumfest.

Damian Marley’s albums are listened to a lot in my world. I love listening and dancing to his music – a high quality and unique sounding fusion of reggae, dancehall and hip hop. To my ears, it sounds different to all other reggae music, past or present. With conscious lyrics.

Reggae Sumfest was the 2nd time I’ve been blessed to catch Damian Marley live.

The first time was in 2006 at the Byron Bay Blues Festival in Australia. That show is in my top 5 best live music experiences ever. It was a spiritual experience – as live shows should be. I couldn’t now give you any details about that gig. All I remember, in my mind and in my body, is the blissful and uplifting feeling it gave me.

The Reggae Sumfest set moved me a little less than the Australian show, but that wasn’t necessarily anything to do with Damian Marley or his band. The show was amazing – and made me feel happy.

Damian Marley’s band was awesome. All of them put on a stellar performance. I especially love the guy who runs around the stage the whole show with the Ethiopian flag – he makes me feel even happier.

I feel blessed for another special live Damian Marley experience – and will take as many more of them as I can find in the future.

End of the Reggae Sumfest Marathon

Veteran roots reggae group Chalice closed International Night 2 at sunrise – and the Reggae Sumest 2013 music and dance marathon was finished.

The marathon was physically exhausting, but a culturally and spiritually reviving one. It was also a super, super fun one.

I hated the feeling of the Reggae Sumfest finish – the same as I do at the end of every great festival I’ve been a part of.

Reggae Sumfest was an especially hard festival to leave behind because it was such an incredible week of quality music and dance. Also because Jamaica and Reggae Sumfest are a long way from Australia!

Romain Virgo

International Night 1 of Reggae Sumfest 2013…

Day 2 of the 3-day live reggae and dancehall music marathon in Montego Bay, Jamaica. My favourite of the 3 concert nights at Reggae Sumfest.

Beres Hammond at International Night 1

International Night 1 Vibes

International Night 1 had a very different feel to the previous Dancehall Night. The vibes were friendlier, earthier and much more chilled. There were also less people than on Dancehall Night (Jamaican Macky was right). That made it more comfortable and easier to find space and move around the festival site.

International Night 1 Music

The music on International Night 1 was mostly of the roots rock reggae kind – with conscious lyrics.

Almost every artist on the program gave an absolutely top quality performance…

Barrington Levy + Tarrus Riley + Iba Mahr + Beres Hammond + Jah Cure + Nature.

: Iba Mahr

: Barrington Levy

: Tarrus Riley

: Beres Hammond

: Jah Cure

Beres Hammond and his lovers rock reggae music was smooth and simply lovely.

Beres Hammond may just have the coolest, funkiest band on this earth.

Flo Rida from the States was the only exception to the above. The music was tedious – and out of step with the flow of the rest on the program.

Every musician in the accompanying bands was incredible. The rhythm sections were some of the greatest players I’ve heard. I also loved hearing some horns in Jamaican music again after so much hornless dancehall.

: Tarrus Riley’s band

: Tarrus Riley – International Night 1

The back-up singers were awesome to watch and hear – and sexy in a wholesome kind of way (compared to sexy in a raunchy dancehall way).

Beres Hammond

The absolute stand out acts of International Night 1 were Barrington Levy and Tarrus Riley. Their concerts at Reggae Sumfest have gone into my lifetime stand-out-gig list.

Barrington Levy

Barrington Levy is absolutely awesome. He was actually one of the earliest of the dancehall artists. A tasty, stylish form of dancehall. He had some amusing and interesting things to say and sing about contemporary dancehall music and culture at his Reggae Sumfest show:

“We don’t need no dancers or smoke up here on the stage. Just the music.”

I’d say Barrington Levy’s music is now a mix of reggae, dancehall, jazz, rock n roll (yes), r&b & funk. He even has a song called ‘Dancehall Rock’. It is grooving, funking dancehall fusion. Interestingly, Barrington Levy has spent a lot of time outside of Jamaica – even sings about it in the song videoed below.

Barrington Levy

I loved Barrington Levy’s music, and the amazing performance by he and his band.

Check out all of this video of Barrington Levy at Reggae Sumfest to hear the mix of musical flavours…

Tarrus Riley

Tarrus Riley is a kind of contemporary reggae I wanted to find in Jamaica.

The music sounded fresh, and unique. Tarrus Riley’s sweet voice did too.

That sound is influenced by his always musical life as the son of world travelling, veteran Jamaican roots singer Jimmy Riley. He was also exposed to more music from being raised outside of Jamaica and deejaying before turning to song writing.

Tarrus Riley might be my best new musical find in Jamaica so far.

2 short videos of Tarrus Riley live at Reggae Sumfest here…

On International Night 1, just like on Dancehall Night, Reggae Sumfest’s main stage was run professionally and efficiently – with flawless sound, lighting, visuals and band changeovers.

Jah Cure

Jah Cure was a cruisy reggae close to International Night 1 in the morning light.

Jah Cure

It was the 2nd Reggae Sumfest morning in the open air, where daylight was suddenly there – without warning that a whole long festival night of quality live music was over, already. This time the sunrise music was of the roots reggae kind rather than the dancehall.

International Night 1 was my favourite of the three Reggae Sumfest concert nights – for its friendly vibes and its musical style. I loved all of it and recommend it to all reggae music lovers.

International Night 2 Closes The Reggae Sumfest 2013 Marathon in Style