Pat Terry

Local Reggae band Makisi opened a highly-anticipated show with a solid 45-minute set of roots rockers, lover’s rock, and groovy ballads. The soulful baritone voiced lead singer and the well-rehearsed ensemble got the crowd dancing. A highlight was a nicely done cover of Third World’s “When Push Comes To Shove.” Their performance was spiked with quick transitions and segues in between tunes.

Steel Pulse came onstage to an already packed dance floor full of veteran, cheering fans. The eight piece band played the intro for the first song setting the mood for lead singer and songwriter David “Dread” Hinds to make a dramatic entrance on a fan favorite “Raid Blues Dance.” Fronting the band sans guitar, dancing and interacting with the audience and band, David got the energy up right off the bat.

Dread Hinds intermittently grabbed his guitar to skank thru a Steel Pulse aficionado’s wish list of tunes from a catalogue that goes back forty years. Classic songs “Your House,” “Ravers,” “King James Version,” “Roller Skates” and many others were flawlessly executed by the group with clever segues and dance hall “toasts” (Jamaican rapping) inserted into songs. Jerry “Saxman” Johnson quoted John Coltrane’s version of “My Favorite Things” during an extended solo on “Drug Squad”—which was a highlight of the instrumental prowess exhibited through the night. The  first few lines of “Star Spangled Banner” served as a clever introduction to “Rally Round the Flag,” and the unison choreography on stage kept the positive energy escalating.  David favored us with some top notch Blues harmonica playing on a cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Franklin’s Tower,” which he dedicated to the memory of Jerry Garcia—noteworthy because it was the anniversary of Garcia’s passing. They closed the show with “Stepping Out,” another fan favorite that included some call-and-response audience participation.

The crowd took the irie vibe of the show home with them after a thoroughly entertaining hour and a half of the best Reggae has to offer. I found it well worth the admission for a world class band in an intimate venue.

“We are what have always been—a roots reggae band with a message of positivity for anyone who listens with their heart.” An apt description by David “Dread” Hinds, founding member and main song writer of the Grammy winning UK reggae ensemble Steel Pulse. The group formed in 1975 by a trio of school mates from Handsworth Wood Boys School in Birmingham, England. Home to a large number of post World War II Jamaican immigrants and several emerging Reggae artists including UB40 and Musical Youth, they were initially denied home town Caribbean venue gigs due to their Rastafarian religious beliefs. Soon they were touring with Punk Rock luminaries including the Stranglers, XTC, The Clash, and The Police, as well as established Reggae act Burning Spear.

The musical content combines hook laden catchy song writing, dance able grooves, tight arrangements and vocal harmonies, and highly conscious lyrics. Their live performances are an entertaining and uplifting ride through new and classic material from a deep catalogue. In my experience they never disappoint.

Local Reggae artist Makisi is opening the show.

Steel Pulse plays The Depot on Tuesday night. Tickets are still available $25 in advance through Smithtix or $30 day of show at the Depot’s box office after 5 pm. Doors open at 7 and the show starts at 8 pm.

Grab your best red, gold and green tam, get feelin’ irie, and check out some  “Reggae Ragamuffin Rub-a-Dub” with one of the best.

The crowd at Red Butte Garden was graced with perfect Salt Lake summer evening weather as the opening act took the stage. Jeff LeBlanc is a 29 year old singer/songwriter hailing from New York who played a solo acoustic 40 minute set.

With the help of his “looper,” a foot controlled digital recording device that allows performers to layer multiple instrumental and vocal parts live, he won over the attentive crowd with his great songs and candid, humorous banter between tunes. Think John Mayer meets Ed Sheerhan and you got it. His original songs are featured on several  teen drama make-out sessions according to Jeff, and featured some better than average guitar playing and his soulful falsetto. He wrapped up with a cover of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” which the audience loved.

Boz Scaggs and his 6 piece band came on at 8:20, and got things underway with his blues “Runnin’ Blue.” The band settled right in. Boz chatted and explained that he’d be visiting material from throughout his long career. They launched into a rumba- boogie cover of Willy DeVille’s “Mixed Up Shook Up Girl” and it felt like the party had swung into gear. Folks were starting to dance on the next number, the hit single co-written with David Foster, “Jo Jo.”

The performance continued with a cover of Gamble and Huff’s “Drowning in a Sea of Love” with an arrangement reminiscent of Steely Dan, letting the band stretch out with some world class improvising. They grooved on thru Boz’s tunes “Some Change”, and a nice acoustic version of “Harbor Lights” that morphed into a samba for more killin’ guitar and keyboard solos.

After a well received rendition of “Georgia,’ a big hit from the Silk Degrees album in 1976, Boz stepped aside to feature the back up singer Ms. Monet on a cover of the Stevie Wonder penned Aretha Franklin 1973 hit  “Until You Come Back To Me,” and she wowed the audience with her soulful five octave vocal range.

Couples slow danced for the next tune “Look What You’ve Done To Me”, the popular ballad from the soundtrack of the film “Urban Cowboy”, and the entire house was on it’s feet for “Lowdown” and “Lido Shuffle.” Surprsingly, it seemed as though none of the nearly sold-out crowd left before they were favored with two encores.

As the full moon rose Boz flashed his bluesy guitar chops on 1969’s “Loan Me a Dime,” which transitioned thru a couple of double time grooves featuring the band. After a rousing version of Fats Domino’s “I’m Sick and Tired of Foolin’ Around With You,” the show closed with a lovely tango “Last Tango on Sixteenth Street” conjouring the Buena Vista Social Club.

Throughout the show, Red Butte was wrapped in a good vibe from the appreciative and polite audience. And at 71 years of age, Boz Scaggs is singing and playing as well as ever!