Anyone who went to the Rebelution show would say: They really rocked!
The live show started out early with Common Kings. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by the rootsiness of their music! Their skillful blend of roots reggae and rock was fun to dance to, and a great match for playing with Rebelution.
Between sets, DJ Trichrome kept everyone dancing. Trichrome is great not only because of his upbeat dancehall music selections, but his energy and character! He has fun on the microphone, and he knows how to get people worked up for the bands.
Rebelution absolutely kicked ass. I had only seen them once before, at RedRocks Ampitheater in Colorado. It was an amazing venue, but I was so far away. At the Majestic, I got to see them way up close (right from the front, actually!). The most enjoyable part for me was watching the very animated facial expressions of the lead singer, Eric Rachmany, while he sang their tunes. I don't think I'll ever listen to a song like “Attention Span” ever again without picturing his face, eyes wide, singing “Whoa now now ooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhh!”.
Rebelution won't hesitate to interact with the crowd—they were singing and playing to all of us. Eric even asked us which song we wanted him to play on his acoustic guitar while the crew took a few minutes to fix the drum set. Their music is fun, and it's undeniably poppy and full of melodic hooks. I think they know how much people enjoy it, and they find enjoyment in playing.
After seeing them play, I started listening to the album Courage to Grow a lot more, and I seriously recommend it for a spring or summer soundtrack!
I can't wait to see them next at California Roots Festival in May (that's right, I'll be there, and I'll let you know how it goes)!
Kayla Kush hosts U DUB, a reggae show, Wednesday nights at 7pm on WSUM. You can follow her on Facebook,Twitter, and Soundcloud.
-Kayla Kush