Rebelution
1/28/12, Cannery Ballroom
Nashville, TN
Photos by Nathan Zucker
Show Review
Rebelution
Cannery Ballroom, 1/28/12
Nashville, TN
For the second time in their career, Rebelution made a trip to Music City, USA. The Cannery Ballroom in Nashville, Tennessee was full of eagerly awaiting fans, ready to take a break from the twang of country music and feel the good vibes of reggae; these Santa Barbara musicians provided just that.
The night started off with a hit from their first album, “Attention Span.” With lots of opportunities for the crowd to sing along and a chorus that says, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, once again for the night,” this was a very clever way to kick off the concert. Next came arguably the bands biggest hit, “Safe and Sound.” This song filed the crowd with energy that never wore out as long as Rebelution was on stage.
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- 3,653 Plays
I’ve been spinning music from Said The Whale for awhile now, and I figure it’s only right that I share. Listen to “Heavy Ceiling” above, off the band’s forthcoming album, and download the track (for free!) on Soundcloud.
Show Review
Reel Big Fish
The Catalyst, 12/18/11
Santa Cruz, CA
The lights dimmed and cheers of “R.B.F.!” filled The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, California. Reel Big Fish took the stage and got the night started with their classic from the 90’s, “Everything Sucks.” The crowd needed no encouragement to start dancing as this upbeat song could get even the gloomiest person up on their feet. The Orange County, California natives kept things going with some fast passed ska songs such as “Trendy” and “Join the Club” before calming it down with “Slow Down.” “It looked like you guys needed a break,” said lead singer and guitarist Aaron Barrett after finishing the song. “Slow Down” provided a much-needed rest as the band kicked the energy right back up with a crowd favorite, “She Has a Girlfriend Now.”
Show Review
Streetlight Manifesto
The Catalyst, 11/18/11
Santa Cruz, CA
The crowd was pumped up and ready to go. Before the New Jersey septet took the stage, cheers of “Streetlight! Streetlight!” rang throughout the crowd as people shoved each other around in preparation for what would become an hour and a half long dance/mosh pit. Streetlight Manifesto was greeted by nearly a thousand thrilled fans and started the night with the energy filled “Watch it Crash.” The crowd surged forwards, backwards, left and right, jumping and dancing to Streetlight Manifesto’s lively music and was nothing short of energetic. Mosh pits and crowd surges showed no signs of stopping as long as Streetlight Manifesto was in the spotlight.
Rebelution, “Peace of Mind” (4.5/5)
After almost two and a half years without releasing any new music, Rebelution went all-in for their third studio album, Peace of Mind, which includes full-length single, acoustic, and dub albums. Showing plenty of maturity and growth, the Santa Barbara natives gave a fitting description of this masterpiece, stating “the triple-album is definitely a progression musically and genre-wise from our past albums, while still grounded in reggae.”
Peace of Mind kicks off with the band’s first single “Sky is the Limit,” featuring an energetic horn section and a classic Rebelution vibe. This style of rock/reggae, established in their sophomore album Bright Side of Life, is also apparent in “Comfort Zone” and “Day by Day.” In addition, the band remains in touch with their roots as the song “Calling Me Out,” with a catchy saxophone riff and groovin’ reggae beat, sounds like it’s from the Courage to Grow era. But most importantly, these California boys grew and recorded songs that feel like a brand new Rebelution. “Route Around” and “Closer I Get” are two passionate love songs that experiment with a new, toned-down genre and really stand out from anything else the band has recorded. These songs are contrasted by “Lady in White,” which is full of distorted rock guitars and crashing symbols that show an unfamiliar but exciting side of the band.
Limbeck
10/1/05, Nickel City
San Jose, CA
Photos by Cathy Wagner
