4 our of 5 stars

Concerts and drugs go together like steak and eggs on a Sunday. As a green haze billowed above 917 Cedar Ave. on Saturday, the crowd grew restless.

They were awaiting the presence of Bob Marley’s children, Damian “Jr. Gong” and Stephen Marley. When Stephen stepped on stage, the crowd went into a roaring frenzy.

As nightfall approached the outdoor venue at Cabooze in Minneapolis, the crowd packed in, leaving little room to dance.The weather couldn’t have been better. It was a cool, windless fall night.

Stephen was accompanied by his brothers Ky-mani and Ziggy, multi-instrumentalists who also provided back-up vocals. The Marley’s are famous for bringing reggae music out of the genre’s birthplace, Jamaica.

After a couple of songs, Stephen shared a heartfelt moment with the audience. He said, “It doesn’t matter what god you pray to, what color your skin is or who you want to be president. We are all humans. One love, one heart, so let’s get together and feel all right.”

This idea is synonymous with many Rastafarians. Followers of the religion believe that all men and women deserve equal and just rights, treatment and respect. However, Rastafarians believe that homosexuality is a sin and are not so friendly with members of the LGBT community.

Damian Marley was the last headliner of the concert. With the help of the rest of his family, he gave a captivating performance, covering his hit songs.

One of Damian’s most popular songs, “Patience” has a Mali chorus “Sabali, sabali, sabali, yonkontê sabali. Sabali, sabali, kiye Ni kêra môgô” which translates to “Patience, patience, patience, it’s what the world is about. Patience, patience, patience, let’s all join souls.”

The other songs addressed issues concerning inequality, war and famine while praising community, love and respect. Through the art of storytelling, the Marleys weave their messages to the heavy bass and percussion sounds to an off-beat electric guitar. When the aforementioned elements are combined, a reggae sound is born.

I went away from the concert fulfilled and spiritually reinvigorated. The concert was well worth the $40 to attend. With the outdoor venue, easy price and great weather taken into account along with the performance itself, I’d give the Marley concert four out of five stars.

Nick Sallen is the opinion editor for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected]