Lee Perry/Dub Is a Weapon
SoulOnIce
13,027 Posts
Caught the first show of this tour tonight. Perrykept saying it was his birthday, whether he meantit like anybody else would mean it, who knows, butat 76 years old that dude rocks the mic (esp. betweensongs) as well as anybody I've ever seen. For example:"I need my peace/piece. I love my peace. Do youlove my peace?" (holds up bottle of water) "THIS ismy piece! And my food is my shit! And my shit ismy music! BRING IT FORWARD" (bassline drop)I didn't see Dub is a Weapon's opening set (freeticket laziness related) but any skepticism I hadon first impression that they looked like every 90%caucasian "jazz/funk/afro" band that haunts artsyclubs of college towns worldwide was quickly dismissedby the depth of groove they put down as Perry's band.His set is heavy dub non-stop, full effects, rub-a-dub to the bone.I should have gone to the Vermont show where I could havesmoked weed while watching the show, instead of locked down with the frat boys of Cambridge, but I was properly medicatedbeforehand and the soundboard quality was outstanding, makingfor a real experience. This tour is just jumping off, and gonnabe coming around many of you real soon - do yourself a favor and go.It was pretty much just like this, except in asmaller, darker club that didn't look like the set of The Late, Late show with Bob Costas:
The part where he pulls the baby out of the audience is pretty bad-ass
The part where he pulls the baby out of the audience is pretty bad-ass
Comments
I have nothing but respect for Lee, but that band does nothing for me.
That is the sound and style that keeps me away from most reggae shows.
I'm curious, what is it about the band that you didn't like?
Like I said, when I first looked at them, I was worried, but
their sound was really outstanding ... I really don't think
the youtube clip does them justice, because the size of the
room being played in and the sound quality of a youtube clip
can't convey how heavy/deep their accompaniment was. I expected
the worst, but it really came off as heavy dub peformed live,
and didn't sound phony or contrived at all. I was far more
disappointed in the crowd than the band.
One thing that drives me nuts as far as modern reggae goes
is the drums. They are nearly always over the top/rock style drums,
heavily amplified, big drum rolls and fills. Reggae drums should be the anchor,
simple and sparce, not big and flashy IMO.
he won't be around forever
dub is a wepaon are far from tepid
it might not be the roots radics band or the dream team jamaican backing band from the 70s of your specific choice but wtf is the problem???
support the ROOTS
sax player thinks she's hot, but she's not
I'd rather go without than settle.
Well, like I said, I missed their solo opening
set, but when they were accompanying Scratch, none
of the above was true. They did straight dub sounds,
very spare and open. Again, I was EXPECTING college-town
jam-band styles, so it was a nice surprise that they were
so good. But, hey, stay home and listen to records instead
of seeing a living legend who can still perform as well
as many ... no skin off my back!
This begs the question: who would you go see NOW that made music you like 30 YEARS AGO?
Generally the old are simply in the way, live music is a young mans game IMO.
i saw bernard purdie,grant green jr and ruben wilson tear shit up
age has no factor in musical dexterity
Dexterity has nothing to do with style, sound, and presentation (the areas that go to pot as the
years go on).
Jazz guys get a pass somewhat, although they tend to really smooth shit out.
Pucho and the Latin Soul Brothers tore it up, they tripped out when my
man had them sign a Pazant Brothers for him.
This a fairly cold & callous statement.
Saw Howard Tate last week, still had a voice,
still put on a great show. Saw Cab Calloway, dude
must have been in his 80's, still rocked the stage
with authority. Saw the Stooges a month or two ago,
they must be in their 60's, still had that raw power.
Saw Desmond Dekker, Prince Buster, Toots, all in their
"golden years" and had a great time at every show.
- spidey
Agreed. Try telling that to the Hindustani Classical tradition. For the most part, those dudes start[/b] performing in their thirties or forties. Trends die young, musical talents endure like good wine.
Why should I suffer through somebodies live show, just because i like their recorded output
from back in the day.
Seems like a waste of time.
Anyone heard the expression "in their prime", MOST of the time that's in your 20's/30's/40's.
Of course their are exceptions to the rule, but not many.
Deal it's just the way it is.
If you're talking trends, or 'pop'. Pandit Sharda Sahai at 85 is probably a better use of time than %98 of the rest of the musical population. Leonard Cohen? There is a trio in Orlando that I used to check out every week. The guys were all in their late forties or early fifties. Not enough bandwidth int his piece to tolerate their degree of sickwiditness. Sam Rivers used to perform weekly in Orlando too, and it was the same deal. Shitty musicians suck, it's just a matter of how long it takes for everyone to realize. Fifteen years later, or after fifteen weeks at number one on the pop charts is the same shit.
Lou Donaldson and Dr. Lonnie Smith are going to be playing together at the Blue Note tent at a music festival this week. My standards are set high for the doctor, and I think he will deliver.
The band backing Lee Perry sounds like a studio band. Too cut and dry.
I caught them together around 5 years ago, it was a fantastic show,
especially the good Doctor, he rocked the house.
I feel like I keep saying the same thing over and over, but at the
show last night, in a smaller club with a great sound system, they
sounded much more raw and "authentic" than in the youtube clip.
I liked the band. it was a good set, actually came off as pretty tight dub. The chick on the sax though was the highlight for me. She shredded it and looked pretty sexy while playing. Good shit all around.
That band is what passes for Reggae these days. If your expectation is lowered enough, I guess it'll do. But beleive me, it's really rare to hear live reggae that compares to the shows in the 70s- 80s. Seriously, Marley, Uhuru, Gladiators, Diamonds, Steel Pulse...the shit today is just missing the essential groove. I don't want to sound like a hater, or an old dude longing for the old days, but I can pull out my tapes and the proof is there. On the other hand, they don't make many records any more like they did in that era.
I saw them a few years ago at the Village Vangaurd and it was nothing less than thrilling and chilling.
Lee Perry live, also a few years ago, was one of the most disappointing shows I've ever seen. It was just plain boring.
As far as 'old timers' go - Prince Buster put on an exciting and tight show this past fall, one of the best live shows, no matter the performer's age. John Holt, too.
As far as 'old timers' go - Prince Buster put on an exciting and tight show this past fall, one of the best live shows, no matter the performer's age.
Agreed on that - Buster killed it in Edinburgh the other week. His banking band were very good - four piece brass section. Whole place was Skanking as though possesed by the ska-devil.
You definitely can't just dismiss all "old artists" as "out of their prime = therfore not as good". sure there maybe some disappointments but the hit rate is very high in my experience.
I've seen loads of these guys and many of them are on fire - easily as good as in "their prime"!
Robert Moore was over in London a few month's back (back again next week - wahey!). On his first song - when his vocals to Cramp Your Style came in - everybody did a double take "baby!...sometime .....you treat me bad !". we had goosebumps and all that - as it sounded virtually the same as the records. Great geezer !
Larry McDonald also spent about 20 years as Gil Scott-Heron's percussionist. I believe he's in the band in Gil's Black Wax dvd which, by the way, is well worth checking out.
And Dave Hahn (guitarist/bandleader) used to play with Antibalas. Perhaps he still does occasionally.
I haven't seen the band with Scratch, but the band on its own sort of bores me. I wanted to like them, but I (like most people on this forum) have a strong aversion to the jam band aesthetic. So the guitar solos were a bit much for me. And it was very repetitive ... even more than you might expect from a "dub reggae" band. I honestly enjoyed it for about a half hour then was ready to move on.