Marley brings family feeling to solo show
HYANNIS — Friday night’s sold-out show at Cape Cod’s Melody Tent was billed as a “Reggae Festival,” but the celebration was all about the genre’s first family: the Marleys. This time around the spotlight was on Stephen Marley, Bob Marley’s second-oldest son, who usually takes a background role, producing or performing with his brothers in the Ziggy Marley-led Melody Makers.
There was more than one Marley on stage, though. Stephen’s 4-year-old
son Jeremiah has been stealing some attention on this widely acclaimed world tour for Stephen’s solo debut, “Mind Control,” which was released last winter. The adorable looking little boy stood on the Melody Tent’s revolving circular stage, neither introduced nor pampered or pandered to.
And Marley Senior’s ghost was never far away. The 34-year-old Stephen flew the metaphorical Marley family flag with spirited renditions of his father’s songs. Empowered by a crack seven-piece band, he kicked off with a delightful “Punky Reggae Party” before getting to the excellent songs from “Mind Control.” They were greeted almost as fervently as the heirloom numbers, with which they shared a socially minded slant: Stephen slammed self-serving politicians in “Chase Dem” and introduced “Mind Control” with the decree, “We are the change.”
New York rapper Mr. Cheeks guested on the R&B-inflected “Iron Bars” (Cheeks appears on the recorded version too) and Marley switched vocal styles, toasting over the tricky rhythms of “Traffic Jam.”
Stephen clutched his face as he sang, just as his father did, and his voice bore a similar earthy timbre and delicate ache too — especially on a sensational “Duppy Conqueror,” which had a sensual rocksteady backbeat, and on an elegant “No Woman, No Cry.” Another Marley senior song, “Exodus,” which has its 30th anniversary this year, formed a fitting finale.
Shango Axe, a Cape Cod-based, multi-ethnic 10-piece featuring steel drum and horns, opened with reggae originals.
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