The Los Angeles Dub Club is responsible for putting together the best of live reggae event at The Echoplex. On May 20th, the club brought to the stage no less than international superstar Alborosie. The Italian-Jamaican singer has been touring the US for the first time since in 3 years due to delayed visa approvals. It was a good occasion for him to promote his newly released single “Viral” in anticipation of an upcoming album.
Doors opened at 9:30pm and as usual for the Dub Club events, a whole crew of DJs, MCs and a trombone player entertained the crowd with a succession of freestyles on classic reggae riddims (beats). The crowd danced while the DJs and MCs were turning the venue into a real party.
A little after 10:45pm, the lights turned off while musicians got on stage. Alborosie appeared and was acclaimed as the reggae heavyweight that he has become over the past two decades or so. “For The Culture” from the 2021 album of the same name opened the show. “Rastafari Anthem” from his debut album followed and the crowd sung every word. The musicians were exceptional. They kept a steady and groovy platform for Alborosie to perform.
Some highlights of the eveningamongst other were “Challawa” and “Shark Attack”, released as a single featuring the Wailing Souls. The core of the setlist contained songs from Freedom & Fyah (2016), Soul Pirate (2008) and a few covers. The band partially covered Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up” and John Holt’s “Police In Helicopter”. The new single “Viral” was very well received by the audience.
Alborosie expressed how his looks keep him from being taken seriously and asked the audience to imagine a world in which someone looking like him could be flying the plane they’re about to board without being judged (for information, his dreadlocks are so long they dangle a few inches from the ground). Throughout the show Alborosie connects with the crowd by speaking in English and even Spanish, which is close to his native Italian. For a moment he stepped back and let his backup singers steal the show, with one of them singing a song while the other one danced in the center of the stage. Alborosie grabbed the microphone back and the band performed some older songs before closing the show with “Kingston Town”, his most iconic song.
At 00:15am, the band thanked the audience and left the stage. The lights turned back on and technicians brought back out turntables and microphones. It was time for the Dub Club to resume its reggae party. The MCs came back on stage and kept the music going. Although some people left the venue, most stayed to dance the night away.
Setlist: For The Culture / Rastafari Anthem / No Cocaine / Challawa / Shark Attack / Waan The Herb / Ginal / Poser / Can’t Cool / Living Dread / Sound Killa / Police In Helicopter (John Holt cover) / Get Up, Stand Up (Bob Marley cover) / Viral / Herbalist / Kingston Town
ALBOROSIE
Photos + Review by Manuel Gay | Exclusively for Music, Why Not!
