Burning Spear ignites House of Blues at weekend show
Concert: Jamaican artist performs mesmerizing set of reggae songs
By BLAKE HENNON
Staff Writer
Above
the stage is an intriguing mix of religious symbols and the words "Unity in
Diversity All are One." Beneath this legend is a gently swaying old
Jamaican man who is hypnotically murmuring into a microphone held close to
his lips. Behind him are seven men, busy creating inspired guitar and horn
work with a timeless reggae groove. In the half-lit club before them are
800 possessed bodies, lost in the music and making the stage's proclamation
a reality.
It's another
Saturday night on the Sunset Strip, but inside the House of Blues something
wonderful is occurring. Reggae legend and Grammy winner Burning Spear and
his Burning Band are lighting the Hollywood night with an hour and 45
minutes of liberating, exuberant music. Fifteen different songs are played
with scarcely a break between, and together they form one marathon song,
constantly evolving yet still wrapped around the same steady beat.
Burning Spear
stands near the edge of the stage, his body a channel for the band behind
him. Out of his mouth roll whispers, chants, melodies and shrieks that are
incomprehensible yet understood. Slowly he walks over to a percussion set
and begins to turn his vocal rhythms into clacks and pops. The band follows
his lead and falls into a lively jam. "Rastafara," he shouts, and cheers
erupt from the crowd. "Do you want some more original reggae?" he asks in
his accented voice, and the crowd pleads for more. Burning Spear smiles and
grants their request.
This was the
scene for most of the night as Burning Spear played his brand of
traditional reggae to an entranced Hollywood crowd. Dressed in a tie-dyed
shirt and frayed jeans, and crowned with a graying beard and dread locks,
Burning Spear continued his three decades of reggae ministry with a
mesmerizing ceremony at the House of Blues. His songs are about peace and
faith and are heavily influenced by Marcus Garvey, who preached
self-determination for African descendants. Burning Spear's calm energy on
stage embodies his music and ideas, and the audience responded passionately
to both.
The only problem
with the night was the wait for Burning Spear. The audience was largely
silent during the confused and disorganized opening set by rap artist J.
Love, and the hour-plus wait between J. Love and Burning Spear was longer
than expected. Nevertheless, once Burning Spear captured the stage,
everything fell into place. The audience's patience was rewarded with an
evening of soulful, kinetic reggae that left an indelible impression.
Burning Spear's
band played masterfully. Dressed in solid black, the Burning Band's
guitarist contributed steady work throughout and a few blistering,
beautiful solos. The horn section was in full force, and the rhythm section
preserved the reggae beat with flair. Every jam was tight, and the
atmosphere was perfect.
Highlights of
the evening included "Burning Reggae" and "Slavery Days," two of Burning
Spear's most enduring songs. Perhaps the night's greatest moment were those
few seconds when the generally calm, reserved performer broke into a crazed
dance, flailing and leaping about the stage. That, more than anything else,
signified the power and effect of the music being played. Reggae's fires
are still bright, and Burning Spear is tending them just as he has for the
past 30 years.
Copyright 2000 by the Daily Trojan. All rights reserved.
This article was published in Vol. 141, No. 10 (Tuesday, September 12, 2000), on page 8.