Easy Star All-Stars at Dakota Jazz Club, Minneapolis (07 May 2016)

Wain McFarlane and Les Exodus

Stepping in at the very last minute was a reggae band consisting singer Wain McFarlane and members of Les Exodus (plus a few other fill-in musicians).



The band mostly did reggae cover songs, starting off with Wayne Cochran’s ‘634-5789’, medley with Chaka Demus & Pliers’ ‘Murder She Wrote’. Throughout their set, they did a great job mixing songs. Sometime you can catch them briefly playing The Beatles’ ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ or Prince’s ‘Kiss’ and Bob Marley’s great ‘Get Up, Stand Up’.



Near the end, they brought up Easy Star All-Star’s saxophonist Jenny Hill and trombone player Buford O’Sullivan to help them play. Finally, Ivan Katz was invited on as an extra drummer to close out their 50-min set.



Reggae collective Easy Star All-Stars (currently featuring singer Kirsty Rock, co-singer Ruff Scott, guitarist Shelton Garner, bassist Ras Droppa, keys Matt Goodwin, drummer Ivan Katz, trombone player Buford O’Sullivan, saxophone player
Jenny Hill, and dub engineer Darren Morze) is currently touring for their Dub Side of the Moon album. The album was important to the group for several reasons: first of all, it is their debut album, released in 2003. Second, the album proved so popular, that the band went back and re-dubbed and re-mixed it as Dubber Side of the Moon in 2010. The second version of the album featured extra heavy bass dub and remixed by various producers.



As expected, the band played Dub Side of the Moon after three songs: ‘Pass The Lighter’, the Beatles’ ‘Lovely Rita’ and Radiohead’s ‘Let Down’.



The fans that turned out on Saturday night were either reggae fans or likely Pink Floyd fans. Although you may know the classic Pink Floyd songs, hearing the band play their interpretation of it is interesting. You can’t really sing along, because the tempo or tone is off. It’s familiar, yet it’s not. Still, fans were standing up at their tables and dancing to the more popular songs.



At the end of their Dub Side of the Moon set, with ‘Eclipse’, the audience loudly cheered and some did a standing ovation.



Easy Star All-Stars continued on with some Radiohead covers (they covered OK Computer on their Radiodread album), including ‘High & Dry’ and ‘Electioneering’. Squeezed between those songs was Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’ from their Easy Star’s Thrillah album.



A quick exit from the stage and the group returned for the inevitable encore, with ‘One Likkle Draw’ and ending with Radiohead’s ‘Karma Police’.



After this Dub Side of the Moon tour, the band will gear up for their Radiodread 10th anniversary tour in Europe. Based on the four Radiohead covers, this upcoming Radiodread tour should not be missed.