The deep groove that resonated from The Masquerade on Friday, March 9 soothed the souls of all in attendance. The Wailers, late reggae royalty Bob Marley’s backing band, jammed nearly all night with their set clocking in at two hours and thirty minutes long. Unlike most rock shows that pound the walls of The Masquerade, The Wailers were much quieter, as if to let every ounce of the show represent the relaxed roots of Jamaica. It wasn’t loud, they weren’t in a hurry to stop playing, and everyone danced for nearly the entirety of the night.
The Wailers are not ones to stop the party when it feels so good. The legendary group played most of the hits you would hope to hear, including the Eric Clapton inspiration “I Shot the Sheriff,” “Jammin,” “Get Up Stand Up,” and the reggae-pop “Could You Be Loved.” What originally seemed to be an encore turned into an entire second set. They started out with two songs, featuring co-lead vocalist Danglin and guitarist Audley Chisholm, one of which was the Marley acoustic protest tune, “Redemption Song.” They continued to play for nearly another hour, as people ignored the clock. Sending love vibes throughout the night, they touched on “Is This Love” and closed the night with what might be Marley’s legacy, “One Love/People Get Ready.”
Even though there is only one original member left—bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett—of the eight person crew, it made no difference. Barrett was the thread that knitted the band together in the 1970s and he is the link that holds and makes the chain strong over thirty years later. No, it didn’t feel like a gimmick watching a band where most of the players had passed away or moved on. Marley’s spirit of jam and unity lives on in his band The Wailers despite his passing, and that is exactly what he would have wanted.
Ben Israel Thompson
