 Media Credit: Nicholas Mirotchnik Blondy performs uplifting, soulful reggae.
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Reggae music is like those
Chicken Soup for the Soul books. It is a celebration of life, love and peace that is capable of rejuvenating one's spirit.
Unfortunately, the extent of most people's reggae knowledge is limited to that of Bob Marley and family, which leaves them in the dark to wonderful performers such as Luciano, Buju Banton, Burning Spear and Alpha Blondy. These musicians provide a reggae experience in its live and natural element, taking listeners on an unforgettable spiritual journey.
Alpha Blondy's return to Montreal this past Wednesday night was no exception. Blondy and his 11-piece band, the Solar System, treated listeners to a two-and-a-half-hour set of incredibly upbeat and soulful reggae.
Blondy has been spreading his message of peace and acceptance around the globe for the past 20 years. He has released several internationally successful albums and often performs to crowds of well over 70,000 people in his native Africa.
Seeing Blondy play in the more intimate setting of the Metropolis was an unbelievable experience. The Solar System got the crowd warmed up, before being joined by Blondy's powerful voice and presence. He began by reciting the 23rd Psalm, which flowed into his hit song "Jerusalem," sung beautifully in Hebrew.
After these soulful numbers, Blondy, with the help of his band, quickly got the place moving, skanking back and forth across the stage, hooting and hollering to the audience's delight. The beats were invigorating and were complemented by the voices of two angelic backup singers, a funky horn section, and one hell of a guitar player. It was impossible not to move to the thundering bass.
As the night progressed, Blondy's musical talent and worldly knowledge stood out. The set included songs filled with politically-charged messages, performed in his native tongue of Dioula as well as Baoule, French, English, Hebrew and Arabic. Blondy's ability to speak in so many languages allows him to reach youth the world over, which has been his mission since he began his career.
By the time the Solar System left the stage, feet all over the dance floor were aching in pain from dancing so hard. Even after a four-song encore, the audience couldn't seem to get enough and began stomping up and down while chanting "Alpha Blondy" until he finally took the stage for the third time that night. He then sang a slow, smooth and soul-wrenching a capella version of his song "Brigadier." When the lights finally came on, huge smiles could be seen plastered across the 2,000-plus faces in attendance that seemed both mentally uplifted and physically burnt out. As they filed out of Metropolis, they took the smiles that Alpha Blondy had put on their faces and passed them onto the masses along rue Ste-Catherine.
2008 Woodie Awards
