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Unanswered: The Marley Celebration at Benedum Centre, Pittsburgh: reviews, comments and photos
from pittsburgh gazette
Bob Marley's family invokes his spirit Concert review Friday, September 24, 2010 By Scott Mervis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
John Heller / Post-Gazette
At the Bob Marley tribute concert at the Benedum Center Thursday, three of his sons, from left, Julian, Damian and Stephen, perform his songs.
Rita Marley prayed that the spirit of Bob Marley would visit the Benedum Center Thursday night.
Of course, where else would it be when the Marley clan is all gathered in song?
"Live Forever: A Bob Marley Celebration" was a rousing and beautiful one-of-a-kind event honoring the legacy of reggae's greatest prophet while recalling the last concert he ever performed -- in the same building 30 years to the date.
The party started with costumed drummers marching down the center aisles and taking the stage for a tribal percussion dance. It followed with organizer Ed Traversari and Rich Engler of the late DiCesare-Engler Productions remembering the original concert and two of his grandchildren explaining the concert's beneficiary, 1Love.
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Then it was on, and with the first scrapes of the guitar someone in the crowd sparked up, and there was more than just a "Natural Mystic" blowing through the air as Stephen Marley took the first vocal stab.
With a powerhouse six-piece band laying down a pulsing reggae groove, the brothers Julian, Stephen and Damian launched into the original set list from that night -- although the order varied wildly from two different ones I found online, so who knows.
It didn't matter, of course, because all that mattered was that the happy fans danced, felt the beat pounding in their chests and the love radiating from the stage. A big affirmative on all accounts.
Stephen and Julian were the go-to voices for delivering the songs like dad, and the vocal genes were obvious on emotional favorites such as "No Woman, No Cry," with mom Rita and the crowd singing along.
The more fiery and oh-so brilliant Damian, sporting dreads down to his ankles(!), had the gene, too, but also injected the more staccato Jamaican toaster vibe to challenging pieces such as "War"/"No More Trouble." He also transformed one of the most anticipated Marley classics, "Redemption Song," from ballad to rousing rocker.
The show picked up momentum like a runaway boulder, with Julian rocking "Get Up, Stand Up" and Stephen bouncing through the beloved "Jammin'." Damian jumped in to put an exclamation point on an already house-rockin' "Exodus" with a reggae-rap frenzy.
"Could You Be Loved," with the Marley brothers and sisters all hitting it hard together and the crowd screaming in ecstasy, and the gorgeous sing-along finale of "One Love," had to be heard wherever Bob "Tuff Gong" Marley was Thursday night.
What pride he must have and what love he must bring to all of them.
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