The parking was wrapped around the island…yeah, the festival takes place at Virginia Key Beach Park….an island of Reggae and love that you can see and feel a mile before you enter the park. We walked about half a mile to get into the venue and you could see the people flocking towards the DUB. To enter they took 4 can goods to aid the shelters in Miami with the homeless. This took up a whole pavilion on it’s own before you entered the Festival. People lined up with bags of can goods about 10 deep to help others in the message of music.
Once you entered you could feel the ground moving to the melody of Jah and the message of “Love & Light.” That was what I was told when I passed through the ticket area by the security guard…..”Love & Light Bred-I”
The crowd of 15,000 was spread all over the field from the food tents to the gift tents to the stage engulfed with sound to the dining area of the cultures that came to listen to Bob Marley’s message of unity through Reggae. “It will only get bigger and bigger…,” as Kevens told me that evening. People from all around ventured to the show…Key West, Palm Beach, Arkansas, Colorado, San Francisco, Jamaica, and New York were some of the ones we heard throughout the day. We saw music production companies from Jamaica to clothing companies from California, and glass companies from Tennessee to bootleg cd Rasta’s from Midtown (Miami)…..it was a great gathering of cultures and friends for the greater good of society. Providing unity with music, community, can goods, family, and the Marley’s with an evening of Bob, Reggae, and Positive Livity.
Wale kicked off the evening’s mood with some great hip-hop and some new songs that he has been working through. It was great to see him smiling and laughing. He jumped into the crowd at one point to sing and involve the ladies. He set it off right with more love & light.
Melanie Fiona set the mood with her island sound and sweet voice. This girl is going places and should be on your "who to find" list for 2012. The woman can see and can radiant love from a microphone.
Burning Spear made the crowd rise to the heavens with his drumming and BIRTHDAY PARTY. He yelled out “let me hear you people!!!” after his second to last song and you could hear it on the mainland it was so loud. The whole crowd was moving as one.….it looked like an ocean of hands moving like waves; with Burning Spear at the helm of the vessel.
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| Burning Spear moving the crowd..... |
The Marley Family assembled in the back stage area around their tour bus for a blessing. Then the pride of lions took off to the stage. 46 people in total walking to the stage for the beginning of the set and the brothers (Stephen, Damian, and Julian) started their praise for the sound and father of the drumbeat. Stephen was at the helm with the guitar to start the songs off right. Damian’s energy was blanketing the crowd and his verses and presence lifted the DUB and audience to the next level. Julian brought his signature sound and also gave the crowd a new song that will be on his upcoming album. They started off the set with Bob’s songs and infused their own tunes throughout the evening. The crowd swayed with satisfaction and carried the songs lyrics without music or any help from the stage. One Love was an acapella of the audience from all over the world. Brought together by Bob, His Family, and the love for Reggae.
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| Damian, Julian, and Stephen singing Bob's songs...... |
I must say:
Thank you to Kevens – the headliner of the show – for allowing us to be involved, to see the scenes behind the event, and for the love & light he brought. He will be on tour this fall in Australia and has released his new album, “We are One” this past November. Already a successful performer of the larger festivals, he is now bringing live Dubstep and the Marley Family to the new generation. “The Dub in Dubstep comes from Trenchtown….We are uniting Dubstep, Reggae, and tomorrow’s musical movement together for the spreading of our message 'Positivity is a necessity'.” The positive vibration was felt throughout Miami and the days following…..
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| Kevens New Album We Are One on Itunes now!!!! |
I am still feeling the Love & Light from Miami in Aspen,
Hunt
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