Last night I traveled to beautiful downtown Santa Barbara to see the Easy Star All Stars perform with Cas Haley at the Soho Restauarant and Music Club (check out my review of Cas live at The Roxy here). Easy Star All Stars have garnered many fans with their cover albums of Radiohead‘s OK Computer, The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club, and Pink Floyd‘s Dark Side of the Moon. It’s hard to find someone under 60 who isn’t fond of at least one of those groups, and I think a lot of people were there hoping to hear their one special favorite song. The band played a healthy sampling of all three cover albums, but their original songs were just as engaging as those that have already stood the test of time. ‘Bed of Rose’ was the first song, dancehall-style vocals over a reggae-funky groove that immediately proved the group’s rasta chops. The lyrics served us with a realistic but inspiring message “Will you live or will you die? Nobody knows…So be positive and never negative, that’s the right way to live…Don’t be afraid to give your heart and soul, for that is worth more than gold”. The bassist and male vocalist jogged in place together during the breakdown as the horn section added that extra warm color that is integral to reggae’s particular palette. The drummer’s hits were so clean and on point, it was hard to notice him playing at times, which is not an easy feat. I felt the same way about the petite lady keyboardist: she supported everyone in the band so well that when she had a solo, it was like a slap in the face. But in a good way.

 

The female vocalist had a powerful set of pipes and a beautiful, rich timbre that fit perfectly with the male vocalist’s higher dancehall-style voice.  When she had a solo, we all took a step back, eyebrows raised at the size and shape of the sounds coming from such a tiny person. The male vocalist was the definition of charistmatic, ears and eyes unable to tear themselves away from his frenetic antics and vocalizations. He stood right at the edge of the stage, singing into the crowd and mesmerizing the audience. He dared us not to dance, and the crowd gratefully acquiesced, cheering loudly when he finally threw off his hat to let down his dreads. The bassist sang backup and lead vocals on a few songs, while still managing to provide a rock solid groove for the group and make it look like child’s play. Even the guitar player sang on a few tracks, his nonstop funky strumming providing the heart beat to the band. His solo on ‘Money’ was absolutely genius, showing us his version of the Pink Floyd classic with gusto.

 

An avid fan of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Radiohead, I really could not pick my favorite cover. I loved the plodding, slightly raunchy sound of ‘When I’m Sixty-Four’, the saxophonist and trombonist infusing the melody with lots of blatts. The two horns sounded absolutely pristine, the female saxophonist absolutely crushing the sax solo on ‘Breathe’. Strangely, I’ve never been a huge fan of ‘Paranoid Android’, but after hearing the Easy Star All Stars‘ stellar arrangement of the much-loved and multi-faceted piece, I feel like I need to revisit the original. That’s what’s so incredibly unique about this band: in addition to performing unique versions of classic songs, they’re also changing the genre of reggae. Usually I think of reggae as being very positive and light: I didn’t know that it could sound so eerie and go so deep.

 

They closed the show with ‘Karma Police’, the female vocalist’s soaring out over the audience to uproarious applause and cries for more. I was one of the people crying for yet another encore: I just can’t get enough of a band that sounds and feels so good. If you’re a tie dyed in the wool reggae lover, you’ll love Easy Star All Stars. If you absolutely hate reggae, you’ll probably still love Easy Star All Stars. Their latest album Dubber Side of the Moon is now available for pre-order on their website. For more information about their upcoming tour dates, check out their tour schedule here.