On a steamy Sunday arvo a dedicated crowd of music lovers ploughed through the humid air and drifted into the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. The crowd was a mixed bag of young and old and in between. They came to listen to a day of reggae and it was a happy day.
We made our way down the hill towards the smooth sounds coming from the stage.
Melbourne based Kiwi band Bonjah got things started and set the mood with an energetic performance.
More people rocked up and wove their way through the patches of grass as Inner Circle began what would be a memorable set. Bang. They played ‘Sweat (A La La La La Long)’ and damn did they make us sweat. Everyone sang and danced like it was the 90s. That is, with gay abandon. Sweat was everywhere. Then Bang. The thick bass driven sounds of ‘Bad Boys’ pumped through the crowd. It was a double hit of nostalgic intoxication.
Arrested Development kept those feet on the ground to those hips shaking. MC 1 Love roused the crowd with his freestyle antics, declaring that this is Melbourne (as in 'burn' not 'born'). Guru Baba Oje (the band's spiritual leader) rocked out in his fez, while singer/dancers Tasha and Eshe did some crazy twirl dancing; their stage presence was phenomenal. MC Speech and the others slipped between old and new songs with an extended version of ‘Tennessee’ proving a highlight, and icing that sweet, sweet cake with ‘People Everyday’.
Shaggy made an epic entrance. He really knows how to work a crowd. He is a real entertainer. His band sounded really tight and the crowd kept moving through the heat and the haze, dancing on through herbal smoke rings and singing out loud. The whole place seemed like a cauldron of smoke and sound. Everyone sang, ‘It Wasn't Me’, and the afternoon drifted along.
Ali Campbell (UB40) brought his 9 piece band, the Dep Band, who played a bunch of grooved up love songs; couples were dancing in unison, it was beautiful to see. Ali played a set of mostly UB40 songs but waited until the encore to play ‘Red Red Wine’, and the crowd loved it.
As the sun began to set, Eddy Grant began his set. The stage filled with interlocking red, green and yellow lights. A cooling breeze rolled down the hill and sliced through the crowd. ‘Electric Avenue’ was a highlight and he ended with his now 40-year old hit ‘Baby Come Back’ (recorded when he was the lead singer in The Equals)
Ziggy Marley took the stage and stole the show. ‘Love Is My Religion’ was good. His dad’s songs ‘Is This Love’ and ‘Lively Up Yourself’ made me think it was the great man himself. People came together as one; the mixed bag of dreads, kids, yuppies, stoners and misfits morphed into a single mega reggae jam. It was an afternoon to remember.
Raggamuffin is one of the more interesting music festivals to tour Australia. Promoter Andrew McManus started it last year. This year is started to grow although it is one of those best-kept secrets. Word of mouth should spread for this kind of event. It placed so much great music together under one roof and when you lined up the hits by the various artists over the day, Raggamuffin is real value.
Bring it back for 2010.
