California reggae standout Rebelution is headed to the Les Schwab Amphitheater on August 30 with special guests Steel Pulse, The Green, Keznamdi and DJ Mackle. Online ticket presale runs from 10am-10pm on Thursday, December 19 at BendConcerts.com. General ticket sales start at 10am on Friday, December 20 online and in person at Grafletics in the Old Mill District. The show is at 5pm on Sunday, August 30, and doors open at 3:30pm. Tickets are $37.50 plus service fees.
Fifteen years into an effervescent career, California reggae band and touring juggernaut Rebelution remains abundantly creative. Its members (singer/guitarist/lyricist Eric Rachmany, keyboardist Rory Carey, drummer Wesley Finley and bassist Marley D. Williams) are as focused and committed as they are easygoing and laid-back. Free Rein, their sixth studio album, while still rooted in the Jamaican inspiration that Rebelution’s songs and sounds have always paid homage to, takes experimental leaps and new adventures too, welcoming old fans and new audiences alike. Ever expanding, the Rebelution phenomenon continues to spread good vibes on tour, and in the studio.
Bearing witness to the accelerating negativity of global affairs, UK reggae legends Steel Pulse emerge with musical vengeance to halt the disarray of humanity. Their latest album, Mass Manipulation, reflects four decades of bettering mankind through music. The debut single Stop You Coming and Come features ancient melodies paired with catchy lyrics, transporting the mind to a period of time where secrets of an African dynasty are unmasked.
As reggae revolutionaries, Steel Pulse is revered by the younger generation of artists and remains a powerhouse on stages around the globe. Through the example of Mass Manipulation, Steel Pulse demonstrates the endless possibilities that come from breaking down the walls of systemic greed and nurturing the fellowship of mankind.
Since forming on O’ahu, Hawai’i, in 2009, The Green has become one of the most successful and beloved bands in the reggae genre. During their relatively short career, the band has been awarded a Best Reggae Album nod from iTunes (2010, for their self-titled debut), four coveted Na Hoku Hanohano awards in their native Hawai’i (2011 and 2014, including Group of the Year, two different Reggae Albums of the Year and Entertainer of the Year), and two #1 Billboard Reggae chart debuts, along with charting on the Billboard Top 200. Not bad for a band that was formed by six members of Hawai’i’s tight-knit music scene to record a few songs and have some fun.
The Green was one of the first Hawaiian reggae bands to tour extensively on the mainland, as well as going further afield to New Zealand, Japan and other locales. Before becoming a headliner on their own, the band supported bands like Bruno Mars, Rebelution, Michael Franti, Iration, SOJA and Damian Marley, and performed at acclaimed festivals including Vans Warped Tour, Wakarusa, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival and California Roots Festival.
Jamaica native Keznamdi made his debut in 2013 with the independent Bridging the Gap EP, scoring #1 on iTunes Top Reggae Albums Chart and the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart. He quietly built a fan base with consistent performances around Jamaica, maintaining a prolific output in the process. Recently, he dropped the Skyline Levels, Vol. 1 EP and headlined his own sold-out tour, packing venues everywhere.