Morgan Heritage Blesses the Green Mountains
I can still hear the music playing over and over in my head. Yeah, this statement is to be taken literally, as over the process of hours I have purchased the CD, downloaded it to my iPod with which I consistently build a relationship with the repeat button. Now with all of that said one must be wondering who am talking about, and why I am not growing tired of hearing these musical tracks. Well when you have a group like Morgan Heritage, “tiring” and “too much” are not words I use.
I had the pleasure of attending a performance at The Metronome at the Nectars Club in Burlington, Vermont on Church Street on Sunday June 13th featuring Irie Love, Laza from the group LMS and the main act of the night, Morgan Heritage.
Before the show started I had a chance to speak to Aaron Busick the production manager (Aaron at club Metronome.Com) of the club who expressed no doubt that the night was going to be filled with insurmountable success and that he was ready to host a good show. The club continues to stage shows all the days of the week. Giving the people what they want comes naturally at Nectars (live at Nectars.com). Booking he said for the special night had been done through One Love Bookings and the inhabitants of the Green Mountain state were really excited about the show and pre sales had been good. With tickets starting a $13.50 in advance and $16.50 at the day of the show this was a well packaged special that absolutely no one could refuse.
The night began at approximately 9:30pm with spaces around the performance area being quickly overrun by my reggae music lovers from Burlington and the surrounding areas. Watching the band’s set up, grooving to some easy laid-back reggae tunes and visiting the bar set the mellowest of moods and a night like no other was ready to begin.
The show opened with Irie Love, a young and beautiful native of Hawaii with a Jamaican father, a new addition to the Gideon Music record label owned by Morgan Heritage. She is quickly becoming a new household name in Jamaica with her soulful voice and passionate elegant appeal. She kicked it off with her track “If Only They Knew” which the crowd offered shouts of approval, busting from all over the almost jam packed club. She spent about fifteen minutes on stage and to say she got the crowd ready would be a definite understatement, as they were giving her forward all the way my friend; the crowd was far past the warming stages…
Irie finished off with her hit single “Put Jah first” which had the crowd swelling with awe while her voice was soothing and her vibe, just right. Irie Love added the flavor and left the stage with a lot of the audience members dazed by her performance. The night was certainly off to a good start.
Laza entered the stage shortly after wearing a green and white striped shirt with flowing locks and a pair of dark glasses, and boy was he well received. Shottas in the corner bussing vocal shots of obvious approval as Laza exclaimed he was from St. Thomas, Jamaica but grew up in Brooklyn. He started off with his single “Mi Nuh Love Waah Gwaan” riding the rhythm as he revved up the show. To say the least the tune sell afff!!! He performed other tracks such as “It Nuh Pretty Out Deh”, “ Just One Love” and he literally tore the place up with the single “Informer.”
I could only imagine that the world-renowned group Morgan Heritage would leave the audience scorching. I was worried but stood in the little space I had squeezed into anyway. The guitarists, drummer and stage mangers began setting up for the main act of the night and the crowd waited patiently.
DJ Big Dog, a pioneer vibe builder in the Vermont area for years, has played a pivotal role in tonight’s show and in the club’s overall success. Having helped made Nectars a prime spot for reggae and dancehall lovers, college students and thrill-seekers on a Sunday night. His expectations were as any other who would have hosted a Morgan Heritage concert—high. He had no doubts that those expectations would be met. Born Matthew Robinson, Big Dog shares a passion for reggae music and puts in work with fellow DJ, John Dmus. While lamenting that he plays music more for the love than anything else, Big Dog highlights Flex Records as one of the main sources that got him into reggae music. John Dmus also acknowledged his love for music and was pleased with the outcome of the show, just wanting more people from nearby towns to visit Burlington to share in the fun. Big Dog gives a run-through of his experiences stretching far back opening shows for Stephen Marley, Beenie Man, Anthony B and more. Big Dog still hopes to do more for the town of Burlington musically and with reggae music in the mix Big Dog and John Dmus will be spinning for a long time.
The Morgan Heritage Family and their band were onstage at 10:43pm clad in Gideon suits; khaki shirts and jeans with the Rastafarian symbols all over their outfits. All were adorned with beautiful swinging locks. You could actually feel the intense vibe, a hint that the crowd would soon be chanting, singing and clapping.
Heritage started out by first thanking the audience for showing up and commenced to share the song “Come On Ya” with the crowd’s enthusiasm begging them to sing more of that song, more from their new album Mission in Progress, and wanting to hear tracks from the earlier albums. The crowd was eating right out of their hands and they loved every minute of being fed with positive, soul-fulfilling and powerful music.
They gave the audience a next single from the new album called “They Don’t Know” and the intensity heightened even more. The third track had every one jumping, head- bobbing, screaming and begging for a hand shake. ‘Don’t Have to Dread” was the final indication that The Heritage was giving the audience all they wanted. With each tune they had to pullll it up, literally. The night went on with the intensity and quality of the performance building with every track, old and new. With members of the family adding their own flavor to each track the group is unstoppable. Raising such issues as the legalization of marijuana, the group succeeded in getting agreement on the topics raised with tracks like “Politicians”, explaining their views with rhythmic emphasis.
After approximately an hour of non-stop performance, Morgan Heritage had succeeded in taking the audience to a whole new level and they clearly made the distinction between reggae and dancehall music and helped to define roots as well as introducing of their personal brand of a style known as Rockaz, all of which the Vermonters knew every word of. Morgan Heritage even succeeded in re-naming Vermont from “Green Mountains” to “Ganja Mountains” a christening which no one disputed. How could they when the aroma was solid in the air and liters flickered with every mention of herb.
The performance drew to a close with tracks like “How”, “Ain’t Going No Where” (an ode squashing rumors about their sisters departure from the group).The hot new single, “Nothing to Smile About” took over the crowd, leaving them completely dazed by the performance and causing them to beckon for more. Many exclaimed they were not ready to go home shouting “yes Rasta” with every bar of the song being performed. They closed the night with the song ‘How Come” and left the stage with the audience chanting their name, screaming with approval and waving flags with the Jamaican and Rastafarian colors in the air. The group then went into the audience for autographs and pictures.
I had the pleasure to speak Jah Petes for a few minutes where he stated that he was pleased with the crowd’s reaction and that he was even surprised when they sang along with tracks from their new album. With the Mission In Progress tour ending on July 29th the group is loving the results thus far and is looking forward to a possible tour of the African Continent. The group is working with the new artists on the label such as Irie Love and they love the response they are getting with the new album so far. Jah Petes went on further to explain about the constant misunderstanding between reggae and dancehall and though reggae is the roots he appreciates each by knowing the difference between the two. I also asked him about the somewhat controversial issues of politics and the plea for ganja legalization he stated that “people are all for the truth and if you present them wid dat they will receive and respect it” a notion that was completely backed by the Vermont audience.
At the end of the interview he also stated in reaction to the question of reggae music and its role, “Reggae music brings and expresses love so with that element being present, reggae music today continues to do its work.” Morgan Heritage continues to bring reggae music to the world with the “Rockas” style and these gentlemen and the classy lady will be having audiences all over the world shouting ‘yes Rasta”. With the new album Mission In Progress just released in May, the quality of Morgan Heritage’s music and performances will continue to be imprinted in the minds of many. The Morgan Heritage Revolution continues…
Thanks to all staff and crew at Nectars for inviting us in, and putting on a quality performance.
Reported by: Northern Light
Photography: Northern Light
Layout and Design: B.Diamondz and Mistah Shakes
Edited by: Lazarus
Nowadayzdancehall.com 2008
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