Bob Marley was such a singular talent that it is important to celebrate his legacy by continuing to make sure that his music lives on. With its tour commemorating the 30th anniversary of his compilation, “Legend,” the Wailers has done just that.
Though the Wailers was the name of Marley’s backing band, the group that played on stage Thursday largely didn’t resemble the original. Many members have died over the years, and Aston “Family Man” Barrett, the bassist, was the only performer who played with Marley’s touring band.
Though the band onstage may be more akin to a quality Bob Marley cover band, there was certainly a sense of history surrounding the group. When it powered through so many of the songs that brought reggae to the mainstream four decades ago, it was easy to get a sense of what the music was like when performed by the master.
This is aided by the group’s singer, Dwayne “Danglin” Anglin, whose voice shares some of the qualities of Marley’s voice: deep, scratchy and powerful. When the singer takes on songs like “Buffalo Soldier” and “Three Little Birds,” it is easy to see why he was chosen to tour with the band.
The group played through every song on the “Legend” compilation in order, and being a compilation of one of popular music’s all-time greats, almost every song played is instantly recognizable. The performance of “Redemption Song,” was especially memorable. Anglin performed on acoustic guitar with his only support coming from guitarist Audley “Chizzy” Chisholm.
While not sold out, the Wailers played to a healthy-sized crowd, which suitably included an older audience than most Georgia Theatre shows. The venue’s security had a busy night, however, running around the floor informing viewers that the smoking of marijuana wasn’t allowed at the concert. Luckily, Anglin was there to remind listeners to “drink responsibly, smoke responsibly.”
Before the main act went on, DJ Selekta Afrique played various reggae songs off his laptop. It was amusing that much of the audience didn’t recognize many of the songs, as he left all Bob Marley and the Wailers songs off his set list. UB40’s “Red Red Wine” was a notable exception, which Afrique played twice.
Mighty Mystic was the other opener, a solid Reggae group and good choice to open for the Wailers. The group’s songs ranged from joyful praises of island life in “Happy” (not to be confused with the Pharrell Williams track) to political in “Concrete World.”
The show was a great time, and the Wailers, though largely not the original lineup, were a great act to catch live. This tour raise a question, however; what will there still be a Wailers performing in 20 years for the 50th anniversary, and if so, what will that group look like?
