If you are a fan of reggae music, you will want to head to the town of Wendell on Saturday, July 16, for the return of the Wendell Reggae Fest.
As with previous years, the festival will take place at the Deja Brew Cafe and Pub on Lockes Village Road. Returning after a two-year hiatus due to COVID, the Wendell Reggae Fest creates a family- friendly environment while hosting some of the finest bands in reggae music.
The music will begin at 2 p.m. and continue until 11 p.m. In addition to all the music, there will be food and beverages sold and a kids’ tent.
Rhythm Inc., a reggae hip-hop band based in Wendell and led by Simon White, is the host of the Wendell Reggae Fest. White, who grew up in and still resides in the small town of Wendell, started the festival in 2017. At the time, his only goal was for the festival to be a big party, and he certainly accomplished that as the party has become a successful event that draws hundreds of reggae lovers.
White feels that having the festival in Wendell is important as it acknowledges that the area has produced a number of reggae outfits including the classic local band Loose Caboose. A reggae group formed in 1972, Loose Caboose helped bring reggae, a music that originated in Jamaica and that is known for its heavy rhythms and uplifting messages, to audiences throughout the Northeast.
When the festival started, all the performers were locally based, but now that it’s grown, the lineup has expanded to include bands from outside the immediate area.
“There is a lot of change in the bands we have this year,” White said. “I have worked with many of these musicians in the past, and have played with them in different settings and different states. Many are based in Connecticut, but they actually play all over.”
Artists that will turn Wendell into a reggae paradise on Saturday will include the following:
I Anbassa plays world reggae grounded in Rastafarian roots music that is laced with traces of funk, rock and Afrobeat. Burnie T, who like I Anbassa is based in Connecticut, was born on the Caribbean island of Dominica, and started as a reggae drummer playing a number of different bands. He has since gone on to establish himself as a talented songwriter. Prince Negasi is a reggae singer, musician, and producer from Portmore, Jamaica, and his band Souls of Zion are a younger generation of roots reggae musicians.
Some of the local talents includes vocalist Shanti Starr, originally from Gambia but now living in Wendell. She has worked in various musical configurations and has traveled the globe. In addition, she is a member of Gaia Roots, a women’s world music ensemble.
Some new bands in the lineup also feature well established local musicians.
Wheel Out features vocalist Roosta, a freestyle rapper originally from Kingston and who is probably best known for his work with The Fear Nuttin’ Band. Wheel Out is a new project for Roosta that features Tom Matthew on guitar, Bryan Worley on bass and Javi Zen on drums and combines roots rhythms with a more modern cross-cultural sound.
“Wheel Out is Roosta’s new project now that Fear Nuttin’ Band hasn’t been playing much,” said White. “*IanISouTree and the SoulRizor Crew is a new project from Ian-I of the Alchemystics and there is Root Fiyah, a new group from Abdul Baki who has also been involved in the Charlemont Reggae Festival.”
The festival will also feature a number of DJs including DJ Live from Amherst and DJ Vibe Wise from Orange. Rhythm Inc. will close out this day and night of music with a high energy set of their own music.
Doors open at noon. Advance tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the Wendell Country Store. Tickets at the gate are $20. Admission for children 12 and under is free.
If you want to hear some unique rock music this weekend, head to Turners Falls and check out the sounds of the Slambovian Circus of Dreams at the Shea Theater Arts Center on Friday, July 15, at 8 p.m. This band, from Sleepy Hollow, New York, has been a Valley favorite for years, and they will be playing their first-ever show at the Shea.
The Slambovian Circus of Dreams has been around since the late 1990s and you might remember them from when they went by the moniker of Gandalf Murphy and Slambovian Circus of Dreams. Of course there is also the possibility that you have attended “A Very Slambovian Christmas,” their annual holiday show that has always made a stop in Northampton.
The band is led by JoziahLongo on lead vocals and features Tink Lloyd on accordion, cello, mandolin, and flute and SharkeyMcEwen on guitar. For this tour, they will have three additional musicians on keyboards, saxophone, drums, and bass. You’ll hear a strong folk influence in their music, along with a mix of psychedelia and prog-rock. The band is currently out on tour in support of their sixth album “A Very Unusual Head,” a project that was four years in the making and recorded in two countries. The ‘60s influence comes through loud and clear on tracks like the Bowiesque “Stand Under” and the Sid Barrett psychedelic quality of “Solve it All Dali.” All the songs off the new album should translate brilliantly to the stage.
Longo is a charismatic front man, and the band is known for its lively, theatrical shows. They have earned a loyal following over the years based on the strength of their performances, and have toured heavily all over the country and around the globe ( they head to Britain after the show at the Shea) with a heavy focus on shows here in the Northeast.
If you have never seen the Slambovain Circus of Dreams before, this is the perfect opportunity to hear what they are all about. And if you are an old fan, come out and welcome the band to the Shea.
Tickets and more information is available at thesheatheater.org.
Also in Turners Falls this weekend: a free show presented by Shea Away with Home Body and Frank Hurricane, Saturday, July 16, at 6 p.m. at Peskeompskut Park.
Home Body is synthesist Eric Hnatow and singer Haley Morgan who together create sparkling electro-pop music that transports listeners to another dimension. Their shows are visual and sonic spectacles that features dancing and costumes as well as their dynamic music. The couple curated this event and they invited friend, spiritual blues and folk musician/storyteller Frank Hurricane to open for the them.
“Frank is a friend of ours we met while touring the underground scene, he lived in Turners for a period of time, and has performed at many storied events in Franklin County over the years, and is always down to make a fun time happen,” said Morgan. “He is a rare gem indeed.”
Morgan went on to say that during the pandemic Home Body wrote new songs and are recording them for the follow up to their 2019 Sophomore release, “Spiritus.” Look for some of this new material to pop up in their set on Saturday.
This event is supported by RiverCulture, The Shea Theater, Greenfield Cooperative Bank and a grant from the Mass Cultural Council.
Sheryl Hunter is a freelance writer who resides in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national publications. She can be reached at Soundslocal@yahoo.com