Reggae filled the air at the Cuthbert Amphitheater on Wednesday as the Summer Sessions Tour 2014 kicked off with G.Love. G.Love paved the way for Stephen Marley and Slightly Stoopid to later steal the stage. The crowd and artists had their spirits high as they all experienced the tour’s first night in action.
G.Love kicked off the night with acoustic sounds and rhythms that had hints of a reggae vibe, but hit just off the mark from Stephen Marley. Instead, their music called to the crowd as an invitation for all to get up, get ready and to move.
Stephen Marley got the entire crowd on their feet asking, “What’s up Eugene?” Thus, creating a ripple effect of shouts throughout the crowd. To start off the night, he played many of his classic and favorite hits before honoring his infamous brother, Bob Marley, by cranking out a number of tunes, including “Buffalo Soldier” and “Could You Be Loved.” The concert also came with an introduction to the music of Stephen’s son, Jo Mersa Marley, who embodied a powerful mix of both Stephen’s tunes and Bob’s voice. The duo danced atop the stage with Jamaican flags flowing in the heat of the summer evening.
As the Marleys sang into the night, to prepare the crowd for Slightly Stoopid’s big appearance, the crowd did not settle. It seemed as though through the night the artists and music only served as an instrument to energize the loyal fans to continue jamming. The crowd was filled with spectators of all ages, from the many fans who had been with the bands since their early years, with their young children to teens and young adults.
Slightly Stoopid made their appearance as the sun disappeared, to let the musicians light up the amphitheater for the rest of the evening. The band played everything from their usual reggae beats to throwbacks with a few songs in between. Comfortable with the audience and crowd, the band teased their fans pretending to bow off early. However, the commanding crowd pleaded for an encore. The band took back to the stage in style, as they sang freely and played popular hits to entertain the crowd in the last few sets. The sound was perfectly on pitch and each band member conducted their voice and instruments to please the mosh-pit members.
Even more delightful was the humble Slightly Stoopid bunch, who deemed themselves grateful by asking the crowd time and time again to applaud G.Love and Stephen Marley on their previous performances. The band left nothing but smiles on the faces of the audience and the Marley band members, who had inconspicuously made their way into the crowd.
The evening ended and the mix of perfect temperature, great music and peaceful fans maintained the energy. All in all, The Summer Sessions Tour 2014 is not one to be missed.