If you weren't paying close attention you might have missed the fact that Jamaican roots reggae royalty rode into town Sunday in the form of harmony duo Israel Vibration, which played at Turner Hall Ballroom.
Even if you were there, you may or may not have noticed that anchoring the backing band was legendary studio and stage duo Style Scott on drums and Errol "Flabba" Holt on bass.
On tour in support of its latest disc, "Stamina," released last year by Tafari Records, singers Lascelle "Wiss" Bulgin and Cecil "Skelly" Spence rocked a crowd that didn't pack the main level of the venue, but filled it comfortably.
Mixing tracks from throughout their 30-plus-year career, Bulgin and Spence alternated lead vocals throughout a 90-minute set that kicked off with backing band Roots Radics reeling through a brief instrumental medley of Israel Vibes' best-known tunes.
The two have some of the most distinctive and emotive voices in music today and, although it's a well-worn cliché, it seems safe to say the crowd -- a multi-racial mix of rastas, hippies, college-age couples and others - would have been happy to hear Spence and Bulgin sing the Milwaukee phone book.
When the singers appeared, the crowd cheered, and whenever the two veteran vocalists danced, the audience went wild. That's due, at least in part, to the inspiring sight of seeing the two singers skanking joyfully despite the crutches that are a result of their childhood affliction with polio.
If there is a cooler person on earth than bassist Flabba Holt, I'd love to meet him or her. Holt alternately thumbed his Hofner violin bass - held nearly chest high - and played it with the more traditional index and ring fingers. He leaned on his towering, thumping bass amp looking cool and deadly, sometimes his body sway was barely perceptible.
Holt makes his snakey bass runs look easy and his long-time cohort Style Scott does the same for the drum kit, smacking the hell out of the skins and keeping time like a metronome infused with killer spirit.
Opening the show was Louisiana reggae rock trio Outlaw Nation, which played tunes from its recent "Blood Money" disc, including the indie radio hit "Pretty Girls," as well as its predecessor, "Shine."
When you think of groups that mix rock and reggae, what comes to mind? Maybe Bad Brains? Maybe Basement 5? Maybe white punk bands like The Clash?
But those were bands that generally either separated out the rock from the rockers (like Bad Brains) or just attempted authenticity (The Clash, Stiff Little Fingers), whether they achieved it or not.
Outlaw Nation blends the two into something a little more unique. Almost like a gritty rock band in Kingston might do. There are no clear lines. A tune with a reggae bass line or melody might sound nearly metal.
If you've heard the band's records, you'd be surprised at just how heavily featured hard rock is in the band's live sound.
Two great bands played two great sets. Now, if we could do something about those hour-long breaks between bands (especially on a Sunday night) ...
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
