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Volume CXXXIII, Number 5 |
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Roots and Toots raise the roof at Colby concert
CAROLINE LORENZ
STAFF WRITER
If you were wondering where all the dreadlocked Caucasians of Maine disappeared to last weekend, you must not have heard about the Roots and Toots and the Maytals performance at Colby College.
The Roots's latest album, Phrenology, may have been released a year ago, but their set was anything but stale. Taking into account the broad musical influences found on Phrenology, for instance punk and techno, this should come as no surprise. But as interesting as their music is, their show was a little monotonous. Many of the tracks from Phrenology had guest vocalists, including Nelly Furtado, Jill Scott, and Musiq on their hit "Break U Off." Although the Roots can rap live better than most, and whip out the background vocals when it needs to be done, the lack of guest stars made their set a little less fun.
The pace picked up after the first few songs when the introductions were done. The bassist played an amazing, eardrum breaking solo, and the lead guitarist played a few Hendrix-like tricks, although I don't recall Hendrix playing with his bum. Possibly the most exciting part of the Roots was this bum-playing solo. Admit it, that's exciting.
However, the Roots's managers should have known better than to book a legend like Toots and the Maytals as an opening act. With all due respect to the Roots, it's hard to compete with the kind of show Toots is capable of putting on. He's got the voice, he's got the songs, he's got the moves, and he's got over 40 years of reggae behind him.
Appearing on stage in his signature green, red, and yellow color-blocked suit, lead singer Toots Hibbert set the mood for his band's energetic performance of some of Jamaica's finest reggae. Toots and the Maytals date back to 1966, and might have found success earlier if Toots hadn't been tossed in jail for possession of marijuana for a year and a half. But on the bright side, his stint in jail gave him material for one the bands first big hits, "54-46, (That's My Number)." Arguably their most well-known song, "Pressure Drop," came a year later, and since then they've been pumping out the reggae. But what sets Toots and the Maytals' brand of reggae apart is the heavy gospel influence on the vocals, since Toots grew up singing in church.
Not to discredit the talent of the Maytals, but their stage presence is probably more important than their actual music. Few frontmen (ones that come to Maine, anyway) can turn a gymnasium of college kids with distinct body odor into a mass of jumping, swaying, bouncing happiness.
They have no rhythm, of course, but that's beside the point.
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