Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest Day 2: Steel Pulse brings over 30 years of reggae to the stage
As the heat lifted on Wednesday night at the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest there was a buzz in the air over the Subway Stage where a band from Birmingham, England was about to crank up the heat again.
The band, known as Steel Pulse has headlined some of the world’s biggest reggae festivals, won a Grammy award for their 1986 classic Babylon The Bandit, were nominated for several subsequent albums since then, contributed the song I Can’t Stand it to the soundtrack of Spike Lee‘s film Do The Right Thing , (probably my all-time favorite flick) and they have broadcast an album debut live world-wide…just to name a few bio hilights.
It was with plenty of curiousity and great anticipation that we assembled on the grass to take in the theatrical show that Steel Pulse is known for. It wasn’t so much the band’s history and credits that were most important in that moment, but instead the energy and wonderful attitude that they brought to the CIsco Ottawa Bluesfest scene.
Friends passing by stopping to talk were dancing as they moved through the crowd. There was no sitting down for this show. The spirit of the entire river stage area was positive and uplifted by the band which was lead by David ‘Dread’ Hinds – the soul and sprit of Steel Pulse for the past 35 years. It was a performance that involved the crowd in the movement. The band played traditional reggae songs that spoke of social justice and revolution, songs of spirituality (and a few cover tunes thrown in for good measure) as everyone was swaying happily throughout the set.
For a few minutes tonight, I was swept away at the riverside by the “Rastafarian” liberating outlook and promise. Thank you Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest!
For more information about Steel Pulse check out their myspace and official website.
Tags: cisco ottawa bluesfest, live reggae music at a festival, reggae music lyrics, spike lee, steel pulse
