The feeling was easy to let you get away, as the Wailers were in town to bring their mighty soul and sound into Madison on a night where temperatures were hovering at 0 degrees all night long. The Majestic Theater was almost filled with an all ages Reggae fest that closed up with the HIGHlite of the night, the band that “Legends” were made from. Opening the night was, Tomorrow’s Bad Seeds and Duane Stephenson. I caught a couple of tunes by Duane Stephenson which carried the roots/dancehall rhythms with it wrapped tightly in a positive vibe and a beautiful voice. The Wailers came on with the beautiful “Coming in from the Cold” off up UPRISING, which was the album they decided to sample throughout the night here in Madtown. The sound immediately took over the crowd with an ebb and flow that must have carried itself out onto the streets downtown, as a really interesting “I Shot the Sheriff” weaved its way past the renditions we all were accustomed to and led us off the path to familiarity where only live music can. As the show went on, the band took on a taste of the favorites with many tracks off of LEGEND, which had the crowd voice tested several times as they sang along as if they too were in the studio feeling the song for the first time. Aston Barrett’s bass thumps stretched out over the room as a center point to the groups legacy, and I for one was glad my ears got another chance at grabbing at that sound in a setting other than an outside large music festival setting. The sound of his bass was like a handshake between friends. This event was well attended by ages groups that covered a wide range, and here in Madison…..I think we like it that way.
