Monday, December 31, 2018, 8:00 pm
Mon, Dec 31, Doors at 7:30, Show at 8:00. W/ Special Guests Rhythm Incorporated & Outer Stylie. Advance $30.00 / Door $35.00. Tickets available online. Presented By Roots Renegade.
THE MEDITATIONS
The Meditations - Ansel Cridland, Danny Clarke and Winston Watson collective known as The Meditations, recorded their
first hit single woman is like a shadow in 1974 at Channel One Recording Studio. The group made its mark and sealed their
place as reggae legends with the release of the first two albums Message From The Meditations and Wake Up
produced by Dobby Dobson. Soon after came the third album Guidance Produced by Ansel Cridland.
Known internationally as Jamaicas legendary harmony trio. The Meditations have captured the hearts
of Reggae fans globally. This led to collaborations with Lee Scratch Perry. Scratch, who were
producing for Bob Marley And The Wailers at the time, asked them to do background vocals on Punky
Reggae Party with Bob on lead vocals. Bob Marley was so pleased with their harmony that he went in
search for the group to do more backing vocals for him. He requested harmony and background vocals
on songs like Rastaman Live Up and Blackman Redemption. In fact, The Meditations harmonic vocals
can be heard on some of your favorite tracks such as Bongo Man , Youths Them A Cry by Jimmy Cliff,
and Mr. Cop by Gregory Isaacs to name a few.
RHYTHM INCORPORATED
A compelling, captivating and credible reggae group called Simon White & The Rhythm Inc. Band based in Western Massachusetts is about to reverberate in a powerful way across the reggae Diaspora. The five-member magical ensemble brings a fresh and unique hybrid sound to the musical landscape, a sound that infuses elements of reggae and hip hop with a soulful twist, and this exciting and intoxicating new blend of beats is expected to make jaws drop on the road and on the radio. Simon White is a musical pioneer, and the band forms part of a new wave of American-born reggae artists who are blazing a trail of unprecedented success in the reggae and Rastafari music industry globally.
Simon White & The Rhythm Inc. Band quietly came together as a band several years ago in Western Massachusetts, born from a vision that was cradled by group leader and founder Simon White to grow and build from his early exposure to reggae and roots Rastafarian livity. Simon's father was an American-born musician who grew up with modest means, and who spent ten years in the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church in Jamaica. By an early age, thanks to his father's influence, Simon was cultivating musical skills in songwriting, and his passion for a career in music was exploding. When he turned twenty-one he made his first trip to Kingston, Jamaica where he spent over a month familiarizing himself with the local culture, learning about Jamaican landmarks and meeting producers. That trip opened many cultural doors for Simon, and it also boosted his determination to craft a career from reggae.
His influences back then were a mix of old school reggae icons and hip hop legends - Bob Marley, Steel Pulse, Dennis Brown and Burning Spear. He also had great admiration for Tupac and the Fugees on the hip hop side. Luck was with Simon growing up in Wendell, MA, the same small town as The Loose Caboose Band, who became one of the first reggae bands to make it big from that area. The partnership was productive as it provided valuable insights into the fascinating world of reggae music.
After the Simon White & The Rhythm Inc. Band was formed, the group established itself as a serious and solid regional force. Other group members are keyboardist Jason Metcalf, Jamemurrell Stanley on drums & percussion, Nico D'Amico, lead guitarist, and bassist Andrew Atkin. They quickly attracted the attention of New England promoters and enjoyed the good fortune of opening for reggae acts including Collie Buddz, Yellowman, Culture, Raging Fyah and Denroy Morgan.
In February 2018, Simon White & Rhythm Inc. Band put their first commercial release on the market, a 5-song EP called Beautiful Day. True to their brand of music, the compilation is a mélange of reggae, hip hop and dancehall, an attractive magnet for the hundreds of thousands of college students who reside in New England, as well as for fans beyond those borders. The songs include Beautiful Day, Lambsbread Herb and If I Could. The EP is self-produced and the themes in the songs range from ganja to love, unity and social injustice. The legendary Denroy Morgan has sweetened the pot, producing the band's next single, Have No Fear, to be released in August on his ASAPH label, and distributed by VPAL/VP Records.
"We have been abundantly blessed to have veteran reggae artist Denroy Morgan as our manager, mentor and guide", White said. "We've seen the miracles he has created with his own children, Morgan Heritage, grooming them to win a Grammy, and we are hoping that this collaboration will bring us similar blessings."
In the meantime, Simon White & The Rhythm Inc. Band is focused on working hard to grow their fan base to wider audiences. The band members all pledge love for reggae music from the heart, and they plan to connect to music lovers nationally and globally as they continue to push the barriers of reggae and hip hop to astonishing new heights.
playing New England venues including the Iron Horse, Bishops Lounge, Opus Underground, Brian Boru, Hoops N Hops, Black Eyed Sallys, Fury's Publick House, Ocean Mist, Deja Brew, Amherst Brewing Company, Red Square, Spotlight Tavern and more.
Festival plays include the Charlemont Reggae Festival, Wendell Reggae Fest, Unifier Festival, Terrapinfest, StrangeCreek, Wormtown Music Festival, Ziontific Summer Solstice Music Fest, The Upper Valley Music Fest, and the Old 78 Fest.
OUTER STYLIE
Outer Stylie is a heavy, psychedelic, explosion of sound located in Amherst, MA. Although steeped in hard rock influences they take the listener to grounds and heights not often achieved by other rock bands. Never to submit to the clichés of rock n roll, they are also influenced by the sensibilities of jazz and classical music, the freak-out mentality of psychedelic jams, and the infinite possibilities of an experimental outlook. They balance on the axis between simplicity and uncontrollable chaos; dance with the flowers of beauty and beasts of disgust. Hearing them live will truly take you to the Outer Stylie.
Australis Aquaculture • Artisan Beverage Cooperative • Benjamin Company • Berkshire Brewing Company • Cohn and Company Real Estate Agency • Community Credit • Common Capital • Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts • Connecticut River Internists • Dean's Beans • Easthampton Savings Bank • FirstLight GDF Suezna • Gill Tavern • Goff Media • Great Falls Harvest • Green River Festival • Greenfield Community College • Greenfield Cooperative Bank • Greenfield Savings Bank • Loot • Massachusetts Cultural Council • Montague Bookmill Montague WebWorks • Northeast Solar • People's Pint • Rainmaker Consulting • The Rendezvous • Solar Store of Greenfield • Stobierski and Connor • Told Video • True North Transit • Turn It Up
Exciting News for A Happening IV: Leviathan
Cloudgaze and Eggtooth Productions are thrilled to announce that we have received a generous grant from the Markham-Nathan Fund for Social Justice to support our 2024 Immersive Arts Festival, “A Happening IV: Leviathan.”
This festival will transform the Shea Theater into an exploration of theme, hosting installations, music, theatrical performances, and movement pieces, featuring the collective contributions of over 30 local artists. Audiences will experience otherworldly environments and narratives inspired by folklore, fairy tales, horror motifs, American literature, and the mythos of the Old Testament, all of which delve into the central question guiding the festival: "What does it mean to encounter something greater than yourself and to be consumed by it?" Through this theme, we explore how a community reemerges and imagines itself after destruction and transformation.
With the support of the Markham-Nathan Fund, we are excited to create an event that complicates perspectives and fosters meaningful dialogue. We are grateful for this partnership and for the work of the Markham-Nathan Fund for Social Justice.
Thanks to the Mass Cultural Council for their vital support this year.We'd also like to thank the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts for their support in the form of a Flexible Funding grant. We couldn't do this work without you!