Listen up
The disastrous end to 1980 lingers. Duppies Maggie & Ronnie are busy jump starting their new era of state-help for the rich, self-help for the poor, the privatization of profits, the socialization of losses with austerity and blame reserved especially for the have-nots, the haves-most unaccountable, untouchable. John Lennon is dead and Bob Marley is fighting for his life. Don and the late Phil Everly, brothers in roots rock genius, provide relief that Rita Marley covers and backbeats as Esete with her opening “Gee Whiz”, a wicked version of “All I Have To Do Is Dream”. You may call us dreamers but I and I are not the only ones in oneness.
The announcements of live reggae shows and events in this radio program mark a special turning point as live roots music kicks into high gear all over the San Francisco Bay Area, while the Savoy Tivoli regular reggae presentations in North Beach, home of the original Beatniks, come to an end yet The Stone, just down the street on Broadway, begins ongoing Wednesday night roots with The Caribbean Reggae All Stars, Midnight Dread’s Rockers Live Sound System and Reggae Jackson in the following mid-week slot. Jimmy Cliff postponed his show but Joe Higgs is finally coming for sure March 20th & 21st at The Stone in SF and its sister Keystone in Berkeley. Other live attractions that week and into March include Messiah, Ras Kiddus & Phone Bill, and Earl Zero & The Soul Syndicate all at the American Indian Center in the Mission. Zef & The Ravers from L.A. and Mighty High from Santa Cruz also play there while Session mashes up Discs, Wheels & Sports in Oakland.
The Fabulous Titans are everywhere like the New Oasis in Burlingame, Ashkenaz in Berkeley and helping close out the Savoy where Earl Zero & Soul Syndicate play its next to last show ever in ‘don’t call it’ Frisco. Jerry Stein’s Word Sound & Power film gets a special Friday screening at La Pena in Berkeley, Toots & The Maytals are playing the beautiful Coconut Grove in Santa Cruz, the Reggae Sunsplash film of the 1979 affair debuts & begins a 7 day run at The York in The City, Leroy Smart and Steel Pulse soon come. All kinds of great new vinyl sevens and footlongs first see the light of midnight in their debuts contained herein from Sugar’s “Ghetto-ology” and Gregory’s extended “Poor & Clean” to The Beat’s “Too Nice To Talk To (Dubweiser)” and the astounding earth temblor inducing Barnabas/Radics masterpiece riddim, wrung out to raise the dread, Eastwood & Saint’s epic “Two Bad D.J.”
Freddie McGregor’s beautiful production of “Natural Collie” for High Times also premieres. Burning Spear invokes a “New Civilization” after a lot of dreaming. Madness lights up “One Step Beyond” live. Winston Jarrett, Bunny Wailer, Pablo Moses, Jimmy Riley fire their best shots and that’s just in Part One of this scorched radio policy musical heat wave. ‘Only trouble is gee whiz, I’m dreaming my life away.’ Roman Stewart unveils green vinyl “Herbalist” before niyabinghi wonders Light of Saba heartbeat up the foundational “Lambs Bread Collie”. Accept no substitutes. This is real music. It’s still ahead of this time.
Last time’s 33 years ahead program. Dreadcasting over the air since 1979 & online since 1996 dreader 21st Century Midnight Dread programs air daily at 12am including replays often heard in his Best of All Worlds high noon slot and where one can also become conscious at 6am with the indigenous sounds of Native Son Rising, all curated by Doug everyday, all times Pacific. Many more Midnight Dread sights & sounds here and on this blog’s Midnight Dread page. Go deh. All of dem.
