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Concert Report: The Marley Brothers Legacy Tour in New York 9/22/2024
09/25/2024 by Shrik Kotecha
The night of Sunday 22nd September was an unforgettable musical journey at the Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York. The Marley Brothers Legacy Tour made its first and only stop in the Big Apple, around the mid-way point of this monumental tour across the US and Canada. It was so much more than just a concert—more so a gathering of unity and togetherness honouring the undeniable legacy of one of music's most influential figures, Bob Marley.
The tour kicked off early in September at Deer Lake Park in Vancouver, Canada. Over the past few weeks, thousands of ecstatic fans have gathered at venues all across America starting from the West Coast to see all five Marley Brothers – Ziggy, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani, and Damian performing together on one stage for the first time in two decades.
Forest Hills Stadium is a 13,000-capacity stadium which was originally designed in the 1920's as the home of the U.S. Open tennis tournament and has been carefully designed to optimize acoustics with no obstructed views. It is the only outdoor venue of its kind and size in the city and the perfect location for the New York stop of the 22-date Legacy Tour.
Arriving early in Forest Hills, you could feel a sense of excitement walking towards the stadium from the Subway station. The streets surrounding the venue had a mixture of local residents and concertgoers filling up the restaurants and bars, some donning their favourite Reggae and Rasta inspired clothing. Make no mistake, the crowds were here for one reason: a historical night with the Marley Brothers.
Arriving at the venue as the gates opened at around 5.30pm, we learned that Ziggy, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani, and Damian were to receive a prestigious Mayoral Proclamation from the borough of Queens, New York given by borough president Donovan Richards. This officially declared September 22nd as ‘Marley Brothers Day’ - a historical moment that took place just before the brothers took to the stage.
Geefus from the iconic Jamaican sound system Stone Love entertained the patrons finding their way into the venue with a vibrant mix of reggae classics, both old and new. One could feel the growing buzz as darkness fell gently across the sky.
It was precisely 7.45pm when Sky High the Mau Mau stepped onto the stage to loud cheers as the patrons began to feel the anticipation of what they were about to witness; the Marley Brothers live in front of their own eyes…
The lights dimmed as a video backdrop of their father; Bob Marley could be heard chanting:
“Hail Rastafari
I-tinually
Ever faithful
Ever sure
Jah live children
And there's a natural mystic blow through the air (Yeah)”
The crowd was immediately transfixed, the spirit of Bob Marley resonating powerfully across the night sky.
The stage immediately came alive as the band introduced the unmistakeable bassline of Natural Mystic, created by brothers Aston ‘Familyman’ Barrett and Carlton Barrett, as all five brothers walked onto the stage to rapturous cheers and applause.
From the get-go, Forest Hills Stadium was fuelled with high spiritual energy with all five brothers simultaneously gracing the stage for a powerful rendition of Natural Mystic. The seamless synergy amongst all five brothers was immediately visible as they took turns to come front of stage on vocal duties.
The opening notes of Get Up Stand Up saw a surge in energy in the stadium with all five brothers singing in unison in a defiant performance with Damian leading the audience in a rallying call of ‘woy yoy…woy yoy yoy yoy’ before moving into So Much Trouble in the World, with the audience joining in, singing every lyric with passion and precision. The smiles and emotions of the fans around me sensing that they were witnessing a living legacy unfolding before their own eyes.
There was no stopping the hits from coming including I Shot the Sheriff, Concrete Jungle and Wake Up and Live as the individual nuances of each brothers vocal styling showcased their musical prowess. The striking visual backdrops of H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I, and Marcus Mosiah Garvey interspersed with the timeless album artworks from Exodus and others originally created by Bob’s creative director Neville Garrick were a constant reminder of the strength and determination of Bob’s mission.
The Marley Brothers were superbly backed by their band which featured musicians including Sean 'Young Pow' Diedrick on piano, Squidly Cole on drums, Llamar ‘Riff Raff’ Brown on keys, Kawain Williamson on bass, Norman on percussion, Tekeshi Akimoto and Ranoy Gordon on guitar. The horns section included Oshane Love on saxophone, Glen Holdaway on trumpet and Wesley Etienne on trombone as well as the harmony singers Sherita, Tammy and Roslyn and the unwavering Flagman Judah provided the perfect backdrop for the performance that this crowd, young and old were witnessing.
The setlist incorporated crowd favourites Three Little Birds, Buffalo Soldier and Jamming as the mood within the stadium became almost celebratory as the crowd rocked and swayed to the melodies and rhythms on stage. Yet beneath the celebration, one could sense a deeper mission of Bob’s offspring in preserving the importance of his timeless songs of freedom filled with messages of hope and upliftment.
It’s important to remember that the Legacy Tour also celebrates the individual artistry of each brother. Together, they have amassed a phenomenal 22 Grammy Awards and it was a testament to their undeniable talent to witness Ziggy’s Melancholy Mood, Julian’s Boom Draw, Ky-Mani’s New Heights and Damian and Stephen’s Medication towards the latter segment of the show with each brother strongly advocating the benefits of the herb.
February 6th 2025 will mark what would have been their father’s 80th birthday and the Legacy Tour simultaneously honoured the significant contributions that both Bob and his offspring have contributed to the genre.
As the night drew to a close, Damian gave the crowd a militant delivery of Move which blended into Exodus before Ziggy, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani, and Damian returned for an encore performing Could You Be Loved and One Love which encapsulated the essence of the concert -celebrating not just their father’s legacy but also reaffirming their commitment to carrying the torch of reggae music forward.
For fans old and new, the Legacy Tour proved to be an unforgettable journey through the heart of reggae music, cementing the Marley Brothers place in its ongoing legacy. It was a vibrant yet down to earth celebration of the Marley family's musical lineage, profoundly resonating with fans of all ages who were fortunate enough to witness it.
