Review | Ziggy Marley at the Santa Barbara Bowl

Showcasing Ziggy Marley and his 13-piece Reggae band, Sunday’s show at the Santa Barbara Bowl did not disappoint. Reggae roots legend from Jamaica, Don Carlos, opened the show backed by the Northern California band Dub Vision. Soaking up the afternoon sunshine with a well-rehearsed 30-minute set of songs from his 45-year career.

As more people entered the venue, Lettuce lit up the Bowl for 60 minutes of electrifying funk. It was the band’s first appearance in Santa Barbara, and they showcased their top shelf performance with a blistering hot set. It felt like Tower of Power was meeting James Brown and Sly Stone at a sweaty nightclub. They were awesome and worth searching for if you are into funk music.

Ziggy started out playing famous recorded speeches by Martin Luther King, John F Kennedy and even words from his dad Bob Marley were mixed in as the eager crowd settled in for his anticipated set. The band soon locked into a traditional Reggae groove held together by the legendary Jamaican drummer Santa Davis, who toured and recorded with Peter Tosh and countless other Reggae artists over the last 50 years. The first couple of songs that Ziggy opened with were mellow and subdued. The large crowd wasn’t feeling too inspired until Ziggy popped open two songs from his dad, “Africa Unite,” along with “We and Them.” Those two songs got the crowd bubbling.

Wearing a checkered flannel shirt, black pants, boots and with dreadlocks flying, Ziggy introduced one of his songs and got the crowd up chanting ,“We Are The Leaders.”\ He would ad lib “Nobody is Gonna Do It But Us.”  It was at this point Ziggy began to dance and draw the crowd in with another song, “We Are The People.” To drive his point home, he added “We Are Not Donkeys and Elephants.”

Overall, the Bowl’s sound system and lighting were superior in supporting Ziggy’s musical production. Without a doubt, he has taken the basic formula found in catchy Reggae grooves to a sophisticated level. The core members of his band have been working with him for over 15 years. His show also featured three female background singers and a three-piece horn section.

What Ziggy delivers is not infused with a heavy marijuana vibe. Ziggy attracts a diverse crowd of all ages. Unfortunately, his voice was a little raspy, but with many tours under his belt, he was able to finish the show strong with the crowd yelling for more. At 55, Ziggy continues to maintain a healthy and youthful presence on stage. There’s no doubt that he takes his work seriously. Plus being the son of Bob Marley gives the audience a touch of the magic Bob was known for. Yet, Ziggy has carved out his own legacy and gave Santa Barbara his best underneath a beautiful full moon in the sky.