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Ziggy Marley will perform on Saturday on the Bank of America Stage. (Jefferson Bernardes / Getty Images)
UPDATE: Corrected spelling of Damian Marley’s name.
More: Enter to win SunFest tickets | Money saving tips at SunFest | Meet the 2011 acts
For the second straight year, SunFest has a Marley performing on its main stage.
Last year, Damian Marley brought his Distant Relatives tour in combination with rapper Nas for one of the 2010 festival’s top sets.
This time around, it’s older half-brother Ziggy Marley gracing the stage (at around the same time, and on the same day, as Damien performed). This is a major signpost that SunFest is trying to pull in its share of the fans of reggae-based music.
And there are different styles on display: Ziggy Marley’s reggae is pretty close to the genuine article, with a little more of a pop angle. A San Diego-based band going on before Ziggy, Tribal Seeds, has a very true-to-form style.
On Sunday, Shazman, a Guyana-born singer/toaster, involves R&B and ragga (which is faster than reggae, incorporating hip-hop and electronic styles) into a high-energy groove.
And now comes the controversial part – I know you can’t say that Sublime with Rome is reggae. It’s part ska, part punk, little bit of Ziggy and Damien’s dad Bob Marley thrown in to be sure. The beat is definitely there, but it’s what original songwriter Brad Nowell (when it was just Sublime) did with the beat that made Sublime what it was – and Sublime with Rome what it is now.
Sublime with Rome plays Wednesday, and the two Florida-based bands on before them are in the same ZIP code of musical style. Variety Workshop hails from Palm Harbor, and definitely has more ska and skate-punk going on than reggae. Meanwhile, The Supervillains throw a lot into their musical pot – smooth at times, rough around the edges at others – and their version of Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” is a lot of fun and a concert highlight.
Let’s not forget Spearhead with Michael Franti in 2009, Stephen Marley and Steel Pulse in 2008, AND The Wailers in 2007. And then you have UB40 and all of the other reggae spin-offs.
So, almost all of Marley’s children/band members will have been at Sunfest by this year. Only Aston “Family Man’ Barret is left in the original Wailers though. There is another Wailers formation band with 2 other members called the ‘Original Wailers’ I believe.
Bring back Eek-a-mouse too!!!
spell check: Damian’s name please. thank you.
King Yellowman!
This years lineup is weak compared to years past! Went to 4 out of the 5 days last year with my family, don’t even think there is one day we would be interested in this year! Get your act together Sunfest!!
are you kidding me – you had to see the Allman Bros at the Beacon – we WILL be there!
I was at the first Sunfest. Got there early and parked on Flagler.Great jazz and Blues, great local bands. Slowly mutated to rock, various has-bins and wanna-be acts. Usually the two best acts playing almost at the same time, so you miss one or see half of each.Usually only a few good nuggets each year. I always hoped they would get back to a real, consistent theme. BUT NOT THIS ONE. I guess it will never be about fresh, creative, up and comming talent or old masters, ICONS at work.Just diluted spinoffs.
I belive variety workshop is fresh, creative and up and coming. But i really do appreciate you catagorizing bands youve yet to hear as diluted spinoffs. have a great day you miserable old man.
I bid you good day.
Thanks for the shout!
Check out Variety Workshop at the following sites:
http://reverbnation.com/varietyworkshop
http://myspace.com/varietyworkshop
Sunfest = Drunks, High Priced food, average to floundering music line up. NO THANKS!!!!
Jazz Fest in New Orleans on the other hand…
2011 Jazz Fest Line Up!
Arcade FireArcade Fire • Bon Jovi • Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer • Kid Rock • John Mellencamp • WilcoWilco • The Neville Brothers • Willie Nelson •The Strokes Robert Plant & the Band of • Ms. Lauryn Hill • Tom Jones • Jeff Beck • Michael Franti & Spearhead • Sonny Rollins • Robert Randolph & The Family Band • John Legend & The Roots • Wyclef Jean • The Avett Brothers • Dr. John & the Lower 911 with special guest Dave Bartholomew • Cyndi Lauper • Lupe Fiasco • Mumford & Sons • Alejandro Sanz • Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue • Mystikal • Bobby “Blue” Bland • Allen Toussaint • Fourplay • Marcia Ball • RAM of Haiti presented by Digicel • Jason Mraz • Jesse Winchester • Walter “Wolfman” Washington & the Roadmasters • Maze feat. Frankie Beverly • Better Than Ezra • Arlo Guthrie • Jamey Johnson • Fantasia • The Radiators’ farewell with Friends • Cowboy Mouth • Kenny G • Irma Thomas • The Decemberists • Vickie Winans • Gregg Allman • Pete Fountain • Lucinda Williams • Galactic • Robert Cray • Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk • Keb’ Mo’ • Mighty Clouds of Joy • The Golden Striker Trio feat. Ron Carter, Mulgrew Miller, and Russell Malone • Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers • Big Sam’s Funky Nation • Edie Brickell • Amos Lee • Ahmad Jamal • The Rance Allen Group • Ricky Skaggs • John Boutté • Tabou Combo of Haiti
KID ROCK!!! MYSTIKAL!!! BON F’N JOVI!!!! your right. i should just not drive 3 hours and then fly 4 hours to see them all for alot more money. sounds kinda like a jazz fest right… mystikal?
And im a little bent you call bands youve never heard before floundering music line ups. if anything is floundering. its your comment and/or attitude. Looking forward to SUNFEST2011!!!
Variety Workshop owns your soul! V-DUB!