Last night in St. Petersburg, iconic reggae band Steel Pulse showed what “One Love” truly means.
The U.K. outfit has been performing for over 48 years, and show no signs of slowing down. Inspired into existence by Bob Marley’s “Catch a Fire,” Steel Pulse found an affinity with the righteous rebellion and built its early reputation largely by touring punk venues. Steel Pulse’s crossover appeal derives in large part from its thoughtfulness and unifying messages, but even more so from the group’s incredible strength as one of the world’s very best, self-contained, reggae units.
With this context in mind, as the clock struck 9 p.m. at Jannus Live, the soft, melodious strains of a saxophone wafted from backstage, heralding the arrival of Steel Pulse’s current lineup: Wayne “CSharp” Clarke on drums, Selwyn Brown on keyboards, David “Cirious” Elecciri Jr. on lead guitar, Amlak Tafari on bass, and, to resounding cheers and applause, David Hinds, sporting his signature white-rimmed sunglasses. The band featured a full brass section as well with Stephen Bradley on trumpet and Shaunte Palmer on trombone, both poised for action.
Kicking off with hit song “Rally Round”, the band’s signature fusion of reggae, roots, and ska, reverberated through the venue, delivering powerful messages of equality and unity. “Soldiers” and “Wild Goose Chase,” songs whose poignant relevance to current global conflicts resonated deeply followed.
“Who shall save the human race?” Hinds asked. Their lyrics continued to address social injustices and systemic oppression, resonating deeply with the audience, continuing with more classic hits like “Your House,” “Chant a Psalm,” and their latest release, “Five Years.” The crowd, filled with dedicated followers and their families, was hyped up by Tafari, who even got a security guard to join him on stage for a few bars.
The high-energy performance continued with “Don’t Shoot,” the sole track from Steel Pulse’s latest album Mass Manipulation, maintaining the audience’s fervor and leading into song “Babylon Makes The Rules” which prompted a captivating dub excursion. Watching the brass section skanking, laughing, and playing their instruments with evident joy, was a highlight of the night.
Before the final encore of “Ku Klux Klan,” Amlak roused the audience once again with a call to action: “Tampa, you are against racism, right?” The emphatic response, despite Amlak getting his cities mixed up, reverberated through the venue, fueling one last wave of dancing and celebration. After the final applause, several musicians lingered on stage to take pictures with fans, wrapping up an extraordinary performance.
