Bob Marley Day Fest Officially Kicks Off California Reggae Season

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By Joe Aytch

"Our event is not a concert. It is a festival, an assemblage, and a convergence that in demographic terms is unseen anywhere in America," says promoter Moss Jacobs, of Moss Jacobs Presents. "In honoring Bob Marley each year with this celebration, we create an event that brings out the best in ourselves and the best in others. The world needs to build on this foundation."

For most of the Caribbean World, February marks the beginning of Lent, which launches Carnival celebrations around the world; but to California Reggae fans, February marks the late, great Robert Nesta Marley’s birthday (February 6), and officially commences the California reggae season.

Starting back in 1982, the first Bob Marley Day was held in Los Angeles’ Macarthur Park. In 1991 the 10^th Annual event began the Bob Marley Day Tour, premiering shows in San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and Berkeley. Since then, they have also had shows in Oakland and San Francisco.

Long Beach Sets The Stage

Dare I say that the Long Beach Arena is an almost perfect indoor location for a festival, drawing over 30,000 crazed reggae fans over two days?

Talk about a concrete jungle, The Long Beach Arena is nestled in the midst of the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Centers. The facilities include the Arena and Exhibition Halls, the Terrace and Center Theaters, the Ballroom and many meeting rooms. The neighborhood is saturated with hotels of every size.

The outside wall of the 75,000 square foot Arena is covered with what is advertised as the world’s largest mural. "Planet Ocean," painted by internationally renowned environmental artist, Wyland, features an array of marine life.

The International Food & Crafts Fair, an incredible display of Reggae-centric art, was housed in the adjoining 148,000 sq. ft Exhibition Hall. Even more vendors were outdoors in a fenced in area leading to the Arena Lobby entrance and the Promenade. I found myself disoriented often as to which way to go. Unsynchronized, loud music blaring from various booths, mixed with voices trying to talk over it, and the ever present rumble from the main-stage all added to making it a total experience.

This festival is massive–the largest indoor reggae festival on the West coast. Reggae fans arrive by land by air and by sea; the City of Long Beach is available via three major airports and by boat. The fans come, and they cover the entire spectrum of humanity, and with irie smiles plastered across their faces, show the world how to peacefully co-exist, all in the name of reggae music, and Bob Marley.

The Hyatt hotel next door hosts festival performers and guests. At one point, the lobby was mixed with an almost rabid group of upper crust middle aged white women swarming an Avon product table, next to a group of Jamaican musicians quietly speaking in patois. Neither group noticed the other, both oblivious to their contrasting lifestyles.

Tony Rebel walks quickly through, dressed in camouflage, closely followed by a fast moving camera crew. Luciano with his young son in tow makes his way to a press conference, stopping along the way to greet as many people as he can with his trademark Rasta greeting of three kisses. Smiley, of Michigan & Smiley, moves about unmolested. In his wake, someone quietly asks, "Who is that?" In the small bar and lounge of the Hyatt Hotel, there is a show within a show.

The Artists Deliver

Every year you think you’ve witnessed a lineup that is unsurpassed, then Ragga Muffins Productions and Moss Jacobs Presents do it again, and 2002 was no exception with twenty plus acts over two days.

"We take pride in our artist line-up, and are ever challenging the opportunity to expose reggae artists to the people of America," says Barbara Barabino, Chair of Ragga Muffins Productions, "…entertainers who have contributed to the roots foundation that is the core of reggae music."

Moses "Beenie Man" Davis was one of the highlights of this year’s line-up for me. Make no doubt about it, Beenie Man, the dancehall artist, the Rasta, is the consummate entertainer. With diamond earrings in both ears, sporting a black ensemble, topped by a black derby, he took to the stage singing Marley’s "No Woman, No Cry," and ended with a rousing "We Shall Overcome" shout out.

Drawing from his list of over fifty #1 hits, Beenie Man put on a performance that was spellbinding. He’s a natural on stage, a showman, using the stage as his platform. He commands your attention with or without his music. He charms with his smooth style as he smiles and calmly delivers his lyrics, aggressively challenging the boundaries of music.

Junior Reid was a big hit on and off stage. Proclaiming at the press conference that he would make himself available for the people, he took on fans and press alike, giving autographs and some strong sound bytes for various radio DJs, and interviews for writers.

On stage, backed by the One Blood Band, Reid then put on a performance for the people. Junior delivered a heartfelt performance, and the One Blood Band mashed it up. They did most of Junior’s staple tunes, a great "Great Train Robbery," a Marley "One Love" medley, then started in on some rhythms from Michael Jackson’s latest album.

Junior Reid, known for supporting the causes of the ghetto man, took a shot at unscrupulous record companies during his performance, "We’re not against signing. We sign production deals and all those kind of deals. We work with any record company that wants to work with us," said Reid, "but we don’t sign a deal against our lives and ourselves. So we set up our own production company and will distribute to the people Israel."

He then brought our attention to the "Mobile Record Stores" selling his CDs around the Arena floor. Then blew us away with his on version of Destiny Child’s "I’m A Survivor."

Other memorable performances included Mutabaruka, arguably Jamaica’s greatest Dub Poet. TOK, the harmony quartet with their classic boy group dance routines and R&B music style, drove the girls wild. The Skatalites helped keep it real–when ska and reggae share the stage, the relationship is undeniable. The history of over three generations of reggae music comes together, thanks to RaggaMuffins/Bob Marley Festival 2002.

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Joe Aytch is a San Francisco Bay Area Photo Journalist whose writing and photos have appeared in various publications throughout the United States, including The Reggae Calendar International, Exodus, The Buffalo Soldier, Forward, Dub Missive, The African Voice, The Guardsman, The Bayview Heritage and more. He is currently an Editor/Writer for CityFlight Newsmagazine and was formerly an editor for the Reggae Review. He appears on several web pages, and has been a featured MC at the Afribbean and One Root Festivals. He can be reached at jtaytch@aol.com or at P.O. box 90384, San Jose, CA 95109-3384.