Oregon Music News: Oregon’s all-genre music magazine since 2009

07/10/2017

Ziggy Marley at Edgefield in concert

By Mike Lewis // Bringing a brilliant, positive vibe.

Many parents would love for their children to follow in their footsteps while others want better for their children and with Ziggy Marley, it seems that he has covered both of these. While we may not know exactly what Bob Marley has hoped for his young son but the reality is that music was in Ziggy’s blood at a very young age. He has carried on the legacy of his father but unlike some, Ziggy hasn’t been living in his shadow but instead has forged his own path in the world of reggae and most certainly stands right along Bob Marley and others as being one of the greats.

Ziggy Marley returned to Portland, OR once again, this time bringing his infections reggae sound to the Edgefield Amphitheater. Marley has a vast body of work to draw from, both this own as well as adding in some of his father’s classic songs, so there was no need for an opener. Instead audiences were treated to The Grand Yoni of IMPACT Sound spinning a collection of reggae and ska to get the audience ready.

Once on stage however, it’s easy to see that Ziggy is one of those musicians who not only loves what he does as any musician should, but he loves and appreciates the fans who have supported him through the years and have helped to keep the spirit of reggae alive. As with many live reggae shows Ziggy hits the stage with a collective of talented musicians but none of them make any attempts to upstage Ziggy but instead allow him to be the star of the show. It simply seems to be the way that reggae is done live particularly if an individual performing and not a band. This doesn’t ruin the show in the last however and Ziggy brilliantly brings a very positive vibe to the stage and projects it to the crowd. For some that feeling may have been aided by the fact that Oregon is no longer a dry state and while Ziggy was singing about seeing marijuana trees, there were a number in the audience who had apparently gone and harvested more than a bit from that forest, not that it seemed to really bother anyone.

Ziggy’s present tour seems to be one that is covering all venues with dates at clubs as well as festivals on the itinerary. He’s one of those performers however who seems to be more than capable of giving fans a truly amazing, memorable live experience regardless of where he’s playing. Reggae might not be for everyone but even as someone who generally takes in shows with some of the most intense metal bands on the face of the planet, I found that while Ziggy might be on the opposite side of the spectrum musically, it’s really the performance that draws you in and to me, that’s one of the most important aspects. Ziggy Marley live is a truly memorable, magical experience that is simply filled with positive energy and a loving atmosphere that just about anyone can appreciate.

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