The musical chaos was most apparent in a disappointing headlining set by the Marley Brothers -- consisting of five of Bob's sons, Ziggy, Stephen, Damian, Ky-Mani, and Julian. They're touring together for the first time, and on Thursday they were all over the place, mixing muddily distorted, over-amped dancehall reggae with occasional touches of roots and some off-the-wall experiments that, frankly, sent a lot of listeners to the exits early. They sang several of their dad's songs, notably "Natty Dread," "Kaya," and "Exodus," but the frenetic pace of the set and the horrible sound mix obliterated much of the spiritual consciousness, which is the foundation of reggae (at least their dad's kind).
The Marleys were part of a 15-piece band that was way too loud and way too cluttered. It would have been nice if the brothers had shifted dynamics by splitting the group into smaller configurations to change tonal colors, but that didn't happen. It was full speed ahead for the most part, and the effect was tiresome. Ziggy had some proud moments, and Damien raced around and flashed some genuine showmanship, but as an ensemble, they're still a work in progress.
A much bigger disappointment, though, was Common, who vowed to bring the "basement experience" to the night but overstayed his welcome with an embarrassing set of mechanical beats and drowned-out rhymes. A more pleasant surprise was Slightly Stoopid, which offered a hip blend of vintage reggae grooves with some slashing guitar-rock.
The act that stole the show was Toots & the Maytals, whose leader, Toots Hibbert, rallied the crowd with his Otis Redding-like soul mannerisms and still-stellar hits "Pressure Drop," "Country Roads," and "Reggae Got Soul." He delivered on his promise to take the crowd "higher and higher" but also added some meditative moments that connected with the music's core. Toots was often in the shadow of Bob Marley during his life, but on this night, it was Marley's sons who were in Toots's vapor trail.
Fans will get another chance to sample reggae at the pavilion when the One Love Reggae Harborfest arrives Sept. 18 with Capleton, Barrington Levy, Kevin Lyttle, Cocoa Tea, and others.
Roots Rock Reggae Festival
With theMarley Brothers, Toots & the Maytals, Common, and others
At: FleetBoston Pavilion, Thursday
