“Feeling Alright” after The Seedless.Summer 2011 Tour at Red Rocks Amphitheater

I'm not going to lie, I missed Shwayze & Cisco Adler, but I made it in time to catch Rebelution. Of all performances that night, I walked out of the venue sure about Rebelution and labeled myself as an official fan. The group is made up of skillful musicians, who perform music commonly referred to as Cali Reggae, Surf Reggae, or Beach Reggae. The crowd was clearly familiar with songs such as "Feeling Alright" and "Attention Span" from their 2007 release, Courage to Grow, but it took a long dub session for me to realize the effect Rebelution had on the audience. I looked around and found the audience of over 7,000 (my guesstimate) in a complete trance. I'm looking forward to their third album and I'll definitely go out of my way to catch them when they are back in Denver, or wherever I am at the moment. Slightly Stoopid brought back memories of days living with my girls at our precious casa on Oceanfront Drive in Newport Beach, but I was disappointed that they didn't perform more of the songs that showcased the twist they put on the reggae genre. Then again, I am somewhat biased and their diversity is what makes them a hit with fans.

My night was complete when the legendary Don Carlos came onto the stage to perform a couple of songs with the band. The audience (including myself) loved him as he entertained with his energetic dance groove and sung about a certain natural substance that was clearly in abundant supply at the concert.

Toward the end of the night, Slightly Stoopid paid homage to the west coast and engaged the crowd in a chant in memory of the late Nate Dogg. This Cali girl (ahem, me!), born and raised, appreciated that and I could not help but to represent my home state.

Ultimately, I wanted to start this blogging "journey" with Slightly Stoopid because the group was introduced to me by a dear friend. Slightly Stoopid was our girl Lynnea's favorite band, and we lost her last year to cystic fibrosis. So I will always go out of my way to see them perform, as it's my way to keep her spirit alive...