I remember reading a flyer for a local band back in Virginia. The flyer was talking about what an awesome surprise it is when you stumble into a show or a bar, with no expectations and are just blown away by some band you have never heard of. About a week ago I went to the Troubadour to go take some pics of Lavender Diamond. Not exactly my first choice of a show to go to but hey why not. Getting shot down for a photo pass at the door, the night was looking like a wash out until the opening band hit the stage. Future Pigeon made sitting in two hours of traffic well worth it. It was just the surprise you hope for when you go to see a band you have never heard of. The thick reggae sound that had a bit of funk dropped in put me into that trance state where all you can do is close your eyes and picture some imaginary, color filled land where the music came from. A week later I was not about to miss the chance to see Pigeon with Jah Wobble and the English Roots Band.
The night was filled with dub and roots reggae that again made me want to hop into a sweat lodge and go on a quest for my spirit animal. After Future Pigeon heated up the lodge Jah Wobble took the stage and cooked the place with a slightly more innovative take on dub and reggae. The core of the tunes still had a Jamaican sound, but without the reggae rhythm. Jah’s base could not steal the show from the two female singers that accompanied him on the stage. While it seemed that Jah was still working out the kinks in the show, by directing the others when he wanted them on the stage, the music was great. The highlight was a cover of Dawn Penn’s reggae classic “No, No, No.” It reeked of the sexuality that was first written into the song and often lost when sampled into the tons of rap beats that use the chorus.
While Jah Wobble was great the highlight still had to be Future Pigeon. They have a great colorful stage presence that sets them apart. What makes cities like LA so awesome is that there are so many, so good, local bands, the Pigeon is one of the them. Take advantage of the city and go check these guys out.
