There is something about reggae music that enables it to transcend the man-made boundaries of culture, race, gender and nationality. More so, being an island nation, there is something in the music that draws us Sri Lankan’s to it. So what better way to celebrate this oneness than to come together with Julian Marley himself along with his band The Uprising, for one of the biggest reggae concerts ever held in Sri Lanka?

 

 

 

 

 

Being reggae legend Bob Marley’s son, Julian and his band carries the same message of positivity, peace, integration and cohesion that Sri Lanka so dearly needs. Brought to us by Hennesy artistry, Mainstage, TNL radio and Lite FM on the 6th of January at the Viharamahadevi Amphitheatre; it was a night to be remembered. 

 

 

 

 

 

While we all waited for the arrival of the man himself, we were entertained by Sri Lankan percussion artists Elephant foot, which did a great job at setting the mood and creating the anticipation for what was to come. This is when I met a very excited fan: Bandula Dassalayake who confessed to me that; “YES! Im very excited!! I’m a huge Bob Marley fan….and I’m so excited that I can’t really explain the feeling and put it into words!” Wherever I looked, this was the level of enthusiasm and excitement I saw from everyone around me. You can imagine then, what it was actually like when Julian Marley finally set foot on stage. The audience went absolutely ballistic!

 

 

 

 

 

As I continued to interview the onlookers , I realized that the audience comprised of both die hard reggae fans/Rastafarians as well as ordinary folks who had just come there for a good time; but whatever the case, there were two things that I consistently heard from everyone across the board. 

 

The first was about the vibe of reggae music and its ability to help you relax and unwind. As Irushi put it- “Im not a die-hard reggae fan, but I love the music, and I love Bob Marley. It’s probably because the music has the power to chill you out and help you relax” She also had quite a positive review of the concert itself, adding “This is the closest we’d get to seeing the actual Bob Marley in Sri Lanka, so I’m very excited to be here! “ 

 

 

 

 

The second was about the message that the music had to convey.  Harshi and Sashi believe that “The message of reggae relates to all of us, especially us Sri Lankans. We can relate to the island mentality of closeness and togetherness. The message of reggae is powerful. It’s all about one love”. And this perhaps is the most important part of a concert of this nature: its message.

 

What I found absolutely great was how clear it was that the organizers put together this concert intentionally with this message in mind. Mr. Guarav Bhatia from Hennesy explained to me the idea behind the concert: “It’s all about bringing everyone together around great talent and creativity, especially around music of this nature that has a soul and a strong message, and then mixing it all up” This message of unity through music an art, was beautifully conveyed by Julian Marley and his band.

 

 

 

 

 

All this talk of togetherness and oneness wasn’t just confined to talk; I saw it literally happening around me. Rajitha and Varuna had come all the way from Nuwara Eliya just for the concert “We are from Nuwara Eliya and we came all the way to Colombo because it’s almost like seeing Bob Marley himself performing on stage! We are Sri Lankan reggae fans and this is the best event we’ve been to.”  You only had to glance at the audience who were holding hands and dancing with each other to realize how much love and harmony was emanating from the music and the presence of Julian Marley.

 

 

 

 

 

I was also lucky enough to grab an interview of Sri Lankan reggae legends, the Jaya Sri twins, who had come to watch the son of one of their biggest heroes, perform live in their home country. I asked them about the reggae scene here in Sri Lanka and how far its come, and they had quite a lot of positive things to say: “It’s developing and spreading really well which is a good thing because Sri Lankan needs that message of positivity and unity.”

 

 

 

 

I also asked them about what they thought of the concert: “Bob Marley has been the biggest influence in our lives. We are children of his music and we are more than excited to be here and happy that this concert was organized.” You can also catch Jaya Sri performing on the 19th in Hikkaduwa this month.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perhaps one of the most interesting interviews of the night was with Everton Hart, an actual Jamaican from St. Elizabeth Jamaica who has been working in the US embassy here for close to a month “Sri Lanka is an awesome place”

 

he says “I’d recommend it to anyone!” Fully engrossed in the music and dancing away, he also added that “I’ve been a Bob Marley fan since I was 10 years old, and I’ve been to Julian’s last concert and it’s great to be at another, here in Sri Lanka. The biggest highlight of my stay here so far!” 

 

 

 

 

 

This year I’ve realized how much Colombo is changing because of events like this concert. It’s not only becoming a livelier and exciting place to live in, but events like this have managed to bring everyone closer together. I’m not the only one who’s made this observation. Avindu who’s been studying in New Zealand and here on a holiday noted the difference “Colombo has certainly become cooler, and events like this are really starting to define it. I love Bob Marley and it’s awesome to hear his message out here”

 

 

 

 

 

Whether you are a fanatical reggae fan or just there to enjoy a good time with your friends, like Thiashi, Shehani, Kithmi, and Ashani; Julian Marley and the Uprising did not disappoint. As they put it “We are having the best time ever. There is such a chilled out vibe here.” 

 

 

 

 

So to sum things up, the concert was excellently organized with a consistent and very relevant and timely message, all topped up with the presence of a great performer and

entertainer. It was not only a night where you could unwind to some really quality reggae music, but also a night that reminded everyone that there is only one world and one love. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Maleen Jayasuriya

Pics by Kithsiri de Mel