Concert Review 7/18/19: The Mighty Mystic and The Hard Roots Movement
This past week I was able to attend my first reggae concert: The Mighty Mystic and The Hard Roots Movement at Fulton 55 in Fresno, California. Admittedly, I was unaware of the singer and group until around a month or two before the concert. I was looking for events to do while I was in Fresno, so I decided to look up reggae concerts coming up. The first one I found was this particular concert. I looked into their releases and was pleasantly surprised with what I heard: a genuinely impressive roots revival sound.
I came into the concert with what I felt like was a reasonable expectation for what I was about to hear, but I was sorely mistaken. The concert was simply incredible. Fantastically performed music with an impossible-to-ignore energy. The Mighty Mystic himself exuded the attitude of a perfect frontman for a band. Midway through the set, he remarked about how he was first exposed to reggae through the songs of Bob Marley, and it was evident in the way he danced around the stage and smiled with the joy of a man fulfilling his dream. He and The Hard Roots Movement performed like they really believed in their music. Sal on the drums performed with impeccable timing and flair, Tyler brought the bass to life, John played the guitar masterfully, and Jens on the keyboard was as entertaining to watch as he was to listen to. It was obvious to tell that they truly enjoyed performing, and they put on a show that I feel will be hard to top for any other artist I will see in the future.
Their selection of songs was superb as well, featuring tracks from their newest album Enter The Mystic. They opened with a warm-up dub of the "Sleng Teng" riddim, leading into the true opener of "Fighting With Love". From there, they continued the bombastic beats with "Rebels", "Vampire", and "Concrete World", which brought out the more serious and socially aware side of the group. Positive vibes were emanating with the tracks "Happy" and "Something Bout Mary", which naturally led into a refreshing take on the classic John Holt song "Police In Helicopter". Following this was "Boomerang", "Tribe Say", and "Revolution", before The Mighty Mystic led into his personal connection with Bob Marley and the group proceeded to perform a medley of Marley's works, including "Who The Cap Fit". Continuing from there they played "Hold On To My Love", "Hungry Man's Anthem", "Salt", and the namesake of their new album: "Enter The Mystic". They finished this superb set with their most popular song (and a must-play on the west coast) "Cali Green". However, they then performed an encore dubbing the previously played "Vampire", which in my mind was the perfect way to end the show.
I cannot recommend this group enough. Their shows are a must-see for any reggae fan and even those who may not normally appreciate the genre. I would in a heartbeat go to another one of their shows if given the chance. The sheer amount of energy and passion they displayed has turned me into a loyal fan, and I can only hope any other show I attend of other artists would be even close to what I experienced with The Mighty Mystic and The Hard Roots Movement.
A link to their website, which can direct you to their upcoming shows, music, and more.
I came into the concert with what I felt like was a reasonable expectation for what I was about to hear, but I was sorely mistaken. The concert was simply incredible. Fantastically performed music with an impossible-to-ignore energy. The Mighty Mystic himself exuded the attitude of a perfect frontman for a band. Midway through the set, he remarked about how he was first exposed to reggae through the songs of Bob Marley, and it was evident in the way he danced around the stage and smiled with the joy of a man fulfilling his dream. He and The Hard Roots Movement performed like they really believed in their music. Sal on the drums performed with impeccable timing and flair, Tyler brought the bass to life, John played the guitar masterfully, and Jens on the keyboard was as entertaining to watch as he was to listen to. It was obvious to tell that they truly enjoyed performing, and they put on a show that I feel will be hard to top for any other artist I will see in the future.
Their selection of songs was superb as well, featuring tracks from their newest album Enter The Mystic. They opened with a warm-up dub of the "Sleng Teng" riddim, leading into the true opener of "Fighting With Love". From there, they continued the bombastic beats with "Rebels", "Vampire", and "Concrete World", which brought out the more serious and socially aware side of the group. Positive vibes were emanating with the tracks "Happy" and "Something Bout Mary", which naturally led into a refreshing take on the classic John Holt song "Police In Helicopter". Following this was "Boomerang", "Tribe Say", and "Revolution", before The Mighty Mystic led into his personal connection with Bob Marley and the group proceeded to perform a medley of Marley's works, including "Who The Cap Fit". Continuing from there they played "Hold On To My Love", "Hungry Man's Anthem", "Salt", and the namesake of their new album: "Enter The Mystic". They finished this superb set with their most popular song (and a must-play on the west coast) "Cali Green". However, they then performed an encore dubbing the previously played "Vampire", which in my mind was the perfect way to end the show.
I cannot recommend this group enough. Their shows are a must-see for any reggae fan and even those who may not normally appreciate the genre. I would in a heartbeat go to another one of their shows if given the chance. The sheer amount of energy and passion they displayed has turned me into a loyal fan, and I can only hope any other show I attend of other artists would be even close to what I experienced with The Mighty Mystic and The Hard Roots Movement.
A link to their website, which can direct you to their upcoming shows, music, and more.
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