The Wailers 13/1/10

It would have been rude not to go to this gig as it was 10 minutes away by convenient bus from where we were staying on holiday in Vail, Colorado. It also featured an original Wailer - Aston 'Family Man' Barrett - who is one of the finest bass players I have seen. The gig was a free 'street' gig with the bandstand set up at the end of a fairly narrow street in Vail. The bass was superb so relaxed and so late. The main guitarist was also not bad at all. He reminded me very much of Junior Marvin who whilst not an original Wailer was a part of the band for some time. Once the band had done a few instrumental tracks they brought on a lead singer and two backing singers and turned into a Marley tribute band. Having seen the original this was not a good idea in my view but nonetheless there were enjoyable versions of "One Drop", "Lively Up Yourself" and "Jammin'" and "One Love". However the gig gradually became untenable as the crowd had come for a party rather than a gig. At first we were near the front and surrounded on all sides by people shouting over their mobiles to one friend after another. Moving back we found ourselves in the middle of basic party conversations - again involving shouting because the music made it difficult to hear........
However it was good to be reminded again of what a great bassist Aston Barrett is. I was also a huge fan of his late brother Carlton who played one of the best drum solos I have heard at a Marley gig in 1980 - so minimalist, the very essence of a drum solo.