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Stephen Marley and Toots and The Maytals in Paris

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Stephen Marley and Toots and The Maytals in Paris

Stephen Marley and Toots and The Maytals in Paris

By Franck Blanquin on Friday, August 26, 2011 - Photos by Franck Blanquin - 1 comment

The artists played in Paris on August 16th to close the summer season of "La Place du Glazart".

It was a beautiful summer evening at “La Plage du Glazart" where they choose reggae music for the last concert before closing the doors until next summer.

A large audience awaited for the doors to open to see Stephen Marley, the prodigal son, presenting his second album released in June, 'Revelation, Part 1, The Root of Life.' Toots and the Maytals, a veteran of the reggae scene was also on the promising bill.

Everyone was not inside when Stephen Marley opened the show. He started with a song from his father Punky Reggae Party with a bluffing mimicry and the audience reacted with much excitement. He continued with Chase Them from his first album and then some from his new one: No Cigarette Smoking (in my Room), Selassie is the Chapel and Break Us Apart. The audience enjoyed the live set and the energy was electric.

The set list covered a wide variety of his father's tunes, maybe a little too much for my taste. They included Three Little Birds, Could you be Loved, and Buffalo Soldier.

Stephen also delivered a medley of his raggamuffin tracks, Traffic Jam and Mission but hese songs were definitely lacking the presence of Damian Marley.

The set was cut short, barely a half an hour. After his final tune he cursed "Bumbaclot" as if he wasn't ready to end his performance.

It was a short concert, but of great quality even if we would have preferred that he played more of his own repertoire than those of his father.

After a long intermission, it seemed they were trying to get the sound right, Toots appeared on stage. His daughter Leba opened the show with one of her original tunes.

Toots entered, as always smiling and dynamic. He began his set with Pressure Drop and continued singing his hits from his extensive career such as Louie Louie, What a Bam Bam, and 54-46 was my Number.

It was a beautiful evening and we had the pleasure of enjoying a live concert. If only Stephen Marley's set was a little longer and less time between his set and Toots, the evening would have been perfect.

It was a good time that Mediacom and the Glazart has promised, and in times of shortage of reggae concerts in Paris we can not complain.