The most impressive aspect of this Marley Brothers Legacy tour stop—and there were many aspects that impressed—is how the five siblings went end to end within their father’s iconic catalog of songs, as well as dashes of their own, for a lovingly comprehensive and captivating tribute. The fact that the brothers Marley are gathering for this homage to their patriarch in a year which sees Bob Marley’s most successful album- the posthumous and record-setting compilation, Legend turn 40, and yet steered away smartly from a simple recitation of just those ubiquitous classics made this a concert of commendable depth and surprise. As such, this scintillating two-hour celebration was a fuller, far more satisfying portrait of Bob, and far more becoming of his enduring place atop reggae’s mountain.
Backed by an ensemble of thirteen lock-tight players—and a tireless soul waving the flag of the Lion of Judah—the quintet of brethren eased onto the stage to the hypnotic groove of “Natural Mystic,” with each taking a verse of the Exodus gem. The five Marleys—Ziggy, Stephen, Damian, Ky-Mani, and Julian—would repeat the pattern of dividing the vocal spotlight on the following rally cry of “Get Up, Stand Up” before Damian took the helm solely on “So Much Trouble in the World.” From there, the brothers mostly alternated the lead vocal duties from song to song, across a setlist that featured over two-dozen entries.
From The Wailers’ major label debut, they dropped in “Concrete Jungle.” From Bob’s final, Confrontation, came “Buffalo Soldier.” There was “Rebel Music” and “The Heathen,” and “Coming in From the Cold,” all deeper album cuts shaping the broad retrospective. The brothers also nodded to their respective solo careers, at various points seguing into recognizable excerpts. There was Ziggy’s “Shalom Salaam,” first to break from the string of Bob tracks, and Julian’s “Boom Draw,” Ky-Mani’s “New Heights,” and Stephen and Damian doubling down on the latter’s “Medication.”
There was polish to the performance, for sure. The gathered group of supporting musicians, augmented by a three-piece horn section and a trio of female background singers, nailed every nuance of each original arrangement, as well as any detours—keeping pace with Damian’s injection of his trademark reggaeton flourishes. And, with poignant, yet minimal projections screened behind them, the focus stayed where it should. This was Marley’s music in figurative Technicolor, as much as any visual accompaniment could convey. Still, it was loose enough, as well, with the brothers often extending the mics to the masses, allowing those packed into Xfinity on a drizzly, autumn Thursday to feel their toes in the Jamaican sand; the crowd and brothers singing as one on “Three Little Birds,” or on the encore pairing of “Could You Be Loved” and “One Love.”
Each of the five Marley brothers has earned a place in music in his own right, aside from being a scion of one of the art form’s more influential artists ever. So, seeing them individually and collectively come together in this way- just a few months ahead of what would have been their dad’s 80th birthday- is genuinely special. It’s a well-crafted and notable performance of inspiration, respect, and familial pride that, at once, elevates their father’s indelible work and reminds of their own vivid, infectious, and exceptional talents as those best to carry Bob Marley’s legacy.
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