Gig Watch : Ragamuffin 2009

By Paul Rees

Ragamuffin 2009

Is the Reggae - Roots music scene detached from its mother like an orphan?

Probably the furthest thing from the truth.

Do they need to beg to be heard? Perhaps.

But not for long with the booming success of Ragamuffin – commencing ion 2007 across New Zealand and Australia – the event is sure to gather a storm each year especially with the acts presented in 2009.

WOW – what a day.

In a time of great war and universal conflict around religion, oil or whatever, much can be achieved and resolved when we find our way back to love.

As I climbed the bowl to head to the trams on St. Kilda Road I felt a divine need to touch many of those friends who had been blessed to witness the day long magic featuring Eddy Grant, Ziggy Marley, Arrested Development and the Dep Band (Ali Campbell from UB40).

Normally this would seem odd but I myself had been blessed by the great Guru Baba Oje (87 y.o. spiritual leader of Arrested Development) and handed one of two ferns he waived to introduce the powerful group to the love cauldron (Sidney Myer Music Bowl) upon the commencement of their scintillating set.

Goddess Niche hit gospel notes of an epic magnitude, amidst Eshe’s acrobatic colourful dancing and supporting vocals beside lead vocalist Speech.

These free spirits on show for us Melburnians extended to the highlight of my day Eddy Grant.

Following the gorgeous Do you Feel My Love Eddy applauded the crowd not once, twice, three times, but four times over for love before catching our cries in open arms and squirming into a standing ball like a child on Christmas morning with their first puppy.

Storing this love he then juiced it up some for the audience in awe (including Shaggy and the Arrested Development crew on the balcony) in the hot heeled dance beat Electric Avenue.

Taking us higher was Hello Africa where we all sensed the heart and spirit that is Africa, the song, the people, the dance.

Ending the day was the eminent figure of Ziggy Marley.

Intergalactical visitors arriving once in a generation could be forgiven for thinking we too had found the secret to timelessness. In every possible way Ziggy represented what it means to say "music is the beat of the earth" – a glimpse of perhaps what his father shared with the world some 30 years ago – when again we were in need of such love following the Vietnam War.

He relaxed into his set following a rendition of Bob’s Is This Love.

Ziggy carryied the crowd magnetised with his every move to a level almost unimaginable with melodies such as ‘Love Is My Religion.’ His feet began to jiggle the love oozing from his very being, drenching us in joyful sounds and massaging my soul like I’ve rarely felt before.

Earlier in the afternoon Ali Campbell (UB40) and his new 9 piece band (the Dep Band) represented all us white folk and if you closed your eyes you’d swear he were a Reggae love ballad legend – and you can forgive me with a classic like Kingston Town.

During this piece and Many Rivers to Cross the audience almost levitated beyond their skin, like a mass of wild spirits burning up the streets somewhere in downtown Jamaica. Ali’s sexy tunes extended onto I Got You Babe, unfortunately even legends such as he haven’t acquired black, hip rhythm as his hips often circled awkwardly to the hysterics of all his lovers.

Ali and all the Ragamuffin 2009 acts make many references to great fundraising causes worldwide through music and the need to send our love to those most in need.

Recent catacylsmic events right in our backyard emphasise just how much we can achieve if we look beyond our own "story".

We are indeed interdependent beings on this earth and shall no longer need human tragedy to drive us to help others. The existence of all men, women and living entities on this earth needs that or there will be great loss, more often on Australian soil.

The Dep Band cross all racial boundaries and Ali’s role in UB40 has for nearly 30 years lead the call too look beyond purely the physical and focus our attention more on the heart and spirit of every individual – however small the glimmer may present.

And that is indeed why we listen to music and remind ourselves that we are capable of much more when love and appreciation of others is paramount ahead of the ingrained drive for materials and wealth that we sometimes blindly pursue to our graves without ever contemplating our fellow man’s plight.