Barrington Levy, one of dancehall’s most famous singers, hit the stage at the Crash Mansion in downtown Los Angeles Nov. 7. There was a line halfway down the block as the venue filled up early with fans eager to hear live renditions of hits such as “Here I Come” and “Murderer.”
After seeing this show, I can tell you that if you have a chance to see Barrington Levy perform live, don’t miss it. Much to the delight of the audience, he belted out hit after hit well into the night. The crowd jumped at the recognition of each song, and called back Levy for two encores. SOB’s were hopping.
The night began with the opening band Kontiki, a live roots ensemble of mostly Polynesians fresh out of Carson. This is a group with raw talent, but quite unpolished, as evidenced by songs that went on too long and a sometimes tentative stage presence.
The band consisted of three singers and a five-person backing band. Its material was mostly original and built around recognizable rhythms and music (including unavoidable Bob Marley rhythms). Kontiki’s appearance contrasted nicely with Levy’s show. It gave L.A. reggae fans a chance to sample the new and upcoming sounds of the youth, while also enjoying the presence of one of reggae’s elders.
But to call Levy an elder would be misleading. While it’s true that he’s been around in the business for a long time, starting trends, following others and helping to bring dancehall to the international prominence it now enjoys, there is nothing to suggest that he will not be recording hits for years to come. His set included most of his biggest songs, including “Murderer,” “Under Mi Sensi,” “Too Experienced,” “Dancehall Rock” and “Prison Oval Rock.”
When he did a medley of “Black Black Roses” that transitioned into “Here I Come,” he had the audience whipped up into a frenzy as they sang along and leaped into the air. The A-Team Band kept things rocking out smoothly, while Levy prowled the stage in his sequined “U R Living Dangerously” hat.
During an encore, he was joined on stage by Junior Reid and Leroy Smart, who each grabbed the mic for a moment. Reid sang a verse from his own hit, “One Blood,” while Smart seemed hesitant to steal Levy’s thunder and climbed back into the audience after a brief time on the mic.
It was most impressive to hear Levy’s trademark singing in person. Sometimes you can hear vocals on record and never know how much of the quality is from studio tweaking and production.
From the moment you hear Levy live – his tenor voice bouncing up to the ceiling – you know he’s the real deal. His voice hasn’t lost a step over the years.
After all, few people can get an entire audience to sing “Skiddly-wop skiddly-whoa” as if it were the most important lyric ever written.
After a big sing-along to “Looking My Love” and “Living Dangerously,” Levy left the stage for the final time, and the doors opened as people began filtering out onto the street with looks of satisfaction on their faces.
