Kickin' Up Dust (and Sand)
- Kris
- Aug 21, 2013
- 2 min read
For vacation this year my family and I spent a week in Myrtle Beach, SC and in between the lull of ocean rumbles our schedule worked out so that I could attend the Kickin’ Up Dust Tour show at the House of Blues, featuring Tribal Seeds, Atmosphere, and Slightly Stoopid.
As my first reggae show, I knew what I could probably expect, but I also hoped the type of venue would make it so the illicit drugs were on the down low. Silly me. In fact, it seemed as if the show, like a lot of reggae music, was more a celebration of marijuana than it was about the music. I was totally unprepared for that.
Luckily, a security worker took pity on my ignorance and snuck me into the VIP section where I could watch the show away from the standing room, but still in view of the stage. We had spent a good hour or so before the show started talking about music and jobs, and he wouldn't take no for an answer! I clasped my Stella Artois and watched the audience respond wildly to music that, for me, elicits the opposite reaction: beaches and summertime relaxation rather than mosh pits (yes, really) and crowd surfing.
I only knew basic things about the bands before the show. I have Tribal Seeds in my iTunes with very few listens; they pop up when I play the reggae genre. I had not heard of Atmosphere, but was told by a House of Blues representative that they were a hip-hop band (I found them more to be rap when I looked them up on Spotify, but I suppose both genres apply). And lastly, the headliner Slightly Stoopid was the band I knew the most, with “Closer to the Sun” and “Fire Shot” in my Top Rated songs. Although the band is mixed genre (rock and punk and hip hop), the dub-reggae is a pervading theme in their sound. They played different songs than what I was used to, but I was thoroughly impressed with their trumpet and saxophones.
It was a spontaneous purchase, my little time for myself in the middle of a family vacation. I could not immerse myself in the music completely, as it wasn't entirely up my ally in that setting. But it was well worth it to watch the crowd and for the experience. Hats were flying, and beers too.
Edited May 2016 from post published August 21, 2013 via Wordpress
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