Mile High Set Review

The Wailers Start it Easy Like Sunday Morning

by J.J. Colagrande on July 25, 2009 at 06:02AM

The Wailers at Mile High 09

The Colorado crowd packed the Rhapsody Tent early in the afternoon on Sunday to jam to the feel good classics of The Wailers. It was a perfect way to kick off the day and The Wailers can really bring a crowd together. In Denver, sorority sisters stood next to college drop-outs. Parents and their children danced side by side. Teachers and students. Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, boyfriends and girlfriends. Smiles spread across all faces as the reggae beats went out into the crowd, and no one’s feet failed. All colors, ages, cliques, and crews sang along to the familiar tracks. After every song, the crowd felt positive vibrations, and saluted the legends of irie.

Nothing said Sunday morning like reggae music, and who could possibly bring it better than the Wailers?

Although the Wailers have been through a carousel of musicians since the group’s inception in 1969, past, present, and future, there is no end to their music. Core members like Bob Marley and drummer Carly Barrett have long since departed, but legendary reggae bass player Aston “Family Man” Barrett has managed to keep the band together.

Nicknamed “Fam” because he brings the family together, the bassist and lead singer Elan Atias form the main nucleus of the current Wailers, and they are adamant about making new music. Elan Atias, from Los Angeles, is more than able as a reggae crooner. As Family Man stays true to authentic roots, Elan competently injects energy into originals, while honoring the spirit of old Wailers classics that were popularized by Marley.

The Wailers have the spirit of reggae in every note, chord and lyric they play. They own reggae and have the right, honor, and privilege to play classics like “Three Little Birds” and “One Love.” This is not a reggae cover band; this is the original original reggae band.

Afterwards, the Mile Highers were ready to conquer the day, well-prepared for eleven more hours of a foot-stomping, head-nodding, summer extravaganza, thanks to The Wailers.

» Gallery