Forty five years and change have passed since Toots and the Maytals first helped to lay the ground work for early ska and reggae music. But time has been good to the seasoned icons.
Touring behind his new disc Flip and Twist, Toots Hibbert and his revamped Maytals (sans horn section) brought the goods to the House of Blues Sunday night. At 64 years young, Toots, decked out solely in white, hit all the right notes with the diverse crowd, throwing out standards and new songs that moved fans through periods of tranquil head bobbing and amped up dancing and chanting alike.
The band’s ability to interchangeably cool fans to a comfortable chill and rev them up to a festive boil was a study in showmanship, like watching a scientist work musical magic on unsuspecting test subjects. Over the course of the two and a half hour set, favorites such as “Reggae Got Soul” and “Louie, Louie” started in their standard slow to mid tempo measure before taking on a frenetic pace that stung the crowd with skittering energy.
That energy came to a head in the encore, thanks to a prolonged 20 plus minute version of ”54-46 (Was My Number)” that culminated with a free for all with close to a hundred fans taking the stage with the band. Simply put, you can’t put an age on music this timeless, and the proof showed itself repeatedly throughout the Maytals’ set.
The Fear Nuttin Band opened things up in fine if predictable form, serving up a largely by the numbers reggae sound with flashes of punk and metal thrown in for good measure.
RB
