Photos: Easy Star All Stars – The Manning Bar, 16Th April 2009

It’s a Thursday night at Sydney Uni. The Manning Bar is quickly filling up for a night of reggae/dub filled covers. Namely, we are all here to see Easy Star All Stars.

They’re in Australia to support the release of their latest album, Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band. The crowd is buzzing with excitement and the show is nearly sold-out. As we sit through an opening act that lacks any real energy and hook to it, the tension begins building as we near the starting time of Easy Star All Stars.

The band have no hesitation in going straight into their catalogue of reggae tributes to classic albums, starting off with tracks from Dub Side of the Moon, their debut masterpiece. With a solid reggae beat and a band that love what they are doing, it’s damn near impossible not to bounce and dance along with them. The whole crowd is up and moving and at certain points, up in smoke.

Covering everyones favorite tracks from Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, Time and Karma Police, we get a taste of everything from soulful dub to upbeat, jamming reggae. Easy Star All Stars shine a new light on the albums we all love and bring it to us in kicking live show.

Finding it impossible to resist the beat, I put down my notes and camera and joined in with the rest of the crowd. Looking around, I failed to find a single disappointed face as everyone there was having a great time.

It isn’t your run of the mill live band there to push their name. Easy Star All Stars are here to bring on the party and some quality live music in the way that is natural to them. Despite the more mellow tracks, the bar stayed pumping.

All in all, Easy Star All Stars get you to experience something new through something old. It’s something exciting to be a part of.

Must Read