Republik Your Lips
“There’s a feeling comes a-steeling / And it sets my brain a-reeling / When I’m listening to the music of a military band / Any tune like “Yankee Doodle” / Simply sets me off my noodle / It’s that patriotic something that no one can understand.” Those are lesser-known lyrics from “You’re A Grand Old Flag” by George M. Cohan—lyrics that do a brainworm wiggle in my head around patriotic holidays. Speaking of which, United States Flag Day is Tuesday (June 14), and it commemorates the high-flying stars and stripes that’ve had 27 incarnations since 1777, the most recent on July 4, 1960, following Hawaii’s statehood. Though if an alien were to case an 808 neighborhood—and see swathes of Bob Marley flags illuminated in every other window—they might think we represent red, gold and green instead of red, white and blue. A patriotic celebration in its own right, The Republik Music Festival—the state’s largest concert series this summer—is the chance for roots, rock and reggae revelers to wave their colors proudly to music that inspires their zeal for Zion. Featuring five huge headliners, this BAMP Project tour hops from Hawaii Island to Oahu to Maui to Kauai, and is part of the Hard Rock Cafe’s 40th anniversary celebration. Biggest on the bill is Steel Pulse, who made their international debut on a live broadcast the night of Bob Marley’s funeral in 1981. The group saw red in the late ‘70s after being denied concert dates in the Caribbean (curiously, because of their Rastafarian beliefs), so they enlisted with England’s Rock Against Racism campaign with progressive stage acts that included a parody of the Klu Kulx Klan. Also headlining is Hasidic Jewish reggae musician Matisyahu, who many Mauians may have discovered thanks to the Maui Film Festival’s screening of the 2005 documentary Awake Zion, which explores the connections between Judaism and Rastafarianism. Hailing from the Golden State are The Dirty Heads—who visited the Valley Isle last November when opening for Sublime with Rome—and Santa Barbara’s Rebelution. And repping “rootsie roots” from our lovely fleet of islands is none other than The Green. Tickets are available through the MACC’s box office or at Requests, Old Lahaina Book Emporium, Hard Rock Cafe and Green Banana Internet Cafe. 242-SHOW (7469); mauiarts.org / bampproject.com
Comments
comments