Breakthrough band Steel Pulse, which will head to Schenectady on Sunday, seems like a fitting choice to kick off Music Haven’s 2022 season.
The Grammy Award-winning reggae group, which hails from England and is led by guitarist/vocalist David Hinds, rose to fame in the 1970s, becoming known for their socially conscious lyrics and irresistible beats.
Influenced by the legendary Bob Marley, Steel Pulse formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School and the line-up included Hinds, Selwyn Brown, Basil Gabbidon and Ronald McQueen among others. They shared bills with punk rockers like The Clash and reggae/ska band The Specials early in their careers.
Over the years, the band’s roots reggae sound evolved with the addition of jazz and punk music. His lyrics remained politically charged, especially with songs like “Ku Klux Klan.” Several of Steel Pulse’s albums were nominated for Grammy Awards, and their 1986 album “Babylon The Bandit” secured a win for Best Reggae Recording.
Starting in the mid-2000s, the band took a 15-year break from producing new music, returning in 2019 with “Mass Manipulation.” The album, which is the band’s 12th studio production, denounces human trafficking and police brutality, among other human rights issues. The 17-track album also removes the electronic elements heard on previous songs.
“This album is more organic,” lead vocalist and guitarist Hinds said in an interview with Key West Florida Weekly. “We didn’t stack the horns a million times, like we normally would, to the point where they started to sound synthetic. I also think the vocal delivery on this album has more energy and the lyrics are more focused.”
On Sunday, Steel Pulse kicks off the Music Haven series, which returns in full force for the first time since the pandemic began.
“I really felt that with the theme of unifying and animating, kicking off the series this summer with a reggae show was a good idea,” said Mona Golub, artistic director of production.
The band’s socially conscious messages also fit the series.
“[Steel Pulse is] definitely a cutting edge social justice group and that’s definitely an element within the whole concept of traveling the world one concert at a time,” Golub said. “You get the music, you get the culture behind the music, the ideas, the dreams, the beliefs and I think that’s part of what makes our trips in the park so special.”
Golub has seen the band perform in years past and even brought Steel Pulse to the Capital Region to perform in the concert series he produced in the 1990s and early 2000s at the Lakehouse Theater in Washington Park in Albany.
“The fact that Steel Pulse has truly dedicated themselves to improving the world through their music means something and they make it happen every time they perform,” said Golub.
The Garífuna artist of Honduran origin Aurelio will open the concert.
Throughout the summer, the series will feature a mix of national and international bands, including the Steep Canyon Rangers, DakhaBrakha, Frigg, and Spanish Harlem Orchestra, among others.
Since announcing the Music Haven lineup earlier this year, Golub said, “We’ve gotten great feedback from people, not only that we have a full season to present, but I think they realized very quickly that the caliber of “The season is off the charts. We’ve never had so many Grammy nominees, Grammy winners, Blues award winners…artists performing at Music Haven, all within the scope of a season.”
Golub also thanked the more than 60 companies and organizations that sponsor the series and stepped forward this year.
“I am eternally grateful not only for the financial support, but for the faith you have in me to bring the community together in a positive way,” Golub said.
Music Haven shows start at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted and will take place at The Agnes Macdonald Music Haven Stage in Central Park. Proctors is the site of rain, although the following rain or shine shows will take place in Central Park: July 10, July 23, July 28, August 4, August 13, August 20 and 26 and August 27th. Check the Music Haven contact line, 518-660-0675 or search for Music Haven Concert Series on Facebook to confirm the location after 12 p.m. on exhibition days.
Here’s the full schedule: Sunday, July 10—Steel PulseBona fide reggae revolutionaries whose legacy has always been to better humanity through music, Steel Pulse frames founder David Hind’s righteous voice on great Caribbean beats. Special guests: Aurelio
Sunday, July 17—Nathan & the Zydeco Cha ChasA Louisiana Music Hall of Fame inductee at the top of his game, Nathan Williams pulls a Zydeco dance party out of his accordion wherever he goes, bringing the spice and spirit.Special Guests: The Brass Machine
Saturday, July 23: NipperFest (11am-10pm) Celebrate the local 518 music scene on two stages with The Figgs, Sirsy, Super 400, Girl Blue, Erin Harkes, Sawyer Fredericks, Sydney Worthley, Reese Fulmer and more! Local food, local craft beer, and local nonprofits round out this inaugural event.
Sunday, July 24—Sammy Miller & The Congregation With a mission to share joyous, mindful jazz globally by honoring and advancing America’s original musical art form, Miller and company are expanding their reach. Special Guest: SUNY Schenectady College of Music Jazz Combo
Thursday, July 28: Blues BBQ with Shemekia Copeland (5pm-9:30pm) Copeland, a powerhouse vocalist whose commanding stage presence and recordings have earned worldwide acclaim, headlines this three-course blues feast. Local heroes of the ‘Blues Challenge’ Mark & Jill and Matt Mirabile open on stage, as steaming barbecue rolls off the grill.
Sunday, July 31—Lemon Bucket OrkestraA groundbreaking, genre-changing phenomenon brimming with charisma and Balkan-Klezmer-Gypsy-Punk Party Band influences, the Lemon Bucket Orkestra is absolutely irresistible. Special guest: Golfström
Thursday, August 4: DakhaBrakhaEthereal and spellbinding vocal roots music of Eastern Europe is airlifted into the 21st century by this passionate and adventurous Ukrainian “ethno-chaos” quartet.
Sunday, August 7—Orquesta Spanish HarlemFrom Puerto Rico through the barrios of New York comes the hard salsa and Latin jazz of SHO, a three-time Grammy winner. Special Guest: Alex Torres And His Friends
Saturday, August 13: Schenectady Symphony OrchestraUnder Artistic Director Glen Cortese, the SSO returns with “A Night at the Movies” selections from your favorite movies, along with other surprises. Special Guest Vocalist: Mia Scirocco
Sunday, August 14—Steep Canyon Rangers A Grammy-winning, Billboard chart-topping sextet that melds their distinctive bluegrass with elements of pop, country and folk-rock. Special guest: Nora Brown
Saturday, August 20—“Summer of Soul”*Mini-Fest at 5 p.m. story at Mount Morris Park that summer. The festivities begin with soul food, music, art and community.
Sunday, August 21: Frigg Leading four violins, this septet of virtuosos from Finland have carved out a prominent place for themselves in folk with their life-affirming, feel-good melodies and exquisite musicianship. Special guests: Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas
Friday and Saturday, August 26 and 27: Will Kempe’s Players: “A Comedy of Errors” Will Kempe’s Players will deliver a classic Shakespearean comedy, filled with unexpected role reversals, mistaken identities and enough slapstick humor to entertain from start to finish. Period music by the Marchand Duo.
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Categories: Life and Arts, Schenectady
