Friday December 11th, 2009, Midnite took the stage at the Santa Cruz California Veterans Hall at 10:30PM. I had never been to a Veterans Hall Midnite show in Santa Cruz but, I had heard it was a great venue to see them. This was a classic Midnite show…Veterans Halls a no frills hall, wooden structure built in 1932 offering the acoustics for roots music to penetrate the wooden beams and to shake the earthen foundation. A classic show for Midnite, no need for a warm up group, just take the stage…play for three hours and walk off the stage when the message has been delivered….. Midnite does not need a flashy night club or festival line up because it limits them to less than their three hours of delivering the finest modern roots music.

If you are not familiar with Midnite, the band currently consists of Vaughn Benjamin (words & vocals), Ron Benjamin (bass & vocals), Sly Molina-Curet (drums), Edmund Fieulleteau (rhythm guitar), Edwin (Kenny) Byron (guitar), and Ras L. (keyboards). The Benjamin brothers are the heart and soul of Midnite with their current line up of handpicked musicians of similar mind. Midnite as a band and Vaughn Benjamin as “the” Rastafarian roots soul messenger are at the top of their game with Vaughn having over forty CD’s to the Midnite name. For Midnite it is not “about da money” but the true unadulterated Rastafarian roots musical message. Midnite’s music is raw, yet refined to the simple elements that make reggae roots music the power of…….. words, and sound. Vaughn is “the King” of this message and can mesmerize those roots fans that are willing to accept their music.

For Santa Cruz the songs that served as the starting point for Midnite to craft them into a fifteen plus minute vibe that drenched the crowd in the moment of the music. My best attempt to name the songs include: 1-Lion Speaks , 2-Rasta Man Still Stand (Ras Mek Peace), 3-The Eyes are the Light (Unpolished), 4-Don’t Move (Unpolished) 5-Time and Time again (Unpolished), 6-Repatriation Song (Kayamagan), 7-Listen (Rule the time), 8-I Chant (Kayamagan), 9-Love Yourself (??) 10-Bushman (Unpolished), 11- Is Real (Rule the Time). This show, like most in the California areas had the perfect Midnite sound mix, and a “shout out” to the sound man “Loren” whom has dialed in their sound to the one drop pick of Edwin’s guitar solos. These songs began the message and the journey of time travel, because before you know it three hours have passed in a roots vibe that cannot be duplicated. It is always interesting to me the turning point of a show, at the hour and half to the two hour mark where Midnite converts or loses those members of the crowd that can’t make it the full three hours. Too often, too many in the crowd realize they are in for more than they bargained for…………. this is the real deal, roots on roots, a raw dose of bass thumping applied to the heart that rattles your soul. You need to be committed….Midnite’s music makes some current reggae music seem like a soulless pop song, far different then what is actually delivered for three hours of the finest roots..

Santa Cruz proved to be a classic Midnite performance that ended at 1:30AM in the morning. During the show a local painter attempted to capture the vibe on canvas……he ended the night with a roaring rasta lion. Midnite’s roar truly smothered the Santa Cruz crowd in a true roots reggae form , with a serious and sincere message for those willing to accept it.

Many Midnite Fans from Santa Cruz and beyond………….. accepted this message.


Give Thanks
 

Rankingkirk
93561

Rankingkirk is a Journalist, musician, and music researcher. Writing about  the music industry since the 80’s with articles and reviews published from the English Beat to the Rolling Stones. Rankingkirk is a follower of the Midnite Roots message from over 30 live performances.