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Midnite Rolls Into 2011
January 20, 2011
Key Club, Los Angeles, California
By: Ranking Kirk
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Thursday January 20th, 2011, Midnite took the stage after
much of a personal sound check, placing additional microphones on the Bass
Amplifier and the Bass Drum at 11:30PM. The Key Club is a small venue with
lots of great viewing.
If you are not familiar with Midnite, the band currently
consists of Vaughn Benjamin (words & vocals), Ron Benjamin (bass & vocals),
Christian Molina (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 the process of making and
recording music just keeps coming, just like their live sets the roots
reggae beats keep coming and coming. Midnite’s music is raw, it is the real
thing, 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.
Midnite took the stage with Ron and band to start the vibe
for a few minutes before Vaughan made an entrance to applause, cheers and
more, now the stature of a roots legend, and the music to back it up.
My best attempt to name the songs played include: 1-Bless
(Nemozian Rasta),2-Emotions (What makes a King), 3-Listen (Rule the Time),
4-New Life – Ron on Vocals (Seek Knowledge Before Vengeance), 5-Love the
Live You Live (Unpolished), 6-Bushman (Unpolished), 7-Jubilees of Zion
(Jubilees of Zion), 8-I Chant (Kayamagan), 9-Due Reward (Unpolished), Encore
10- Kabba Stone (Unpolished). I know I missed some of the songs, because
Midnite thumps them into a fifteen plus minute vibe that drenches the crowd
in the moment of the music.
The Midnite yahoo chat claims that they explore their
songs with something that Vaughn has explained as being "lyrical". Vaughn
has expressed that many tracks are tracks within tracks (I Chant is the
classic example of a song that they continually return to while moving in
and out of other songs) but because they don't stop playing it could appear
as if it were all one song when in fact it could be seven sounds in total.
Their musical ability is demonstrated by the fact that when they walk on
stage they have no idea what they are going to play, no pre-made set list.
Vaughn has told fans that he allows Jah to dictate what songs are to be
sung/spoken not him. Once you as a fan have figured that out………….. you are
ready to experience a roots experience that is delivered from ….the highest
each night…….
Midnite delivered to the Key Club two and a half hours of
roots on roots, a raw dose of bass thumping applied to the heart that
rattled your soul. The crowd still wanted more…….
The Day before the show they have released two new Cd’s on
their website: “Standing Ground dub” and “Treasure”, be sure to check them
out.
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.
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