Students ‘Unite’ For Mid-Semester Reggae Grooves
Photo by Megan Wilkinson.
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Sounds Like
Sublime meets Bob Marley fused with a little Gym Class Heroes
Has Performed With
311
Sublime
Slightly Stoopid
SOJA and the Wailers
The Dirty Heads
Pepper
Some Songs to Check Out
NAWC
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Only Rider
Reggae grooves, brassy tuba sounds and paint everywhere is just a snapshot of what fans of Tropidelic experience at one of their concerts.
Tropidelic, a Kent-based band, hosted their CD release concert Thursday night (Nov. 15) at the Kent Stage. Attendance was free, and students and locals made sure to fill a large chunk of the venue.
A total of eight musicians helped out with Thursday night’s show, though the band The music sounded mostly reggae, but at times it felt a little more like rap or rock. Even the band’s lead singer and lyricist, Matthew Roads, said he doesn’t exactly know the genre his music falls under.
“I don’t really know what it is (that we are),” Roads said. “I hate to put a label on it, and I try to mix things up.”
Tropidelic has been around since 2008. The band has released two EPs, has performed at larger venues such as the House of Blues in Cleveland and has more than 5,000 likes on Facebook already.
The Kent-based band, now located on the West Side of Cleveland, got its start at Kent State University. Roads said he was a business major when he attended Kent State, and he said there were occasions when he took advantage of being in that program.
“That’s kind of how we started,” Roads said. “We would go to the business building computer labs, take it over, burn CDs of the group in there and get rid of them in front of the M.A.C.C. back in 2008 or 2009.”
Roads said he looks up to artists such as Citizen Cope, Atmosphere and Joe Walsh of the Eagles. As for his musical inspiration and lyrics, he said he just goes with the flow.
“I do what I think sounds good and stick true to who I am,” he said before the show.
The band went on at about 11 p.m., and they really went with the flow of things. From jumping out into the crowd to inviting all the girls to the stage to having a painter, Justin Roberts, on the side, the show was original.
Other acts at the show that night included The Dirty Three Thirty, 5 Elements, Lethal FX and Broccoli Samurai.
I’m not a huge reggae fan, nor do I care for rap, but Tropidelic is definitely an exception. The band’s new album, “All Heads Unite,” is ok for a new, up-and-coming band, but their live performance puts them over the top. If you notice they’re making a stop in your hometown, go. The music is sure to make you want to dance and let go of whatever is stressing you out. It’s a party you won’t want to miss—no cliché intended.
If you’re not much of a concert-goer, check out the band’s new album, “All Heads Unite” and some of their older tracks from EPs on iTunes.
Were you at the show that night? Feel free to share any pictures or videos you took with the Burr!
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