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Midnite - "I A Now"
May 11, 2011
The Coach Hose, San Juan Capistrano
By: Ranking Kirk
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Wednesday May 11th, 2011,
I received my Midnite fix…….just 111 days since I last saw Midnite at the
Key Club in Los Angeles on January 20th, 2011. We are blessed in
Southern California with the many chances we have to see Midnite perform
live and in person. We should not take it for granted, because once again
Midnite brought its message to the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.
If you are not familiar with Midnite,
the band 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 is the
vocalist and “the” Rastafarian roots soul messenger.
Midnite took the stage after Madtab.
Ron and band started the vibe for a few minutes before Vaughan made an
entrance to applause, cheers and more, now with the stature of a roots
legend, with his arsenal of words, sound and power to back it up. My best
attempt to name the songs played include: Foolish and The Wise (Ras Mek
Peace), Earth Cycle Now A Rasta (Jubilees of Zion), In a now (In a Now), I
Chant (Kayamagan), Kingdom???, True King Spirit (Ainshant Maps), Native
Story (What makes a King), Ronnie laid down the bass line on this song
Native Story, had a blast doing so, again and again with more zeal, finesse
and spirit every time…..I listened to the recorded version later, and in
this live set the bass line is something to cherish….Lianess (Scheme of
Things), Love the Live You Live (Unpolished), Work
out the Lion???. I know I could have missed
some of the songs, because Midnite thumps them into a fifteen plus minute
vibe.
Not sure I should attempt to
determine the set lists at all, Midnite’s music spans many collectives in
which Vaughn orchestrates, from the Midnite band, I Grade, the Branch I and
more…..the music is continues to flow……All music is recorded in the moment
in the studio. But when Midnite performs they create a new moment for that
music, a moment you need to experience and feel. Different than a band
playing a song note for note, Midnite expands these songs into something
more than that recorded moment into a full experience of their roots music
vibe and message. As of May 2011 with over 40 cd’s released under the
Midnite name and over 580 tracks and more floating out there, the choice
that Midnite has to perform a song from or mash up songs from is vast. Are
there any roots reggae groups that can compete? Midnite delivered to the
Coach House two hours and twenty minutes of roots on roots, a raw dose of
bass thumping applied to the heart that rattled your soul. The crowd still
wanted more…….
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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