Article by: Wendy Podmenik Darugar
Photos by: Glenn Woodell and Wendy Podmenik Darugar

NORFOLK, VA: An audience 900 strong filled the NorVa on Saturday night to jam out on some west coast based reggae blends.

The crowd slowly filtered inside as the evening kicked off with two examples of Virginia’s home grown talent. First on tap was Nesta, one of my local favorites and led by vocalist Nick Wade. His aura onstage is one of a wise man beyond his years, thoughtfully singing of the values held closely by many people associated with reggae and its deep spiritual roots. Follow up Mack Against the Wall of Newport News, Va, brought friends and family with them to join in a celebration of their last gig together after seven years on the scene.

Fayuca‘s exciting rock/reggae blend of cultural sounds, bilingual lyrics, and relentless enthusiasm brought the energy of the venue to a crescendo, and it was virtually impossible to not get caught into a healthy appreciation for this group of Arizona musicians. The infectious spirit and stage antics of each member (Gabo Fayuca, Danny Torgerson, Richard Duran, Mario Sepulveda, and the friendly Arturo Sosa) left a lasting, positive impression.

In my view, it’s highly unusual for a tribute band to tour at the same time as the band they are paying tribute to, but this in itself is testament to the huge enduring popularity of Sublime. Unfortunately tragedy struck the original Sublime line-up with the untimely death of their lead singer Bradley Nowell in 1996. Right on the cusp of immense commercial success, with the passage of time the band recovered with a new lead singer and a new name. For those fans that enjoy hearkening back to the chill California sound and mood of this timeless ska/ reggae band, Badfish with vocalist Pat Downes takes you on that “slowride” in 2017. Covering many favorites such as “Wrong Way”, “Summertime”, “Santeria” and culminating the evening with “What I Got”, Badfish gives the audience exactly what they want, captuing the essence of what is – sublime.

For tour information:

http://www.badfish.com/

http://www.fayuca-music.com/

https://www.facebook.com/wearenesta/