| I was excited to hear that Yellowman would be coming to town once again. I've been a fan for over 20 years and have seen him live twice; once at the State Fairgrounds in the mid-80's, and again at the Murray Park Amphitheater in 1991. I'll always remember the show in Murray, because I was really motivated to go yet couldn't find anyone to join me. I ended up going on my own, and when I didn't see a single person I knew at the show I had the sobering realization that the reggae scene in Salt Lake had changed; not necessarily for the better. The show itself was great, and I ignored the fact that I was on my own and spent the majority of the show dancing with the crowd. Yellowman has been through a lot in his life, being an albino black man who has also suffered facial deformation due to cancer of the jaw. He is also getting on in age, so I was curious to see how he was faring after all these years. I was again a bit concerned that I would be unable to find someone to join me, but I knew that my best chance to find a fun and appreciative concert companion would be to call my friend and longtime reggae/live music fan Brian Thorn. Brian didn't disappoint me. He was equally curious about the current state of Yellowman and his music, and like me, he had yet to attend a show at Salt Lake's newest downtown venue The Depot. The Depot is part of the Gateway area of downtown Salt Lake City, and in particular is a renovated section of the historic Union Pacific railway terminal at South Temple and 400 West. Brian and I agreed to just meet inside the venue since he wouldn't have time beforehand to have dinner or drinks. When I arrived, with about an hour before Yellowman was to take the stage I noticed Brian immediately. This wasn't difficult considering the place was nearly empty! I was really surprised! Yellowman is/was a significant name in the world of reggae music, and Salt Lake City has always been a strong supporter of reggae. So, to have so few people at the venue that night was a shock and a disappointment. Right away I was impressed with the venue itself. It sits on the 2nd/3rd floors of a building that contains The Butterfly restaurant/bar on the 1st floor. The venue is a great size, neither too big nor too small. It's access to both the stage, the bar area, and the restrooms are all well designed and comfortable. The design is very modern yet cozy, and there is a nice combination of table/chair sections and standing areas. The security and bar tending staff are also friendly and professional. Even before I had seen Yellowman I knew I wanted to attend another show here. Because of the sparse crowd, Brian and I were able to take a seat at the best located table in the place, dead center just behind the open "standing" area. The "warm up act" was merely a DJ who was playing some solid dub-style selections. It was a nice atmosphere in which to have a beer and a relaxed conversation with Brian. We hadn't seen one another for a while so there was quite a bit of "catching up" we were able to do. We also did a bit of reminiscing about all of the live shows we've seen together over the years, as well as guessing out loud about why the crowd that night would be so small. We suspected that perhaps there would be another "warm up," but after talking and drinking for about 45 minutes Yellowman was being introduced to the stage. I was embarrassed that he was to take the stage with all of about 50 people in the whole place! But "TAKE" the stage he did! He came out with all of the energy and enthusiasm of someone performing for an audience of thousands. It was truly impressive. Not only did he have an sincerely excited and upbeat attitude, but his physical appearance was equally impressive. As I said before, not only has Yellowman suffered various ailments over the years, but he isn't a young man anymore. Well, you wouldn't have know that on this night! The guy was in great shape, thin, toned, and with the energy of a teenager. He sang each tune with great enthusiasm and continued to dance, jump, and dash from one side of the stage to the other throughout the show. The music was great. It all sounded like the wonderful Yellowman of old. He sang a number of tunes that I loved originally years ago, including "Zungguzungguguzungguzugazeng," "Can't Hide From Jah," "Yellow Like Cheese," "Jamaica Nice/Take Me Home Country Roads," "Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt," and others. I'm also happy to report that throughout the show the crowd's numbers swelled, and by the time the show concluded there was an excited, energetic crowd of 3 or 4 hundred people. So, it was a great show overall; great venue, great music, great performance, and great company. Thanks for joining me Brian. And a big thanks to the truly inspirational performance of King Yellowman! |
_______________________________