by Micah 'Prof.' Robinson

Greetings, in the name of His Majesty. This is Micah Robinson once again, with another edition of "From the Road." I'll be joining with my band mates in an attempt to give you a glimpse into life on the road with Burning Spear and His Burning Band. We'll be touring North America this year and it promises to be a great one. This year's tour will commemorate the 59th Earth Day of Burning Spear, so you know it's going to be hot! This year's tour will include some familiar venues as well as some new spots, so keep your eyes and ears open.

12 June 2004 - Cleveland, OH
We've just arrived in Cleveland after a good first show in Winston-Salem, NC. The capacity crowd at Ziggy's gave us a rousing welcome, as only they can. It was great to feel the familiar vibe and link with the owner and his staff again. After coming a few times before, the relationships become as personal as professional sometimes... you can feel it when you exchange greetings and catch up. It also gives us momentum as we embark on this year's travels.

The weather here is overcast... it's almost as if the sun has decided to take a half day off, supplying a little warmth, but not much light. But it's still early, there may be some sun, after all.

In the meantime, we're getting to know each other. There are some new members in the Burning Band. Backing Burning Spear are the following:

Robin Setal: Bass
Cecil Ordonez: Lead Guitar
Gillie Spence: Rhythm Guitar
Howard Smith: Drums
Everton Gayle: Sax
Glen Williams: Trumpet
Micah Robinson: Trombone
Earl Appleton: Keyboards

13 June 2004 - Bonaroo Music Festival
We arrive in town about three hours before show time, so we decide to stay on the festival grounds, in and around the bus or near the stage. It rained heavily the two days before on and off, which made for a real muddy adventure, visually similar to photos from Woodstock. There's real loving energy in the place. One good thing about festivals is that the audience is usually made up of people who have come to hear their favorite band and end up getting turned on to something new in the process. The potential for magic is always present. There are several stages and as many bands playing at any time.

Burning Spear plays first on the main stage to an enthusiastic crowd of around 20 thousand. Rain seemed to be right around the corner, but it spared us. The people reveled in the opportunity to see Mr. Rodney in fine form. He had the crowd moving as if transported to a place outside their bodies. It was amazing. The band did a good job of keeping pace with Mr. Rodney. Overall, it was a really good first festival of the season.

16 June 2004 - Ithaca, NY
We seem to be getting right into the routine of waking early and driving long. It will give us a chance to develop off-stage chemistry between the band members. It will be interesting. It eventually translates into onstage chemistry. We just finished two days of driving from Tennessee to New York State. For me, at least, that means anxiousness to play again. Ithaca seems quite this morning, but it will probably settle into a more active pace as the day progresses.

I approach Cecil and Glen in the hotel restaurant (after eavesdropping on their conversation for a few seconds undetected) and we chat for a few minutes before I head across the street to look in store windows.

Sound check/rehearsal goes well. We work on the some solos and some transitions. The workout is good for us all, I think.

Glen and I joke around a bit on the way to work. We're pretty focused on the work at hand, but it's good to loosen up a bit in order to balance the positive stress. It's important to arrive at the right level of focus and energy. Then you learn to harness that energy so you don't run out before the show is finished, while at the same time not holding anything back. It's a real challenge that every performing artist must eventually meet.

The crowd was great!! We came into a house ready and waiting to be transported, for two hours, to a place no one else would reach. They got what they wanted and some. You could feel the electricity in the air, it circulated and touched everyone and then moved on some more... everybody seemed to be one body that moved to it's own rhythm. Before you know it, it's time to go, and no one wants to. But that's what we're after, isn't it? To take just a little bit of that sweetness in life that there seems to be too little of, but knowing that there's more where that came from. Tonight we were there.

19 June 2004 - Angel's Camp, CA
The Sierra Nevada Music Festival was especially hot this year. The artists appearing on various days included Michael Franti and Spearhead, Mikey General, Femi Kuti and others. The headline act on Saturday the 20th is Burning Spear, of course. Any other act would be anti-climactic, I think.

The weather is especially cooperative this weekend and the place is full of campers, activists and music fans of all kinds. The atmosphere is amazing, there's an endless assortment of bands and fans of each.

There's the intense feeling of community and loving energy in the air. Reggae music is so much at home in this setting.

Burning Spear came on at 10pm on Saturday and the place was hot! For some of the popular acts the crowd would be sparse in the beginning and build to larger numbers. In Burning Spear's case the numbers were immense in the beginning and only got massive... it seemed as if people were leaving from other stages, rising from their campsites and basically 'stopping the presses' to catch a great show. Whatever they did to get there was richly rewarded.

Mr. Rodney came on in excellent form and the band locked in right behind him. Drummie dropping a powerful but unrushed groove that carried the rest of the rhythm section, which was then accented by the horns. From the third tune in, you could tell this was going to be something special, and it was.

The vibe was just right and the energy the band brought, it just worked. What else can I say?

24 June 2004 - Celebrate Brooklyn: Brooklyn, New York
Today is to be remembered; the weather is perfect for a concert. New York needs this kind of thing frequently to blunt the effects that the pace of urban life can impose on a soul. Prospect Park is a perfect place to get away without actually going far from home, if you happen to live in Brooklyn.

Now comes a beautiful sunny day, with very little of the usual New York humidity but filled with anticipation of a house call by the Reggae Physician, Burning Spear, and his Burning Band. In fact, it was a record-breaking day in terms of attendance. Mr. Rodney broke his and Celebrate Brooklyn's single day attendance record with a crowd numbering upwards of 10,000.

After a superb set by Jazz Great Oliver Lake and his band, Burning Spear brought the overflow crowd to its feet with the hottest reggae show in New York this summer, and that's something hard to say. The rhythm section was locked and bouncing, adding fuel to Mr. Rodney's fire. The horn section stokes the flames and they all just burn the house up!! Talk about Burning Reggae! Prospect Park, Burning Spear... you really should have been there.

26 June 2004 - Washington, DC
Today we have a busy day ahead of us. We have an engagement at XM Satellite Radio, which will include recording a few songs as well as Mr. Rodney giving an interview. Both will be broadcast at a later date. Our day will officially begin at noon and won't end until some time after midnight. But then, it's hard to get enough of a good thing. The majority of us have slept most of the way from Seaside Park, New Jersey. We arrive at the hotel early in order to make the radio station engagement. Due to unusual business, we wind up waiting for quite a while. We decide to do the radio engagement and check in later.

The radio station show goes well; it's really nice to play at a low volume. A recording studio is many times smaller than a club or festival venue and therefore, requires much less volume to fill the space. It makes it so much easier to hear the musicians around you, and create a nice vibe. The audience is usually small, the equivalent of a private screening of a movie, and that's a new experience for some of us. It turns out to be the perfect way to get into the mood for the work we'll do later in the evening.

27 June 2004 - Farmingdale, NY: The Downtown
This is where the tour ended last summer and it's good to be here again. This year, we don't have the problem of power outages to cancel our engagement and we're relaxed and rested, ready to do some real work.

The venue is an intimate one with plenty of room for dancing, which will be used to its full potential this evening. Burning Spear is in town to bring his unique brand of roots Reggae to the sleepy town of Farmingdale.

I've spent most of this day hanging out with Cecil, just talking about the common experiences we've had as members of the Burning Band and about music in general. He's truly a humble person, considering his wealth of talent. Most people have a hard time keeping their egos in check, especially being a featured artist in one of the hottest bands playing these days, but it's good to know such a talented and humble person. His ear and his observations regarding music are amazing. Totally great guy.

1 July 2004 - Toronto, Canada: York Event Theatre
Toronto is a beautiful Canadian city, the first thing you notice is how clean it is. That seems to be the one stereotype about Canada that is certainly true. The place seems sleepy, but it's really just being quiet. Soon, it will be one large energetic force. That will happen as soon as the doors open for tonight's show. It seems the city has been waiting forever to see Burning Spear once more. They won't be disappointed. Sound check, as sometimes happens, has turned into an all-out rehearsal and a lot of things have been worked on and tightened up.

The venue us a proper concert hall and the acoustics are excellent. You can hear everything being played clearly and it makes it real easy to concentrate on the vibe being created. The stage is great, too and there's plenty of space to move around in. This is no place to stand still, even when you're working/playing.

2 July 2004 - Montreal, Canada: (Montreal Jazz Festival) Club Metropolis
In this massive event, there are over a quarter of a million people coming to the various venues hosting this event. This festival has evolved to include so many kinds of music and such a diverse collection of musicians, it has a worldwide following that won't change any time soon.

This show, however, is different from the cerebral fare that one usually expects from an event labeled as a 'Jazz Festival'.

This concert will certainly not be a sit down event, as any fan of Burning Spear knows by now. Our show, tonight, will be in the Metropolis, a venue that has survived changes in use, management and ownership dating back to 1884, when it was used as a skating rink. After a massive fire at the turn of the century, and its reconstruction as a movie theatre in 1923, here it stands, one of the city's most venerated concert venues. Tonight's show will be like a christening of a child, one hundred and ten years old.

It was also great to get such a fine reception in Montreal. I'm sure that is influenced by the large numbers of Caribbean people there. But I think it must have had plenty to do with the kind of loyal following Burning Spear has nurtured over the years. The fans of Montreal made us all feel well appreciated. We all look forward to coming back in the future.

3 July 2004 - Amagansett, NY: Stephen Talkhouse
It's always so amazing to witness to scope of Reggae's appeal. In this town of affluence, the music of oppressed peoples has found a home. Maybe it's a result of the people here having the needs met for the most part. Whatever it is, I would have to say that Burning Spear and his Burning Band are made to feel more than welcome again. Mr. Rodney has given the people of Long Island countless first class shows and the people are here for yet another.

We get in early, but the hotel is far enough away, that we just hang for several hours and enjoy the area and its people until show time.

Everyone is a participant for this show; even though there are only nine people onstage, the audience takes an active part and there are no spectators. The energy is electric and everyone gets a charge. At the end of the evening there are expressions of appreciation and love all around. It seems that more than herb, Reggae is the healing of this nation.

7 July 2004 - Oak Bluffs, MA: The Atlantic Connection
We arrive on a beautiful sunny day, with plenty of time for rest and exploration. I start the day by going to the Post Office to handle some business and then going next door to get a temporary tattoo. I've never had a real one (and probably never will), but the whole body art thing is intriguing.

I also spend some time with Glen, the trumpeter. This man is a fitness freak and it makes me want to work out with him. He's been a competitive runner in Jamaica for some time now, and it reminds me of my own running past. I hang out with him and take turns skipping rope. He's so much better than I am and it has a positive effect on the ego. It also emphasizes the need for horn players, in particular, to be in shape. Our work requires so much more physicality than, say, a guitarist, who can perform even when his/her body is not in the best shape. Horn players don't have that luxury. Our fitness is manifest in our performance. Even when people don't realize the reason for a weak performance, that horn player knows the reason. Glen does a lot to keep me in shape even without knowing it. I guess the people reading this will know how much I appreciate him. Give thanks, Trumpie.

13 July 2004 - Lewes, DE
We're working, today, with the former owners of Brewmasters in Ocean City, Maryland. Everyone seems to be aching for Reggae here these days. The city has been involved in a massive land acquisition that has seen many venues close their doors and their clientele is looking for new places to enjoy live music. Enter, AJ's Brewing. There are so many dislocated music lovers that the band is barely able to get inside, but then, it's our duty to bring the message to the people, wherever they may be. AJ's Brewing and Burning Spear will give the people something they may find in shorter supply in the near future. It's our pleasure to serve the people.

16 July 2004 - Pittsburgh, PA
We have plenty of work to do at sound check. There are tunes that need fine-tuning. The groove on certain songs has to be solidified and the proper feel established. It calls on skills that are acquired by listening to other types of music and learning different ways of listening. There's so much more than playing the right notes at the right time to make this sound what it was designed to be. This gives the player a frame of reference when playing in different styles. The process has to be repeated when there are new members in the band to ensure that we're all on the same page. So, this is going to be a real challenge that I'm pretty sure we can meet.

That's especially true in the case of Burning Spear's music. His compositions are unique in the Reggae genre... they encompass influences from African music, traditional Reggae rhythms as well as other sources.

17 July 2004 - Detroit, MI: Concert of Colors
Today we play a festival at a covered outdoor venue... actually it's a tent without the walls. Festivals usually mean that there's no sound check, so we get levels as we go. Often that's good for some reason. Maybe it feels a little more informal when we just show up and play. Sometimes the vibe is a little more relaxed and sometimes everyone seems amped and we have to dial down the energy.

Ani Di Franco played right before we did and we got a chance to see one of the biggest acts in music today. She just set the place on fire... and I even got a chance to speak to her and her bassist briefly.

After an unusually quick change over, we were on the stage and ready. Cecil was in excellent form tonight and his energy caught on to the rest of us. Sometimes I get as much pleasure out of listening to him and watching him as the audience does. The guy's a real showman, with serious skills. I learn a lot from him. Maybe one day some of it will come from my horn... but until then I'll just enjoy listening to him.

18 July 2004 - Buffalo, NY
Some of our venues are regular stops, where the people have gotten used to having a Burning Spear show each year. Buffalo is one of those places, and since we didn't play here last year, there's a little extra anticipation. Tonight, we'll play outside for the only the second time since I've been in the band. We usually get rain and have to move the show inside, but the weather has been kind. The atmosphere is totally different from the feeling inside... here it's almost like a festival setting. You can forget you're in the middle of an urban center. The feel of the night was relaxed anticipation, complete with a little summer rain. Mr. Rodney and the Burning Band kept the crowd moving so much so that it was difficult to tell the rain from sweat from dancing. It was a great last night in New York State... at least until the tour's finale...

22 July 2004 - Norfolk, Va: The NorVa
I see the NorVa as the ultimate band's venue... they have every possible appointment to make a group comfortable. The dressing room is huge with a Jacuzzi, sauna and full shower facilities. An artist doesn't worry about getting too sweaty on stage since he/she can shower and change into fresh clothes after an energetic performance. If you want to check your e-mail, you can take advantage of the wi-fi connection available. And when you do finally take to the stage for either sound check or the show, you realize they don't cut corners on monitors and sound equipment as so many venues do. The concert hall is perfect with great acoustics and high ceilings as well as plenty of room for dancing. Everything was perfectly in place for a great show and we delivered in fine style. Mr. Rodney had the crowd in the palm of his hand and the band kept pace nicely, providing a hot and steady bounce. The acoustics and the quality of the sound equipment made for a really fine work environment. A real good show, overall.

24 July 2004 - Union Grove NC: Smilefest
Our arrival is not quite as early as some have been but once we arrive, we get strictly celebrity treatment... at least in terms of transportation. We're literally chauffeured around in a stretch limo to and from sound check and work. Food was prepared for us and we were made to feel at home. In spite of the fact that we work for a living legend in the business, it still amazes when this type if thing happens.

We're playing a lot of festivals on this tour. For some reason, I like the energy the people bring to festivals and the freedom of being outdoors, where's there's always room to dance and celebrate and the weather is usually nice whether day or night. The elements seem to bring the cooperative nature in people.

We have a pretty late start time and no sound check, as is usually the case with festivals; there's usually no time for all the bands to sound check. There's also the fact that so many in the crowd are here mainly to see someone else. So, it's a good venue for an introduction to Roots Reggae at its finest. The night was full of good vibes and every one seemed was a participant as well as spectator.

27 July 2004 - Tallahassee, Fl: Beta Bar
The first thing that wakes me up is the humidity. Something about Florida feels especially sticky today. With the exception of Earl (keyboards) everyone in the rhythm section calls Florida home, so it was interesting to observe the guys in their element.

I really wonder what it feels like to be so close to home playing in front of family and friends alongside a living legend like Burning Spear.

The crowd was really receptive tonight and the band is really beginning to jell. It's really fun watching the different band members learn their respective parts... as well as learning the life skills required on the road. Not every talented musician can do this. It takes a special person to assume a place in the history of this music... especially in support of a living legend such as Burning Spear.

28 & 29 July 2004 - Ft. Lauderdale, Fl: Culture Room
It's great to have two days in the same place. We get to see some of the local scenery, find a good Jamaican restaurant and just relax a little. I keep thinking I'll get used to the heat and humidity any time now, but it isn't happening. I seem to spend more time wiping my brow than almost anything else... but at least it's not winter in New York.

Ft. Lauderdale's Reggae crowd tends to be more local than a lot of cities we play. Usually the people we get to talk to are from out of town and come in for the show. I enjoyed getting a local perspective... lately I've been asking people about the political goings on. It's cool, but sometimes you must keep your real opinion to yourself and basically just ask questions for the sake of peace. After all, this is Florida, and the memory of recounts is still fresh in people's minds. I realize I should have chosen a different subject to talk about. The vibe changes entirely when the subject is reggae, so I decide to limit the days reasonings to things concerning music.

The venue is spacious, in fact cavernous. It's been around a long time and the place has it own clientele in addition to that of the artists that come into town.

When I first look at the speaker boxes that house the monitors, I wonder if they can actually survive the power and intensity of the sound we produce but when we start playing, it's plain the equipment is up to the job and we get down to the business of sound checking.

Showtime arrives and finds everyone ready for a night of fire! I think they got what they came for.

31 July 2004 - St. Petersburg, Fl: Jannus Landing
This is one of a few urban outdoor venues we play this summer. It's really cool to have a festival type atmosphere in the middle of the downtown section of a city. It seems to take some of the edge off the general pace of things.

The weather is somewhat cooperative in that it rains briefly and cools things down a bit. It has taken me the entire week to get used to Florida's heat and humidity, but there's so much more to this state than just my view of the weather. There really is life here and some of it will converge on this spot tonight.

The venue is a several-part operation with a patio area the serves as an outdoor auditorium. It also houses a restaurant and at least one bar as well as an indoor room for shows.

The nighttime show was nice and relaxed, yet still fiery with a sense of urgency. Everyone seemed rejuvenated and the extra energy showed. Good show.

3 August 2004 - Taos, NM
Here we are, where the desert meets the Rocky Mountains. It's still hot, but it's not humid and that makes a world of difference. It also hasn't rained today. The three previous days have been a blur... that is unless you consider the fact that you get to spend some time alone.

I've gotten into the habit of sleeping most of the way on long drives between shows, but I get up thinking that I must have missed something as I slept. I think it's probably better for me to stay awake more.

As it was, I was able to marvel at some of the terrain on the way.

It's just amazing, the different textures of the planet, the different colors, the different plant and animal life. Then there are stretches of miles where the land looks like a picture of some barren part of the moon. The color that strikes me most is brown... so many shades of brown... reddish, goldish, dark, light almost to the point of being yellow. Of course, we see the traditional adobe architecture, the cactus and what looks like tumble weed, except that it's not moving.

We arrive to an appreciative and anxious crowd. Our driver reminds me that New Mexico is the third least affluent state in the union and that the people are spending their hard earned dollars to see Burning Spear.

5 August 2004 - Bond, CO: Statebridge Lodge
Our journey through the Rocky Mountains starts in a place called Bond. It's one of those places that even many natives of Colorado don't know about. Most of the ride happened in the dark of the night and morning hours, so the first indication of our approach to the region was the motion of the bus as it took the extreme angles of the mountain roads. The thinness of the air made it move much more slowly.

After marveling at what I could see under the circumstances, I began to remember the challenge of horn playing at extreme altitudes.

Somehow, I think this year it will be a bit easier.

The venue itself is tucked away such that only the well informed would seem to be able to find it. Well, it seems like there are a lot of well-informed people in the area. Considering what looked like a near absence of parking, there were plenty of people there and I don't see how they could have gotten there without driving. There was not an inch of real estate not occupied by dancing feet... it was as if every citizen had come and brought a friend. Everybody and their friends had something to remember as well as a great time tonight, courtesy of Burning Spear and His Burning Band.

6 August 2004 - Steamboat Springs, CO: LevelZ
I've made up names for some of the different parts of the country, based on what I think the prevalent activity is there. I call this part of Colorado "The Ski Belt", since that's the activity that I know about this area. With that said, this will be the second stop in the Ski Belt. Yesterday was different in that we were in an area that few know of; today we're in an extremely well known area of Colorado. In spite of the prominence of resorts, the place definitely has a cosmopolitan feel to it. Maybe it's all the city people who come to get away, but still manage to bring some of the city with them, if only in their attitudes and speech.

We have an in-store event at Tower Records in town. I don't expect a really large turnout because of the day of the week and the hour of day, but I'm proven wrong. The place was packed within thirty minutes of our arrival.

After Mr. Rodney spoke to the people for a few minutes, we (Mr. Rodney, Cecil, Gillie, Glen and myself) began to give the people a semi-acoustic sampling of what they might expect if they come to the show tonight.

Because of the nature of the venue and the fact that the performance takes place in the middle of the business day, only a few of us make the trip to the store. The differences in this and a typical concert engagement are amazing; there is the acoustic difference between a record store and a concert venue. Here the sound is funneled through the aisles in the store and not released into an open space. Also, the number of performers means a natural difference in volume.

Mr. Rodney's performance was outright magic. The band was a much spectator as participant. The clarity of his delivery was amazing the customers loved it.

Cecil played what would be the bass parts and Gillie played most of the guitar parts with Glen and me being the horns. We ended playing for more than ninety minutes and it just got better every minute.

We ended our in store visit with a signing and talking with some of the customers. We'd done more by 3:30 than most working people do all day and anxious to get into the bulk of our coming workday...

8 August 2004 - Ft. Collins, CO: Aggie Theatre
There are a lot of things I like about this Colorado portion of the tour. One is the opening bands. Today will be the third of four shows we will do with Judge Roughneck, a Denver-based ska/reggae band. I think they provide a contrast to what we do while giving many a primer to ska music as well as providing a consistently good show with almost entirely original tunes. Along with an extremely talented rhythm section they feature three great horns. We like having the opportunity to be spectators as well as performers and Judge Roughneck gives us an excellent concert before work.

By the time we hit the stage, the crowd is pumped up and ready for round two in this night of Original Reggae Music. Mr. Rodney had the crowd riveted on his every word and gesture and the band kept a mighty pace. Actually we had to in order to keep up with the boss, whose energy seems to have no limits. The audience seemed to know the lyrics to many of the songs and sang along passionately as they danced.

The night left everyone drained and happy. We seem to have one big love affair with Colorado. It's a beautiful thing...

9 August 2004 - Bolder, CO: Fox Theatre
Today's weather is great... in the low 80's with minimal humidity. I spend much of the ride in marveling at the landscape... the mountains and the different plant life. The sky is a gorgeous blue in the early morning with only a hint of red from the coming sun. It's tempting to imagine the 'shift change' , when the night creatures burrow underground to escape the coming light and heat, while the daytime animals are just coming to life.

We arrive early to sound check and have a little time to wander and see some of the surrounding shops. I have decided to order take out from a Mexican restaurant nearby. When I return to the venue, I spend a few minutes reasoning with some members of Judge Roughneck and just getting ready to check and rehearse. All goes well, and we're ready for work tonight.

10 August 2004 - Teton Village, WY: Mangy Moose
In this demanding portion of our travels we'll be doing a lot of long drives. A lot of our sleeping will be on the bus between stops or at the hotel before sound check or show time. It will be extremely important that we pace ourselves and conserve energy. That energy should be available for work. We have to drink a lot of water, get enough food and sleep. The food part is greatly aided by the fact that most of the guys in the band are good cooks. It's helped even further by the presence of kitchenettes in the rooms.

Everton is the chef of the day this time and he does himself proud. He made a great dinner of brown stew chicken and rice and peas.

We have a good show tonight. Sometimes the tight stage makes for better listening conditions, even if it is hard to move. In addition, the room is challenging because of the way it's built. It has two levels, though seemingly room for only one. There are beams through out and a carpeted floor. But the audience brings an energy that can make these challenges seem to disappear.

Sometimes is seems as if everyone's presence compliments everyone else's presence. The company of friends and fans, musicians and dancers, speakers and listeners is what creates the magic tonight. The message and the music are why we share company. There's probably no better messenger than Mr. Music, himself... Burning Spear!!

11 August 2004 - Sand Point, ID: Panida Theatre
We arrive just before midday and get settled at the hotel It's part of a resort dominated by golf courses. There are riding trails, that lead riders away from the lodges, but the golf courses are situated in such a way that the lodges sit in the middle of them like bunkers or water hazards. Naturally, there are several golfers who can't seem to guide their shots past the lodges. That makes the patio a potentially dangerous place to be. After several errant shots come whizzing past our heads, Earl, Everton and myself decide that we should probably hang out inside and protect our heads.

Luckily, before we can be too upset about having to retreat to safety inside, we're greeted by the smell of ackee and salt fish being prepared by Mr. Rodney and Gillie. By the time we start eating, the danger of the flying golf balls recedes into the back of our minds.

After a few hours of leisure time spent eating, listening to music and playing video games (Rex is teaching me Madden Football), we go to work. The venue is situated in such a way that the entrance on 1st Avenue is like entering from a strip mall. The exit is in front of a small pond that sometimes used as a swimming hole. Some of the people were even talking of taking a swim after show. We didn't hang around to see how many actually did take a late night swim, but I'm sure some did. Those who did were in no danger of freezing, since Burning Spear and his Burning Band kept them hot for two hours before. The rest were more than content to leave in the glow of another great performance.

13 August 2004 - Las Vegas, NV: Mandalay Bay Resort
Our early arrival at the hotel finds us moving around seemingly in a daze. The drive across Idaho and through Utah is grueling. We find ways of entertaining ourselves; most of us watch movies from Tedo's extensive collection of everything from live concerts to action movies. A few of us play Ludee, a Jamaican board game and still others will either sleep or have intense conversation about music, sport or politics. Try to imagine yourself on a two day bus ride that somehow seems like it may never end because you're basically a 10 year old trapped in a 40 something's body and you can't stop asking 'Are we there yet?'. That's me.

We do finally arrive in Lass Vegas and get to our rooms. The hotel is in a tower that houses casinos, show rooms and every possible way to be entertained or spend money. It even has it's own man made beach, which will be the venue for tonight's show.

The stage is elevated and the audience hangs out by the 'shoreline' or dances in the water. From there it's easy to forget that this is a man made beach. It provides a perfect 'island' setting

14 August 2004 - Park City UT: Celebrate Saturday
Even Mormon Country could use a good dose of Burning reggae from time to time. And to that end, the Burning Spear is here with his Burning Band. The setting is an outdoor mall in the middle of The Canyons Ski Resort and it looks from the stage like a food court, if you ignore the names of the signs telling you something else is being sold. The place is packed and there are a few familiar faces in the crowd from previous years.

This show is part of their Celebrate Saturday, so the people are expecting something worthy of their celebration, which is the least of what they get. The set is hot, fresh and clean.

The stage was challenging, to say the least, and then we were dealing with altitude, which can affect horn players and singers if we're not careful. I think maybe the additional focus those challenges require could lead to producing a really good result... I think maybe that happened today.

15 August 2004 - Salida, CO: Chaffee County Fairgrounds
Salida is one of those places I think a person could easily miss entirely in their travels if they didn't know of it in advance. They would be missing a really cool place if they did. It seems to have a rural feel with an almost urban look to it and some of the places you find here might surprise you. Like the sushi bar I found on what looked like the corner of "Nowhere and Nothing". The sushi was great and the service matched. The weather was nice today so it was a good day to just explore for a couple of hours. I had sushi outdoors and headed back to the hotel to get ready for sound check... turns out there was no sound check.

The venue is on the Chafee County Fairgrounds in a metal building surrounded by corrals and places that could be used for almost anything you might find at a county fair... or nothing at all. The place seems almost unused until about 40 minutes to show time, when people seemed to almost come from nowhere and once again we play to a packed house.

It's a testament to the appeal Burning Spear has all over the country and the world.

18 August 2004 - Scottsdale, AZ: The Venue
We have two Arizona shows that will bring us onto the West Coast. Our adventures in altitude and thin air will continue for at least two more days. In the meantime, there will be two days to marvel at the mountainous terrain and meet the people of Arizona.

A large segment of the population here is Native American and their culture influences almost everything around from the architecture to street names, to food and so on. The people generally aren't affluent, but they value and enjoy many of those things that money can't buy. Many have an abiding love of reggae music. Some of the people we've spoken with say they especially love the message and the steadiness of the beats. As we move around the town, we know the people are ready for this show.

After taking some time to listen to some previous shows, to figure out some things, I'm ready to get to work...

We can really feel the people tonight. They've waited a long time to hear Mr. Rodney. He had them going right from the outset and things only got hotter as the evening progressed. When the band went into 'Columbus', there's was virtually no separating the band from the audience. They sang as passionately as Mr. Rodney. It was one of many highlights in a night full of them. Too bad we only have two dates in Arizona.

19 August 2004 - Flagstaff, AZ: Orpheum
This is a great theatre setting. I especially like theatres because of the acoustics. It makes sound check a lot of fun and the show even more so. It's so much easier when the room helps you hear what you're doing. I think the rest of the guys feel the same way because sound check is especially long and productive. It gets easier to feel the unity amongst us. Stress free music works wonders for the spirit.

The show goes really well and the people are into it as much as the band. The feeling that you're doing something special is in the air. Tonight, it's true.

20 August 2004 - Anaheim, CA: House of Blues
I have to say, it always strikes me as odd, that a House of Blues would be right in the middle of Disney City. I just don't think of the House of Blues as frivolous and that's exactly the way I view Disneyland.

What a combination. Then the incongruity of the extreme security... we had to surrender our ID in order to match it up with their list of members, which of course was flawed. The five minutes it took to straighten it out felt like an hour. We did finally get in to do sound check.

I don't know what to say about the House of Blues... it seems to speak for itself. It's such a prestigious place to play and the audiences are always so knowledgeable. I also like their shop and restaurant. Just being here gets me ready to work. This is the first of two House of Blues shows this week and it's a great way to start the California leg of the tour.

21 August 2004 - Truckee, CA: Truckee Regional Park
This is a great feeling place to play. It's outside in what to me is almost an amphitheater. The California air is so familiar...

The air is cool and it feels good to the body but is torture on brass instruments. This one is going to be challenging.

22 August 2004 - Hollywood, CA: House of Blues
This is the second House of Blues show for this tour. I really like the similarities in design and decor from one House of Blues to another. There are several HOB locations around the US and Canada.

For me, the similarities emphasize the 'institution'. As if they're saying, 'We're everywhere'. They have a history of presenting the best in live music of all kinds, so I guess it's a good idea. When we arrive for load-in, we can hear their famous Gospel Brunch winding down and the intensity from the choir, even from outside is evident. In addition to all of this they have a store that sells a wide variety of HOB merchandise, from T-shirts to coffee mugs and a lot in\ between... and a restaurant, and so on. It's incredible.

Sound check feels a little formal... I don't really know why, but I'll get over it. The acoustics and the equipment make it easy to concentrate on the music. It also gives me a chance to actually listen to some of Virgo's work behind the soundboard. He has great ears and an incredible knowledge of the music. I would imagine that makes the technical end pretty easy to manage. The hard part is the musical part and he has that part together for sure. It's easy to feel confident in your sound when you have someone as competent as Virgo is.

24 August 2004 - Santa Barbara, CA: Soho
This year's Santa Barbara venue, Soho, is located on State Street, which is home to the city's central shopping, dining and entertainment hub. It always reminds me of the first time I played here with Burning Spear.

This time the venue is in a club situated away from the street in a kind of mall.

The street seems especially lively tonight and the venue is close to the hotel if you drive but not as close as other times we've been here.

The audience looks like a collection of the rich and not so famous, which isn't what I usually associate with a roots reggae crowd. But then looks can be deceiving.

Once the music started they were like any other crowd, totally into the music and the message. And like so many other crowds, they left satisfied and uplifted. Some of them are already to be in Solana Beach tomorrow.

25 August 2004 - Solana Beach, CA: The Belly Up
For some reason, I'm really sleepy when we get here, so I decide talk a walk to wake myself up. First stop is the Post Office. It's getting close to the end of the tour, and it's time to send some thing home and lighten the load and make room in the luggage bays for other things.

Well, the walk didn't really wake me up and I wound up missing the call to sound check. In fact I woke up some time after 8pm wondering if I'd slept through the show! Fortunately that wasn't the case and I just had to take a fine for missing sound check. An expensive nap...

When we get to the venue for work, I remember the upstairs wall, which is covered with photos, drawings and paintings of musical personalities. It creates a reminder of the history of the place.

The room is deceptively large and it's packed as usual. It's a high energy show, but it felt pretty short. When I checked the clock, it turned out to be a little longer than the last few. I guess it was that expensive nap...

27 & 28 September 2004 - San Francisco, CA: Slim's
Our final two-night engagement is in my hometown. It's good to wind down the California leg of the tour on familiar turf. There are all the familiar things... people to see and catch up with, people who want tickets and so forth. It's also nice to go to familiar restaurants and talk with the proprietors. Seeing the things and people you may have taken for granted earlier in life.

We stay at a hotel further downtown than the last time and the venue isn't in walking distance. There is good public transportation as well as cabs that can be easily gotten. I like the independence the city requires. Still we're not far away, so we don't have to stress it.

There is the big temptation of shopping. Market Street is just a few blocks away, and there you can find anything you can imagine.

Sound check is more laid-back than expected. The show was smoking!

The crowd almost created an earthquake of it's own.

The second day isn't as laid-back as yesterday. We have an in store engagement across the bay in Berkeley. We were able to interact with some of the fans and sign autographs as well as play a few tunes, in a semi-acoustic style. It was a real good warm-up to the night's show.

It's good seeing how consistently Burning Spear can sell out a sizable venue two nights in a row, especially when there are other top notch acts playing nearby on the same two nights.

1 September 2004 - Arcata, CA: Humboldt State University
This is the first show we've actually done on a college campus in at least a couple of years. Usually, when we play in college towns, we play somewhere near the university, but not on campus. The crowd is decidedly younger, but that doesn't mean less knowledgeable about their reggae music and they know Burning Spear is as good as it gets. The buzz has been all about town and in the surrounding areas for a while now, so everywhere we go people know who we are.

4 September 2004 - Vancouver, BC: Malkin Bowl
We arrive early in the morning after an hour's stay at the border checkpoint. This is where we find out why we left Seattle as early as we did. I wasn't aware that the drive was as short as it was. It's just that the checkpoint slows things down considerably. These things are truly time consuming... not to mention stressful. Even when you know YOU"RE alright, you never what they may think. Comes with the territory, so to speak. In this post 9/11 world, no one can be too cautious.

We stay at the same hotel as Toots and the Maytals, so we get to spend some time talking with them. It turns out that we're playing on the same bill tonight, so we'll also get a chance to hear them play. It's got our energy up when you get to hear a great band before going on with our own show.

The venue isn't the Commodore Ballroom, as it has been the last couple of times we came out. This time it's a festival outdoors and we expect a loud and enthusiastic crowd. Hopefully, it won't get too cold before we finish. If the weather cooperates, it should be something special.

5 September 2004 - Victoria, BC: Centennial Square
I guess we'll used to outdoor playing before the tour is finished... this is the second consecutive outdoor show. Even thought the body gets used to the cold, the horn never does. The biggest, most consistent challenge is not fighting the instrument. It's so difficult to keep horns in tune in cold weather, it pays to be patient and just continue tuning as we go.

Ultimately, we do manage to maintain and actually have some of those special moments that we always strive for. The audience seemed intent on having on big party from the outset, so we had to get warmed up right away. Got to give the people what they want. Sometimes, it takes the crowd a minute to truly get into it, but not tonight.

It seemed as if Mr. Rodney knew it would be like that and kept raising the ante until everyone had partied well into the night. Canada, so far has kept us on our toes. I love it...

12 September 2004 - Minneapolis, MN: First Avenue
Today, we're playing in the club made famous (to those of us outside Minnesota) by Prince and the movie Purple Rain. There's a different kind of anticipation for this year's show. I can't really put my finger on it... maybe it marks a week before the end of the tour. It's hard to say, but it's definitely different energy today. The weather is nice and it allows us to kill some time while we wait into the afternoon for our hotel rooms.

You can see almost endless sea of Minnesota Vikings jerseys. People here take their football seriously.

That energy was certainly in evidence at the show. It was just so intense and the audience just added to it.

I just can't believe it will be only a week before all this has to come to an end, at least for the year.

14 September 2004 - Lawrence KS: Granada Theatre
For a minute it's hard to reconcile my preconceptions of this town with the reality. Before arriving, I thought of Lawrence as a small rural town with none of the conveniences that make city life bearable. The reality is totally different. When we arrived, I wondered if we had actually reached our destination. What we saw was a strip with all types of shops, modern conveniences and even a Thai restaurant across the street from the hotel. It seems beer is a big thing here, and the University of Kansas is a large presence, as well. Even a die-hard city person could find it easy to live here. The people are friendlier than would be the case in most big cities and that creates a lot of good will. Being in town a day before the show allows us to meet people, shop and rest. The venue is in walking distance and it adds to the relaxed feel of these final days of the tour.

As far as work goes, there's really no letup in terms of intensity/urgency. Every show is special and today's rehearsal emphasizes that fact. We prepare for the show as if it were the first show of the tour.

The show itself was one to remember. Right from the outset, I marveled at how Mr. Rodney takes care of himself and his voice and hope that I can follow in his footsteps in terms of his professionalism. You couldn't tell he had been on the road singing the entire summer. His fire set everyone else ablaze, from the band to the audience.

I only wish there were three or four more weeks of this. It's absolutely amazing!!

18 September 2004 - Poughkeepsie, NY: Hudson River Arts Festival
There seems to have been more outdoor and festival concerts on this tour than I remember any previous tour. Today's show will compete with the rainy weather and cold. We'll see how much fire we can generate amongst the elements. Everyone, especially those of us who live in warm places like Jamaica and Florida, is feeling the chill in the air.

As much as Reggae feels at home outdoors, there's something to be said for the heat that be generated in a club setting. The heat and perspiration can feel like the warm up to a strenuous workout, where you know your body will adjust and just let go.

The show goes well and the people got what they bargained for and more. Only one more show this year and then the separation anxiety will start to set in. I really love this work!

19 September 2004 - New York, NY: Central Park Summerstage
Just yesterday, the weather was rainy and cloudy. Today the sun is in its fullness and keeping the people warm in anticipation of Burning Spear. What a perfect way to end the tour. Those of us who live in and around New York will have a chance to play before people who know us. It's a real feeling of being supported by your community. And a great gesture on the part of Burning Spear himself, the ultimate form of 'giving back' to the community; providing a great show at virtually no cost to concert goers.

After a couple of serious opening acts, the audience was properly primed for what turned out to be an abbreviated show. The schedule and the number of acts made it impossible for us to do a full set, but we came out ready to give it everything. There will be no tomorrow and this is the last chance of the year to have that one show that you fantasize.

Truly no matter what one does, it's not going to change... you want just one more show, one more tune, anything but the end. But all good things must come to an end and so this 59th Earthday Tour for Burning Spear and his Burning Band does, as well. It has been truly amazing.

"Hopefully, in some other future, we can do this again together..."

Some Closing Thoughts
It's been about a month since our last concert of the summer tour, and it still feels strange to be home. It's great to be in one's own house, sleep in your own bed, see friends and neighbors on a regular basis and have no schedule. But this work, this experience, this immersion in the mission of this music is something that sticks to you. It's energizing and life affirming and it couldn't be possible without the strength, guidance and protection of Almighty Jah... as well as the following people. First, give thanks to the fans all over the United States and Canada who provided everything necessary to make this tour meaningful. Internally, I must begin by thanking Mr. Rodney for allowing us to work alongside him and benefit from his wisdom, generosity and musical brilliance. Special thanks must go to Mrs. Rodney for all her work in the 'front office'. Thank, you thank you, thank you. Kevin Thompson, for being a great tour manager and excellent bredren all around. Thanks to Sylvan for being the logistics guy and keeping the route straight, to Marty the driver, for getting us all safely to our different destinations. Special thanks go to Virgo, for providing consistently superb sound as well as sound advice about stage conditions and keeping us supplied with good study material (you know what I mean). Big Up Tedo, for being the supreme merchandize man and a great roommate and friend. To Glen and Everton, my section mates in the horn section, you get big props! Thanks for your humor, musicianship and grace under pressure. I love working with you guys. Cecil, you're the man! Great guitar playing... thanks for everything. Gillie, who did great on rhythm guitar as well as running rehearsals and Robin Setal on bass get big respect as well. Respect to Earl and Rex, for surrounding the horn section with consistently reliable time and melody as well as being great people to hang with. Big thanks and respect to everyone for your support and you love.

Keep the Spear Burning!!

Prof Out.