Wednesday, July 2. $10 @ Door, First Come First Serve, While They Last
By Lisa Morgan
Prepare to get wickedly Sublimed Wednesday, July 2nd as the internationally popular tribute band, Sublimed, makes a stop in Palm Desert on its 2014 Sublimed Music Tour. This powerful, sonic squad of three musicians, have individual bios and resumes that would blow your mind. Having toured individually around the world with some of the most world renown, authentic and powerful roots names in the reggae genre, life and love for the music has brought these three troubadours of the ska stroke together to pay homage to the late Bradley Nowell and his band Sublime, a band that rocked the world from Long Beach, California.
For the handful of unfortunate folks unfamiliar with the legendary band for whom these three play tribute to masterfully, here’s a little bit of back story. Sublime was an American ska punk and reggae rock band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band was made up of three friends and a Dalmatian: Bradley Nowell (vocals and guitar), Eric Wilson (bass) Bud Gaugh (drums) and Lou Dog, (Nowell’s Dalmatian). While the band had a huge cult following with their 1992 release of 40oz To Freedom and the 1994 release of Robbin’ the Hood, they did not see commercial success until after the death of lead singer, Nowell, who died of a heroin overdose in 1996. Sublime’s self-titled third album, released two months after Nowell’s death, peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200, and spawned the single “What I Got”, which remains the band’s only number one hit single (on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart) in their musical career. As of 2009, the band has sold over 17 million albums worldwide, including about 10 million in the U.S. alone.
All native Californians, growing up a stone’s throw from origins of the music they pay tribute to, Sublimed doesn’t try to look the part as do some tribute bands. That was never the original band’s style anyway. They simply are the part. To hear them speak about the music and each other, and even more so, to hear them perform together, the spirit of Sublime is revived before your eyes and ears. With passion, honesty and absolute skill, they lift up the musical legacy of Sublime that lit a fire in so many of us and was put out way too soon.
On guitar and vocals, is Danny Lopilato. Lopilato will also be performing at the Indio Date Shed with the internationally renowned reggae-roots-fusion band, Big Mountain the Saturday before playing with Sublimed at Schmidy’s Tavern. Even though his father, a musician, died when he was two, he did not leave his son without a legacy of music embedded in his young heart and mind. “When I was 6 years old, I attended a wedding and saw a woman singing at the piano. I knew that’s what I wanted to do.” While other kids were begging for toys, games and bikes, Lopilato was pleading for a piano. “When I turned 7 my parents finally got me an accordion. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but I learned to play it. Eventually they got me a piano, and I played it from the age of 7 to 15. Then I picked up guitar. It was a natural progression.” A bit of music school and a few private lessons later, Lopilato still hadn’t taken his music beyond family and friends. But when he turned 20, he shares, “I was working at Costco, gathering shopping carts, and I just looked up in the sky and asked God to help me figure out what to do with my music.” It was shortly after that conversation, Lopilato found himself at the beginning of an amazing music career. By 2005, he was on stage with Majek Sashek, Africa’s equivalent to Elvis and Prisoners of Conscience. In 2009, he was touring with Pato Banton. That, in turn, was the vehicle that brought him the opportunity to play with Big Mountain. For a few years, Lopilato bounced around as a popular hired musician for Ky-Mani Marley, and Reggae legends Mykal Rose (Black Uhuru) and Junior Marvin (of the original Whalers) among others. “The man (Junior Marvin) gave me a free guitar lesson in my hotel room the night I met him in Australia,” shared Lopilato. “We played 5 shows together. He told me, ‘You get to be me, and I get to be him (Bob Marley).’ Trading solos with him was unreal.”
But being a hired side man in any band means you show up, don’t make waves, do your job, collect your money and move on. When Lopilato found out his friend, bass player, Mike Ortiz, was touring in France, he asked him who he was touring with. Of course the answer was Sublimed. He immediately said, “If your singer can’t make a gig, don’t cancel. Just call me. I’ll be there.” The rest is history. Undoubtedly, Lopilato is no fill in, and brings energy and authenticity to the tribute along with incredible musicianship. Growing up in Torrance, CA, he was told what he could and couldn’t do to make it as a musician. He chose instead his own road and it has paid off. Now touring with Sublimed while quietly working on original material, he couldn’t be happier with where he is headed. “At the end of the day, I’m going to do something positive for the world. I like to work with my friends and play the music that’s in my heart. Being a hired gun, you slip in the cracks. You get in and out with your money. In Sublimed, Chris (drummer) has me running around like a goof, and I’m learning how to become a front man. I couldn’t work with a bunch of nicer guys.”
Chris Chamberlain, master technician of the skins and thunder maker, is a native Californian. Born into a musical family in Hollywood, CA, Chris played in the drum line of his high school marching band performing in the 1984 Rose Parade as well as an NFL half-time shows at Anaheim Stadium. Meanwhile, playing parties, fairs and local talent shows with a local band eventually launched him into his destiny of playing drums professionally. One of Chris’ true passions, teaching others to play the drums, led him to start his own drum school. He has taught hundreds of lessons over the past 12 years, and is especially gifted in his work as a musical therapist with handicapped/special needs kids. Chris has received a bit of press coverage for his work including a front page news story that featured him jamming for the kids with Nick Hernandez, singer of Common Sense. He has performed before thousands with numerous artists at the Sundance Film Festival, including up-and-coming singer/songwriter Sophia Dion and acoustic reggae-rock artist, Ras of Headshine. He has performed as lead singer and drummer in several classic rock bands and has performed in the Rip Curl Pro MTV Sprite Music Festival, Biarritz, and in France before a crowd of 22,000 people. He has also shared the stage with an amazing variety of artists, including Mix Master Mike, Reverend Horton Heat, Common Sense, Blue October, Digital Underground, Keziah Jones, Third Eye Blind, Mystic Roots Band, Tom Frager, Berlin, English Beat, Powerman 5000, Eek a Mouse, and that my friends, is the short list. This drummer has been to Europe and 15 states for over 200,000 miles and 15 tours since 2005, and is still excited as hell to be bringing this show to our local desert Tavern.
Bass player, Eli Star Walker will be filling in for Sublimed’s regular bassist, Mikey Ortiz (also touring with Big Mountain). “I’ve been waiting to have this opportunity to play with Danny,” shared Star Walker. “We went to school together and have played in the same circuits, but never together. I got to join these guys three weeks ago and it’s been great.” Star Walker, son to Alex “I-Locks” Walker were brought into the musical embrace of Ras Michael and his group, the Sons of Negus after meeting the senior Walker with his young son in dreads. That sparked a conversation that ended with I-Locks Walker hired on as keyboardist. It also eventually led to the younger Star Walker recording with Ras Michael in Jamaica.
“Will work for smiles,” grins the drummer of this mind blowing gathering of talent. “We just want to play proper homage to Bradley Nowell and the music that means so much to us.” Inspiration and smiles are a guarantee at this show and this group of artists’ energy and spirit are infectious. Considering the already huge response to the pre-show promotion, I strongly urge you to get to Schmidy’s Tavern early Wednesday night as admission and seating is limited and is first come, first serve. Opening the show will be local rockers, Wicked JED, a band who takes some of the best contemporary rock and makes it their own with incredible energy, taste and talent. With some strong original music in the mix as well, you’ll ask yourselves why these guys are still local.
$10 at the door gets you two bands and a full night of great music. The door cover goes directly to these talented musicians. Schmidy’s Tavern is located at 72286 Highway 111 at the corner of Highway 111 and Fred Waring Drive. Tickets will go on sale at the door at 8 PM sharp. For questions regarding the show, call Schmidy’s Tavern at (760) 837-3800
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