w/ Ballyhoo!, Gonzo, and Beyond I Sight. THI S SATURDAY, November 22 @ 7pm-12am, ages 18+
Tickets Available at www.ticketfly.com
By Lisa Morgan
With 4 Billboard top fives’s registered between 2009 and 2014, and a new album receiving huge praises throughout the industry, Tribal Seeds’ show at the Date Shed in Indio, will likely be the most crowded venue in the Coachella Valley. The Coachella Valley loves its reggae as was witnessed in the most recent Day of the Dead concert with headliners, Fortunate Youth and Big Mountain. This is Tribal Seeds’ closest show on their fall tour to their hometown of San Diego, so it is likely to draw fans from across the Southern California counties.
Tribal Seeds, founded by two brothers, Tony-Ray Jacobo and Steven Rene Jacobo (lyrics, vocals, guitar) have been playing throughout Southern California since 2005. “My brother (Steven) and I grew up with Reggae being played in our house since birth, so we naturally developed a love for it. As we got older and began to understand the message more, and as we were inspired by live shows…there was just no other genre for us to pursue.” The band’s dedication to the roots genre, their work ethic and constant touring schedule have much to do with their success in growing their own national and international popularity. Local favorite, Mikey Reyes (Soundcloud.com/themikeyreyes) of the reggae band Soul Opus (www.facebook.com/SoulOpusMusic) shared, “They are definitely a huge inspiration to me and Soul Opus; they are young Reggae musicians on the path to righteousness. They are one of the hardest working Reggae bands out there, and I only see them creating an even bigger and stronger vibe to follow for the masses.”
Throughout the years, the band has experienced personnel changes. In an interview before their February show at the Date Shed, Tony-Ray explained, “that’s normal with any band. Right now, we have a solid group that is focused on touring and passionate about the music.” He was right. The same lineup that we were treated to in February, will be coming to us road tested and proven. Tribal Seeds personnel include the two brothers Tony-Ray and Steven, as well as Carlos Verdugo (drums), Victor Navarro (bass), E.N. Young (keyboards, vocals) and Ryan Gonzo (guitar, vocals).
For the two brothers, it’s been a life long partnership that just comes naturally. Tony-Ray credits this to the fact that they have always had “the same goal in mind, the same vision for the sound of the band, and like the same things.” While the guys are all about the music and rocking the reggae vibe, they are constant encouragers to their listening community to stand up and be heard regarding the wrongs they see in the world, a tradition that echos the genre’s spiritual and political foundations. Their music reaches out to all ages and backgrounds with no specific agenda or target. “We just write music that we love, lyrics that we love…we don’t aim our messages to any specific group. We just play the music that we love.”
Over the past decade, the band has toured throughout the United States, as well as in Mexico, Guam and Aruba. They’ve shared the stage with artists such as Dave Matthews Band, Jack White, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction, Skrillex, MGMT, Cee Lo Green, Jason Mraz, Matisyahu, Sublime with Rome, Taking Back Sunday, O.A.R., Pretty Lights, Steel Pulse, The Wailers, Pepper, Collie Buddz, Julian Marley, Stephen Marley, Gregory Isaacs, SOJA, The band has lit up stages across the globe with bands like Atmosphere, Slightly Stoopid, MGMT, Matisyahu, The Wailers, SOJA, and Rebelution. And that’s the short list. Now in their 10th year, they still find inspiration for their music from their life experiences, being on tour, and their desire to inspire youth to raise their voices and seek a higher consciousness.
On May 13, 2014, Tribal Seeds released their highly anticipated fourth album, “Representing”. I asked Tony-Ray, how he felt about the production on this latest album. “I just wanted to try to go after a really clean reggae sound, he shared. “I’m doing a lot of modern reggae music that’s coming out now a days, especially from Jamaican artists like Busy Signal. I was really into the quality of the production that they put out, and I was just trying to shoot for that with our album.” The heart of the message has stayed true to form: “We just wanted to continue the possitive uplifting and spiritual message that reggae music carries. There’s a couple of love songs, so we’re promoting love as well,” he said with a smile. “We just want to represent what reggae stands for.”
As far as the newest addition of Gonzo, who regularly opens with his own set before joining Tribal Seeds, it’s a match made in Zion. “It’s been great! He’s killing his set, then kills it with us. He’s just another great addition to the band, a great musician and songwriter. He really helped us speed up the process of finishing this album.”
The new album debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Reggae Charts as well as the iTunes & Amazon charts. They feel strongly that the new album is “sure to not only reaffirm but solidify their pioneering classic blend of roots and new era rock-reggae.” The album containing12 original recordings features some of reggae’s favorite artists, Don Carlos, Mykal Rose, Kyle McDonald (Slightly Stoopid), Vaughn Benjamin (Midnite), New Kingston and the band’s own, Maad T-Ray and lead guitarist Gonzo.
Tony-Ray shared, “We’re really looking forward to coming back to the Date Shed and playing the new music.”
New album available now!
iTunes: http://bit.ly/RepiTunes
Google Play: http://bit.ly/RepGoogle
Official website at http://tribalseeds.net
Joining the internationally known and loved roots band is Ballyhoo! and Gonzo and Beyond I Sight:
Gonzo & Beyond I Sight: In case you aren’t familiar with Gonzo, he is formerly of Fortunate Youth and most recently joined up with Beyond I Sight in late 2012. His sweet melodic vocals and smooth guitar style can be contributed to the success of both bands. Gonzo ventured off on his own for a spell, and in late December 2012, he dropped his first solo album, “Rocksteady.” The album was recorded and produced at Imperial Sound Recording Studios located in San Diego, California. E.N Young, owner of the recording studio, was the mastermind behind the album and is featured on the track titled, “Mentality.’ (E.N. Young is also relatively new to the Tribal Seeds family, joining the band as their keyboardist while adding his mastered skill on the melodica).
http://beyondisight.com
BALLYHOO!: This band will bring you reggae with more of a punk rock edge. These Baltimore based, road tested music warriors have a unique sound that will add its own unforgettable energy to Date Shed’s insane roundup of roots talent. Lead singer, guitarist and slick lyric-smith, Howi Spangler, has a reputation for his smooth, powerful voice. Drummer Donald Spangler keeps is the master of their hard rocking, punk punch rhythms, while Scott Vandrey finesses the band’s signature sound on keys. The band recently welcomed Nick Lucera as their new bass player.
They released their 5th studio album, “Pineapple Grenade”, on June 25th 2013. It broke through the Billboard Top 200 at #189 as well as reaching #4 Billboard Heatseekers and #5 at iTunes Alternative charts. The album features “No Good,” produced by Rome Ramirez (Sublime with Rome) and mixed by Paul Leary (U2, Sublime); while the first single “Run” saw an early radio add from KRAB Bakersfield and early radio spins by KROQ Los Angeles, WHFS Baltimore, KTCL Denver, and KCXX Riverside among others. Alongside the album release, BALLYHOO! co-headlined the 2013 Summer Sickness Tour with Authority Zero and special guests Versus The World. Pineapple Grenade is the band’s follow-up to the 2011 LAW Records release of “Daydreams,” which debuted at #1 on the iTunes Reggae Charts and #4 on Amazon.
http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/649803/tfly
