Australia's Black Bird Hum combines elements of roots reggae, traditional ska and singing the blues in their latest “Say You Want” single off Rebel Sound Records. Normally well-versed in social commentary, BBH dials back their signature call to action to cater to one person specifically. Aimed at the one that got away, the track is […]
Category Archives: Top Shelf Reggae
A night with Bret Bollinger & Dan Kelly at Harvelle’s | Top Shelf Reggae
On Friday, October 5th, Dan Kelly of Fortunate Youth and Bret Bollinger of Pepper stripped it down for an intimate, acoustic set at Harvelle’s in Long Beach, CA. Dan opened up with a fun set that featured some Fortunate Youth favorites, like “So Rebel” and “Friends and Family”. He played a smooth cover of “(Sittin' […]
Walshy Fire & The Expanders presents “Give Thanks For Life” riddim album | Top Shelf Reggae
Los Angeles-based reggae-rock band The Expanders have become known for their rootsy, rocksteady sound throughout the trajectory of their musical career. Standing as a perfect riddim band, The Expanders previously pumped out an album earlier this year alongside renowned EDM artist Walshy Fire (of Major Lazer) entitled Top Shelf Riddim, featuring the likes of Queen Omega, […]
A view of The Elovaters & forthcoming “Defy Gravity” album review | Top Shelf Reggae
Let me preface with how this think piece originally began in January 2018, while Jackson Wetherbee (vocals, guitar), Johnny “Blaze” Alves (guitar), Nick Asta (drums), Derrick Cabral (percussion), Greg Nectow (keys) and newest oddity to this seamless collection, Matt Link (bass), were down at White Star Sound in Virginia. If this spot sounds familiar, that is normal. It's the […]
Tune in, drop out at Desert Daze 2018 | Top Shelf Reggae
Ever since the birth of Burning Man, the festival experience has pivoted from a simple weekend of music to that of a transcendental enigma. Passive voyeurism is dead. The Burn made way for other festivals to follow in pursuit of life, love and eternal consciousness, such as the biannual Joshua Tree or NorCal’s EDM-meets-yoga Lightning […]
KAABOO 2018: Day Two | Top Shelf Reggae
KAABOO Del Mar 2018 forged on with Day Two on Saturday, September 15th. Attendees poured into the Del Mar Fairgrounds just as early as the day before to catch opening acts Lost Beach, Creature Canyon and FITNESS before Soul Asylum took the MGM Stage to much applause. 90s-lovers basked in the early day nostalgia (whether […]
WORLD VIDEO PREMIERE: Katchafire “100” | Top Shelf Reggae
New Zealand roots-reggae rockers Katchafire brings another track to life off their latest LEGACY LP in this world video premiere of “100”. As an ode to family, the video for the single starts with footage from Katchafire tours: rolling down the Las Vegas Strip, seeing “Katchafire” on a big marquee, roaming random downtown streets and […]
Dry Reef “Daychange” album review | Top Shelf Reggae
The name of this east coast band, Dry Reef, rolls off the tongue in much the same sweet-sounding fashion as the group so often plays. The indie-surf rockers rose to prominence and managed to secure a nice following in a very short amount of time. The four band members are clearly overachievers because their new […]
Ben Barbic answers in “Life Calling” single | Top Shelf Reggae
For singer Ben Barbic, music has always come easily with his draw to creating music since the age of five. It flows out of him as a message of celebrating success, learning from the past and looking forward to the future. He exemplifies a singer and lyricist who puts his entire soul into his songs […]
91x presents Scallywag! San Diego | Top Shelf Reggae
There are some things in life that go better with other things: peanut butter with jelly, iPhones with power chords, yin with yang. Along the lines of essential pairings comes beer with punk rock – you simply can't separate the two. World-renowned FM radio station 91x in San Diego knows this all too well and […]
KAABOO Del Mar 2018: Day One | Top Shelf Reggae
The gates opened to lines wrapped around every building to kick off Day One of the world-famous KAABOO Del Mar at San Diego's Del Mar Fairgrounds, back in its fourth year. The late morning of Friday, September 14th was a hot one, so much so that the bask area filled up fast. Between the three […]
Black Uhuru releases new album after 15 years | Top Shelf Reggae
Black Uhuru has been progressing from their distinct sound since the early 70’s and, for the first time in 15 years, the legendary artists have returned to release a new album titled As The World Turns with some of their most vivid, electric tracks yet. Clean production and an analog recording gives their offering an […]
Irie G at Winston’s OB | Top Shelf Reggae
On August 22nd, Irie G packed the house on a Reggae Wednesday night at Winston's OB, a neighborhood weekly destination hosted by renowned reggae DJ Carlos Culture of alt-radio station 94.9. His San Diego-based All–Star band for the night included Carlos Liera on trumpet, John Herb on trombone, Ty Kiernan on percussion, Kaya Hall (K-Skunk) […]
Collective Thought debuts with “Rise” album | Top Shelf Reggae
Socially-conscious and forward-thinking band Collective Thought of Austin, Texas has released their inaugural album since their formation in 2016! Concert-goers that have caught Collective Thought live around the southwest are fully aware that they not only entertain, but enlighten as they do, and now, the band has pressed music to prove it. Rise, a 10-track […]
WORLD VIDEO PREMIERE: Sun-Dried Vibes “I & I” lyric video | Top Shelf Reggae
Southeast reggae rockers Sun-Dried Vibes (SDV) are proud to debut their artsy lyric video for “I & I” off their latest Stay Hopeful LP here on Top Shelf Reggae! The album, out earlier this year via Space Duck Records and debuting at #3 on the Billboard Reggae chart, exemplifies the band's persistent effort to grow […]
The full KAABOO 4 feels | Top Shelf Reggae
If three-day music festivals don't leave you feeling entertained, then they didn’t do their job. In the realm of captivating competence, KAABOO far exceeds expectations. With street performers parading as wild animals and robots, there’s always something to see and do at San Diego’s world-renowned KAABOO Del Mar. The 4th Annual began like any other, […]
Arise Roots at House of Blues Anaheim | Top Shelf Reggae
On August 23rd, Arise Roots headlined a show at the House of Blues Anaheim. Roots of Mine got the party started and got us all vibing right. Then came Brewfish to keep it going and got the crowd even more hyped. Burritos performed next, a tribute band to Sublime and they just crushed it. By […]
Protoje at San Diego’s The Music Box | Top Shelf Reggae
San Diego's Music Box was packed to the brim the night of September 8th for Jamaican reggae revival founder Protoje. The doors opened to DJ Yaadcore with vocalists spinning an eclectic mix of reggae and EDM, bringing together banging sounds to get the crowd loosened up for the man of the hour to come onstage […]
ARISE Festival 2018 | Top Shelf Reggae
ARISE Music & Arts Festival 2018 was a magical experience, spanning three days in Loveland, Colorado's Sunrise Ranch. From August 3rd to August 5th, strangers became family while dancing, singing and celebrating life in unity. The fest started with a traditional Native American ceremony of cleansing and community, followed by a woman's dance clothed all […]
WORLD VIDEO PREMIERE: Ben Barbic “Break Free” feat. Ras Fraser Jr. | Top Shelf Reggae
The hustler out of San Jose, Ben Barbic, is back with this world premiere for “Break Free”: a hometown heavy video for the track off Rebel Sound Records and featuring rasta artist Ras Fraser Jr. Bursting onto the reggae charts in 2013 with his lead single “Rat Race”, Barbic has manufactured three albums since and isn't […]
Slightly Stoopid at the Del Mar Racetrack | Top Shelf Reggae
San Diego’s own Slightly Stoopid packed the house for the Del Mar Concert Series closing weekend. Kyle McDonald walked out on stage with a peg leg, foot in a cast, but didn’t miss a beat. Kyle and Miles interchanged guitars and vocals all through show. The crowd got a nice surprise when legend, Don Carlos stepped […]
¡Mayday! “South Of 5th” album review | Top Shelf Reggae
Life in Miami isn’t just all beaches and bar-hopping. Reggae-hip hop stunners ¡Mayday! know the city all too well, growing up on the less desirable streets south of 5th – where watching your back isn’t a precaution, it’s a necessity. Signing to Strange Music in 2009, the band has pumped out album after album, escalating […]
Scrap Yard Aces praise “Mota” in new single & video | Top Shelf Reggae
Huntington Beach's Scrap Yard Aces (SYA) are reveling in that sweet, sweet essence of Maryjane with their latest “Mota” single and subsequent video. Residing so close to their Mexican border, Southern California natives know that herb nowadays comes in all shapes, smells, sizes and potencies – why not hit up our southern neighbors for the best […]
Rasta Paw presents Pawsitive Vibes Fest at Garden Amp | Top Shelf Reggae
On August 18th, RastaPaw held the Pawsitive Vibes Music and Arts Festival at the Garden Amp. The day opened up with Louis & Clark at the Core of Discovery who got the people going. The vibes continued with Burnin Up, Ocean Natives, Indica Roots and then HighMinded. Next was Special Blend, singing and dancing all […]
Rig up for Reggae on Route 66 Fest | Top Shelf Reggae
Reggae, as a genre, is classic. Ever since its birth, reggae music has evolved to encompass so many subgenres along the way: island, roots, raggamuffin, dancehall, reggae rock, Cali reggae, alt-reggae, reggae-hip hop… the list goes on and on. Commemorating all that reggae represents are numerous national music festivals, each intending to spread good vibes […]
SINGLE PREMIERE: Jody Leylac “No De De” acoustic | Top Shelf Reggae
Following her bass-heavy summer anthem, “No De De”, east coast reggae star on the rise Jody Leylac debuts the pulled back unplugged version today, only on Top Shelf Reggae! Leylac developed her vocal talents singing in a gospel choir as a child in Jamaica – talents heard loud and clear in this polished, acoustic adaptation of […]
The Late Ones at Slidebar | Top Shelf Reggae
On August 11th, The Lowtops opened up a show at Fullerton's Slidebar Rock n' Roll Kitchen (familiarly “Slidebar”), belting out songs that got the crowd going. Then, Solution came on and, as always, got the energy pumping and had the crowd dancing by the end of the set. The Late Ones closed the night, continuing […]
Levitate 2018: Day Two | Top Shelf Reggae
Day Two of Levitate Festival 2018 started off bright and sunny on an early July weekend in Marshfield, MA. Bluegrass, funk and reggae enthusiasts collided once again for a full day of the best in the jam band business, starting with Quadrafunk and The Quins. Unfortunately, coming from south Boston in the morning delayed photo […]
Dankrupt releases new track “All My Of Love” | Top Shelf Reggae
Southern California’s own Dankrupt will be releasing their poignant new single entitled “All Of My Love” on Friday, August 24th, which will debut simultaneously with the track’s official music video. Dankrupt aims big here with this new release, juggling genres in ways that we’ve seen in the past. Dankrupt aims big here with this new […]
Why you should know Vana Liya | Top Shelf Reggae
They say big things come in small packages. That much is true when it comes to Nirvana Golberden, a.k.a Vana Liya: a 5'2″, 24-year-old badass reigning from Deer Park, NY. Now under LAW Records, Vana Liya doesn't have your average entrance story into the mad world of music. After posting a cover of Pepper's “Too Much” […]
A Trip to Garden Grove benefit show at Garden Amp | Top Shelf Reggae
On July 13th, the Trip to Garden Grove show benefiting The Nowell Family Foundation and Bradley’s House hit the Garden Amphitheater (or Garden Amp, for short). The day started with Roots of Mine getting the crowd rocking and having a good time. Then, Jakob Nowell came on and gave a fun acoustic set. Next up […]
Goldenvoice presents new Tropicalia Music & Taco Fest | Top Shelf Reggae
First off, who doesn’t love tacos? In southern California, that’s half our diet. Taco Tuesday has been regaled for decades as a weekly celebration of, debatably, Mexico’s finest culinary achievement aside from the nacho and being so close to the Baja border means everything is better with hot sauce. Welcome to the SoCal life. Speaking […]