Ishi Dube Headlines New Year's Eve Bash

Massagana opening for show in exaltation of gratitude

Humboldt Sentinel
12/25/08
By Sentinel Staff

Ring in the new year with irie vibes at the Red Fox Tavern next Wednesday, as Ishi Dube hits town with “more love, every time.”

Fresh from the Reggae Winter Splash in Berkeley this weekend, Arcata’s Ishi Dube, backed up by the Massagana Band, are coming back to Eureka, bringing rapper Mike Marshall with them as a special guest.

Ishi Dube has a profound love for reggae music, according to the release from promoter Eric Kinnally of Passion Presents. On stage, Dube doesn't miss a beat; he gives a sincere, energetic, and uplifting performance. Not only a singer and songwriter, Dube is also a skilled producer, musician, and sound engineer, he is involved in nearly every process of production from the roots to the fruits. Dube's natural talent and hard work are sure to gain notoriety in the world of reggae music.

Ishi Dube was born in 1980 at the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains in India. Three years later Ishi and his mother relocated to California. It didn't take long for a few Bob Marley, Black Uhuru, and Third World albums to take effect on young Dube; he's said to have made up his own reggae lyrics by the age of three! At age 16, Dube was playing drums in his first band, the Soul Rebels. Over the next decade Dube refined his craft by giving hundreds of live performances which in turn, created a substantial following in Northern California.

Now Ishi Dube is exploding on to the scene, blending messages genuine roots reggae sound with a contemporary dancehall edge to the reggae community everywhere. With lyrical content ranging from political to spiritual to messages of societal change, Ishi's vocal styles range from a sweet and melodic roots sound to a rougher, rhythmic deejay delivery. Dube grasps the attention of his audiences with multiple vocal techniques, accompanied by heavy riddims covering nearly every sub-genre of reggae; from ska, lover's rock and roots, to dub, rockers, and dancehall.

Since the release of his debut album in association with the Massagana Band, Dube has been touring and performing at premier festivals and venues, writing and recording songs with widely respected artists such as Everton Blender, Capleton, Ras Attitude and many more. Dube is currently producing other artists and is now the vice president of Universal Balance Entertainment, an independent record label. Along with fellow artist Jah Sun, Ishi co-founded the strong network of reggae artists called Lioncamp. Hard-working, dependable, and talented, Ishi Dube is an artist on the rise.

Dube's positive message and pleasant demeanor make his performance enjoyable for people from all walks of life. Ishi is a conscious entertainer, an energetic performer, and a serious musician. Dube says that the underlying point behind his music is give thanks for life, live it with compassion, and make the most of it. Check out www.ishidubemusic.com or their MySpace page to catch some of their latest tracks.

Along with the Massagana Band backing them up, special guest rapper Michael Marshall is set to fire up the house. Marshall was the lead singer of the rhythm and blues group Timex Social Club. In 1986, he had taken an offer to join Run DMC's Raising Hell Tour, and in the 1990s he worked with the group called "Mo'fessionals" and made a few songs with them. In 1995, Mike did a feature for a rap group from Oakland called The Luniz and sang the chorus on their hit "I Got 5 On It."

Marshall is the only currently active member of the Timex Social Club group. He completed the album called "K.I.M." with the rapper Equipto 2004. Had an international top 10 hit "Your Body" with DJ Tom Novy 2005. Completed solo album Love, Lies & Life with hit song "So Young" featuring San Quinn 2006. Marshall’s tracks can be heard on his MySpace or at www.michaelmarshallusa.info.

This special New Year’s Eve show for the 21-and-over set at the Red Fox opens at 10:30 p.m., with tickets for $15 or only $13 if purchased in advance at their 415 Fifth Street venue or at www.passionpresents.com.