The Green Tranforms Cabooze To A Tropical Reggae Paradise

Last updated on February 18th, 2022 at 10:02 pm

Hawaii may not be the first place you picture when you think of reggae, but The Green are here to change your mind.

Tribal Seeds were the original headliners of the evening, but due to transportation issues were unable to make it. The crowd seemed unfazed about their absence.

The Cabooze was rather empty around 7 p.m., but by the time Leilani Wolfgramm’s set began, the floor was packed and the air was filled with smoke from vape pens, weed, and incense. Leilani Wolfgramm had an almost Alessia Cara vibe, if you were to add in hip hop swag and a reggae beat.

She was the only artist of the evening from the the continental United States, hailing from Orlando, Florida. Sammy Johnson, an Australian reggae star, delivered with impressive vocals, and could definitely take on any R’n’B singer with his runs.

The energy of the room went to a new high as The Green began to take the stage. Their intense light show, palm tree background, and the room swaying and dancing to the reggae beat made the venue feel instantly transported to their tropical house party.

Guitarist and Lead vocalist Zion Thompson had a lot of loyal fans and friends in the audience, trying to get his attention and fighting for a high five or handshake between guitar riffs.

Their set started off with the title track from their new album, Marching Orders, and continued with a mix from their newest release and past albums, with lots of crowd enthusiasm for the songs off of their first album, including “Alone,” “Wake Up,” and a medley of songs off the rest of the album. They never missed a beat throughout their set that successfully melded reggae with hip-hop, soul, and rock and roll.

Alim Musah of Minneapolis, a dedicated reggae fan, describes the Green as “conscious reggae”, with their lyrics being about spreading a positive message. “The difference between Jamaican reggae and anywhere else, in Jamaica it’s not just the music, it’s a culture, it’s a religion- Rastafari. Everywhere else, It’s all about about entertaining and positive vibes,” he continued.

The band’s energy didn’t waiver throughout the set, though each song gave a different member of the five-piece their time to shine. Caleb Keolanui, Ikaika Antone, JP Kennedy, and Zion Thompson are all credited as lead vocalists. They take advantage of their full range of vocal abilities, with some songs almost taking on a choral vibe with four part harmonies.

After chants of “One more song!” the green closed out the set with a cover of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army”, “What Will Be Will Be,” off of their first album, and “Something About It” from Hawai’i ‘13. As their set ended they gave out set lists, drumsticks, guitar picks, and made sure to say hello to their loyal fans.