Easy Star All Stars photo.
Audio By Carbonatix
What better way to spend a warm South Florida night than with a drink in hand — cocktail, mocktail, beer, juice, pick your poison — and letting your hips slowly sway to the bouncy rhythms of David Bowie’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars reimagined through a reggae-dub lens by Easy Star All-Stars?
The New York collective has built an international following by transforming beloved albums into laid-back reggae masterpieces. Over the years, the band has taken on everyone from Pink Floyd and Radiohead to the Beatles and Michael Jackson, turning rock and pop classics into bass-heavy, dub-infused journeys. Their latest project, Ziggy Stardub, gives Bowie’s iconic glam-rock masterpiece the same treatment, complete with appearances from Macy Gray, Maxi Priest, members of Steel Pulse, Fishbone’s Angelo Moore, Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson, and Living Colour’s Vernon Reid.
Fans curious about what that sounds like can dive into the group’s extensive catalog online, including a standout KEXP performance that will make you understand why Easy Star All-Stars remain a well-respected live act nearly three decades after forming in 1997.
South Florida music lovers will get the chance to experience that energy in person when the band headlines a free concert at Hollywood ArtsPark on Saturday, June 6. Presented by the Rhythm Foundation as part of the Hollywood ArtsPark Experience series, the outdoor show runs from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m.
The evening also showcases emerging talent from both coasts. Miami singer, producer, and songwriter Kaylan Arnold will open with her blend of reggae-infused R&B, island rhythms, and soulful vocals. Brooklyn-based quintet SunDub follows, bringing a mix of classic reggae, soul, and funk led by powerhouse vocalist Joanna Teters.
Whether you’re a lifelong Bowie devotee, a reggae purist, or simply looking for a soundtrack to your weekend, Easy Star All-Stars will probably deliver a set where glam rock meets dub, and everybody wins.
Easy Star All-Stars, with Kaylan Arnold, SunDub and Joanna Teters. 7 p.m. Saturday, June 6 at Hollywood ArtsPark, 1 N Young Cir, Hollywood; 954-921-3500. Free with RSVP via HollywoodArtsParkExperience.com. Metered parking is available throughout downtown Hollywood near the park.