A variety of artists made up the music and sounds of the 28th Annual Tribute to the Reggae Legends. There were seventeen artists total and each brought a new sound and message to the audience.

The new wave of reggae music that the artists played had strong influences of rock and jazz. Electric guitars flowed freely with heavy bass and drums, some accompanied by wailing reggae lyrics and others with heavy rap lyrics.

A slow spinning double-sided stage helped a smooth flow of constant jams. Within the first two hours, Alika with Quinto Sol warmed the growing audience with her Spanish rap lyrics and high energy. The arena started bustling as she closed her act.

Macka B, Dennis Bovell and the Mad Professor experienced the full potential of the crowd after the lights were shut off in the arena around 4 p.m. Macka B sang about everything from his life at home to the foods he can eat on his vegan diet, putting to rest the question “Then what do you eat?” Mad Professor overflowed the stage with his heavy dub beats and humor.

Pablo Moses spun into set afterward. His mellow tunes helped the crowd settle in for the remaining hours of the festival. Pablo is best known for the hit “I Man A Grasshopper” in 1975.

After 5 p.m., Queen Ifrica hit the stage with pulsing energy and a voice that rumbled the audience. She rapped, sang and spoke to the crowd throughout her 40 minute set.

Tony Rebel was next to take the stage. In between songs he took a minute to speak to the audience, lending his heart to those who have been hurt by the current economy and foreclosures. He then suggested that we ask Barack Obama to do one thing: legalize it. The song “Legalize It” was made famous by Peter Tosh in 1976.

From there the stage spun to the next set, Ky-Mani Marley. His first songs were powerful rock guitar sounds, a sample of his musical style. He also preformed his father’s “No Woman No Cry,” “One Love” and “Turn Your Lights Down Low” as a great tribute.

Midnite spun onto stage with a roaring arena. The roots based band played songs dedicated to Jah, the Rastafari religion’s one and only god. The raw and original sounds of Midnite stirred the atmosphere up.

Stephen Marley, Bob Marley’s second son, stole the stage with his widely popular music from 7 until 8 p.m. He took time to sing some original Marley songs, including “Get Up Stand Up” and “Three Little Birds.”

Qi Gong Grandmaster Le-Tian Da Shi demonstrated celestial singing in-between the set change. Afterward, Michael Rose took the stage for an hour. He sang with high energy mixed with heart felt lyrics.

Buju Banton closed the festival with strong songs and a large fan base in the crowd. He sang about love, justice and peace.

Two types of tickets were available; the arena seating or the standing pit below. The arena seating came at a cheaper price, but not a lesser experience. The pit was thick with dancing people. Both areas had access to the outside oval of the stadium where one could catch a breath.

Concessions were packed into the surrounding area. Colorful wall hangings and T-shirts dripped from every stand. Artwork dedicated to marijuana and reggae music adorned other stands. Paraphernalia sat behind caged displays along with pot flavored suckers and necklaces made of fabric hemp leaves.

People littered the concession area, eager for chicken on a stick or chocolate-dipped cheesecake on a stick. Food was plenty, consistently being eaten during the ten hour ordeal.

The money was worth it, whether in the pit below or seating above. The music was fun and powerful and the crowd had positive energy. The whole festival was played smoothly through from start to finish thanks to incredible set choreography and promptness.

The 28th Annual Tribute to the Reggae Legends was a great festival, filled with positive, open people and some of the greatest reggae stars of our generation and past generations too. After such success, expect a great festival next year in the name of the legend, Bob Marley.