The pulsating fusion of fluid one-drop drumbeats, bass guitar riffs and syncopated reggae rhythms are a guaranteed crowd puller.

This factor has not been lost on event promoters, who over recent months have organised concerts graced by leading artistes.

The genre commands astounding mass appeal, cutting across age and societal status.

The recent concert in Nairobi by the Jamaican Black Uhuru duo, Derrick ‘Duckie’ Simpson and vocalist Mykal Rose, was no exception.

Derrick ‘Duckie’ Simpson

Of the twin Celtel Sawa Sawa concerts, the roots reggae segment staged at Kasarani Stadium drew a mammoth crowd. Reggae fans began streaming into the sports complex as early as 7am to secure a vantage position.

The organisers estimated the crowd to be between 50,000 and 60,000.

“It is not possible to round up an actual figure. Concert is a walk in, walk out event. Since morning hundreds have walked through these gates,” observed a security guard manning the main entrance.

Jones Okwanyo, a taxi driver, observed: “I have not witnessed such huge crowd whether at Christian crusades, political rallies or soccer matches. Few events attract so many people, the young and old.”

As the throbbing reggae ‘riddims’ wafted through the air, the revellers became excited.

Amid a sea of waving hands, the venue was awash with miniature red-gold-green coloured flags associated with Rastafarians. Anyone sporting dreadlocks stood out, walking tall and literally feeling good.

On numerous instances, the unmistakable ‘aroma’ of the ‘holy herb’ would assault the nostrils. A cloud of smoke would lazily drift above countless heads, and everyone appeared to be feeling ‘airee’.

The curtain raiser acts, Heart & Soul, The Warriors, and General Oryx staged commendable performances, trying hard to pacify an impatient audience eager to watch, sing and dance to Black Uhuru’s songs.

“This is our first time concert and visit to Africa! Kenyans you are lucky to host Black Uhuru’s maiden concert in motherland Africa,” intoned Rose, his voice swamped by a cheering audience.

The high-energy, electrifying concert, arguably one of the most memorable for local reggae fans, lasted an hour and a half.

Backed by fast rising UK-based Ras Ites five-piece outfit, Rose’s trademark captivating vocals blended in sync with backing vocalist Duckie and Alison Campbell’s heady harmonies. Ras Ites comprises Otis Cox on drums, guitarists Kashya Adrian, Jamel Ellison alongside Adrian McKenzie and Cyrus Richards on the keyboards.

Reggae fans at the Celtel Sawa Sawa concert.

Other familiar hits performed in succession included Whole World is Africa, Plastic Smile, Puff She Puff, General Penitentiary, Sinsemilla and Shine Eye Girl.

The lyrical trio of Rose-Duckie-Alison also crooned through the cuts I Love King Selassie, Push Push, Youth of Eglington, Leaving to Zion and 1985 reggae Grammy Award winning song What is Life?

As the band segued into haunting strains of the track Sponji Reggae – a 1980s classic, Rose dedicated the song as “a special tribute to the late Sandra ‘Puma’ Jones”.

Fondly known as Puma, she was Black Uhuru’s most distinctive backing vocalist before passing on in 1990s. She joined the band in early 1980s after a stint singing back up for US-born reggae singer, Jack Miller. Puma had injected hard-edged haunting harmonies, evolving into the band’s unique sounds.

“Her presence signified the emergent revolutionary role of women in the new order reggae advocated and sought to bring about,” writes American journalist Chuck Foster in The Beat magazine.

Back on stage, the concert’s showstopper was slow-tempo grooves of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, a catchy and evergreen classic. The song had two decades ago served as the band’s breakthrough hit.

Constantly in control, engaging revellers in camaraderie rapport, Rose later introduced to the surging crowds two new songs Police n’ Thieves and Come Rock Babylon, both set to feature in Black Uhuru’s forthcoming album.

As the concert drew to end, isolated incidents of mugging were reported outside the venue. Ironically, the core messages espoused in most reggae lyrics advocate peace, love and harmony. But these values seemingly make no sense to rowdy youths.

All previous reggae concerts staged over the past decade in 1990s graced by stars Shabba Ranks, Lucky Dube, Joseph Hill’s Culture band, Gregory Isaacs and Glen Washington were marred by marauding youths.

In an attempt to avoid ugly incidents, organisers now opt to slot daytime concerts in secure venues.

“The “rude-boy” image is deceptive and starkly contrasts with trends globally. Live concerts are synonymous with peaceful celebration of conscious ‘livity’ (lifestyles),” says Steve Mwathe aka Ras Mystic, a local disc jockey.

Curiously though, the negative image has hardly diminished nor dented reggae’s stature among ‘conscious’ enthusiasts. These pockets of subtle backlash have rather thrust reggae onto the mainstream international showbiz scene – riding on an across-the-board crest of popularity and mass appeal.

And as reggae’s appeal grows, pop music pundits contend the Afro-Caribbean rhythms, endowed with richly distinctive African beats, are edging closer to being 21st century’s most influential genre.

“Reggae music is blossoming, and on the verge of becoming a forceful cultural force. Now more than ever before, it espouses much more than underground, ghetto tag, which nurtured its inception over five decades ago,” asserts vocalist, Alison Campbell.