Legend – The Music of Bob Marley
Adelphi Theatre
19th Sep 2023
“is an unforgettable evening celebrating this musical icon in one fantastic stage show extravaganza. Combining his superb, distinctive vocals with flawless musicianship, and a supremely talented cast.
Together they recreate the timeless hits Could You Be Loved, Is This Love, One Love, No Woman No Cry, Three Little Birds, Jammin’, Buffalo Soldier, Stir It Up, Get Up Stand Up, Exodus, Waiting in Vain, Satisfy My Soul, Iron Lion Zion, I Shot the Sheriff and many more reggae classics.
This two-hour rasta spectacular, showcasing the magic of Marley, will leave audiences on a natural high. Legend – The Music of Bob Marley captures the charisma and culture of an icon gone too soon.
This is a tribute show and is no way affiliated with any original artists/estates/management companies or similar shows.”
Review by DD, 5 Stars
As someone who has never and will never have the opportunity to see the great Bob Marley live, this tribute concert, LEGEND: the music of Bob Marley provided the next best thing.
A transportive reggae experience that explored the musical legacy of an icon.
Upon entering the Adelphi theatre, current home to Back to the Future on the West End, I was at first confused as to whether I was at the correct venue for the concert. I was clearly not alone in this as the crowd around me looked at the 80s décor and merchandise clearly expecting Jamaican flags and Marley memorabilia. The audience felt too well behaved and even subdued for a show that would be better suited to an outdoor venue in a festival line up but it wasn’t long before the opening bars of song welcomed a pair of formidable female backing singers followed quickly by the man whose voice could well be mistaken as that of Bob Marley himself.
This masterfully authentic vocalist conversed with his packed house as if they were old friends and created an instant rapport that started the night off as it meant to continue. The faultless band provided an energy that was matched by their two supporting vocalists who paired warm tones with beautifully subtle, yet cohesive and complimentary choreography that captivated and entranced.
Songs seamlessly transitioned from one to the next with a thoughtfully composed set list that lead us from well know hit to classic track creating an atmosphere that had the crowd straining in their seats, ready to get up and stand up for their right to dance in a theatre reserved for more traditional shows.
The ushers struggled during the first act to contain those who couldn’t contain themselves, standing in the front rows and blocking sightlines. During act two, however, they seemed to have mostly given up in the face of a growing collective of dancing punters who had formed alliances with each other during intermission.
Collectively, by the end of Act Two, the packed theatre was on its feet and it was undeniable that this concert had inspired and energised the once polite crowd.
The staging remained the same throughout – a basic band set up with space for guitarist and keys stage right, drums upstage centre and bass stage left. There were no bells and whistles with staging here – the music and talent of the performers spoke for themselves without leaving you wanting much more from this traditional concert arrangement.
The lighting was, if anything, the only aspect of the show that I was underwhelmed by. Perhaps the result of a rushed or limited technical rehearsal? It was basic at best, but grew in confidence as the show progressed incorporating some movement and simple designs downstage. Unfortunately, there were some misplaced spotlights at times meaning some artists where unnecessarily lit more than others. The front man was also lost in the darkness of downstage occasionally when addressing the audience directly. An expansion of the lighting state would attempt to correct this whenever he left his microphone but not without losing sight of him for an awkward amount of time. None of this detracted from the show but simply had me thinking that a more dynamic and complimentary lighting design would have made a phenomenal show even better.
An encore was inevitable, and after a heartfelt display of gratitude from the cast and staff including an en masse audience selfie the show came to a close with the crowd continuing to dance and sing as they bustled out of the theatre.
My only regret was that I wasn’t closer to this stage for this performance. With tour dates scattered consistently for the next 12 months I’m tempted to go again.
One love! Best Tribute show I’ve ever seen.