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Arts & Entertainment

Reggae Remains a Staple at the Grog Shop

Echo Movement and Throne Gone Down bring reggae music to local venue on Wednesday

About a dozen times each year, an unmistakable rhythmic beat resonates from the corner of Coventry Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard.

This unique mix of catchy offbeat chords and positive vibes wafts up the Grog Shop's staircase and pours into the streets of Cleveland Heights – thousands of miles from its origin in Kingston, Jamaica, and its rebirth in Southern California. 

Today’s brand of reggae defies traditional stereotypes associated with the genre, geographically and otherwise. Greater Cleveland has developed a niche reggae scene thanks to reggae-friendly venues like the Grog Shop and annual festivals like the recently completed Midwest Reggae Fest, held each August, 45 miles southeast of Cleveland in Nelson. Reggae concert-goers at the Grog Shop typically reflect the same cultural, ethnic and age diversity for which Cleveland Heights is known.

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“It’s absolutely true that reggae's roots are in Jamaica and that Southern California currently admins the reggae/rock scene, but they do not define nor dictate the genre. Reggae is a style of music and it’s mostly the rhythm, the ‘skank’ that sets it apart,” said Stephen Fowler, lead singer of alternative-reggae band Echo Movement. “You do not have to be a rasta, live near a beach or smoke weed to love reggae. A more relevant point is that music is universal and reggae is universal music.”

Another opportunity to witness modern reggae’s diverse appeal occurs this Wednesday starting at 8 p.m., when Echo Movement headlines a show at the Grog Shop that also features local reggae product Throne Gone Down and funk/hip-hop band Uptowne Buddha.

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Grog Shop owner Kathy Simkoff Blackman estimates her venue hosts 10 to 12 reggae concerts annually, though she sees significant room for improvement with greater Cleveland’s reggae scene. Blackman recently attended Midwest Reggae Fest to promote her venue by passing out flyers, and she also advertises on college radio stations to publicize the Grog Shop’s reggae shows to a younger demographic.

“We’ve always enjoyed hosting reggae shows — it’s feel-good music that attracts a diverse crowd of people,” said Blackman of her popular, intimate venue that will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year.

Past reggae acts at Grog Shop included many traditional Bob Marley-style artists (The Itals, Outlaws I & I, The Meditations, Yellowman, Anthony B, SOJA and Cleveland’s own Jah Messengers), as well as new-wave, California-influenced alternative-reggae like Iration and Wednesday’s show featuring Echo Movement and Throne Gone Down.

Appearing at the Grog Shop for the first time, New-Jersey-based Echo Movement consists of a seven-member band fronted by brothers Stephen Fowler (lead vocals) and David Fowler (keyboards and backing vocals). Echo Movement formed in 2004, gained national recognition with the 2009 release of In The Ocean and has since participated in the Vans Warped Tour. The band is preparing to release a full-length album based on a live show titled Music Played On next month.

Echo Movement’s style of alternative-reggae — dubbed “new reggae” — blends traditional reggae, alternative music, ska, surf rock and world music to create a unique sound utilizing a multitude of instruments, including saxophone, trumpet and keyboards.

“Echo's style is intended to be musically progressive,” said David Fowler. “A lot of bands say that … a lot of bands also call themselves reggae without ever stopping to think, ‘What would Toots Hibbert or Bob Marley think if we filed ourselves in their folder.’ Subgenres help to define music and scenes, but the subgenre called ‘reggae-rock’ is really defined by one band: Sublime. We're proud that they're one of our biggest influences, even though it's not our goal to sound like them. That wouldn't be progressing. So alternative-reggae or ‘new reggae’ is an evolutionary branch of this incredible music.”

Opening for Echo Movement are Uptowne Buddha and Throne Gone Down, a talented reggae trio hailing from nearby Akron. Throne Gone Down consists of Eddy Bixenstine (lead vocals and bass), Alan Heaps (guitar) and drummer Tim Ponting (drums, backing vocals).

Having made a name for itself within the greater Akron reggae scene, Throne Gone Down recently brought its memorable live act to Cleveland with shows at Wilbert’s and Peabody’s Concert Club. Throne Gone Down combines original material with a diverse array of reggae covers ranging from Bob Marley to Matisyahu to Slightly Stoopid.  

“Throne Gone Down is all about celebrating reggae music. When we’re on stage our goal is to have a great time jamming with our fans,” Ponting said. “We’re thrilled to be opening for Echo Movement and look forward to continuing to contribute to the reggae scene here in Northeast Ohio.”

With the help of established acts like Echo Movement and up-and-coming bands like Throne Gone Down, there is hope the Cleveland reggae scene can fulfill the potential Blackman envisions, hope the distinctive reggae sounds occasionally reverberating from the Grog Shop can become more frequent and meaningful within Cleveland Heights and beyond.

“As our global community becomes better connected, so does our collective awareness of art and music. It is this social consciousness that will decide what the future of reggae sounds like,” Stephen Fowler said. “I see reggae continuing to break into many subgenres and its rhythm being the building block for a new wave of popular music.”

Echo Movement, Throne Gone Down, Uptowne Buddha, Grog Shop, 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd. Showtime 8 p.m. Wednesday. Cost: $6.

Editor's Note: Matt Bixenstine is related to a member of Throne Gone Down. 

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