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Nicely tapping into the soul of reggae

Iration/ Protoje/ Zach Deputy
Rialto Theatre
Tucson, AZ
February 9, 2017

Iration

Protoje

Zach Deputy

Review and photos by Frances Sealy

Iration's 'Lost and Found Winter' tour was both electric and captivating. This sold out performance held lots of surprises that involved amazing talent and showmanship and Tucson couldn't help but dance the night away. Iration is a group of high school chums from Hawaii who went to college in California and were inspired to form their band.

Zach Deputy opened the show. Zach is a looping, one-man band and vocalist. He started playing guitar and progressed to bass and drums and he utilized Calypso rhythms to get the crowd in an enthusiastic mood and in a dancing groove. Many of the songs in the set were from his new album, Wash It In the Water.

The momentum was elevated even more when Jamaican reggae singer/songwriter, Proteje and his band InDiggNation, took the stage. Even though he was relatively an unknown by Tucson fans, Proteje has made quite a name for himself in reggae circles. The eight performers led the crowd in its musical reverie. Their reggae sound was both old and new. The protest songs were uplifting throughout the set. The faint smell of ganja persisted throughout the set that seemed to aid in the joyful mood in the crowd. What ever the reason, the band and the singer were in perpetual motion and song. Proteje pulled music from his complete discography. The set was was so good it seemed be over as soon as it started.

Iration had their work cut out for themselves with the high buzz achieved by their opening acts. However, the band stepped up to the task with apomb and kept the 'joint jumpin.' The stage fog machines were working overtime and the lighting came from the back of the stage adding to the reggae atmosphere. The thickly populated venue had little room on the floor or in the balcony to move around, but everyone was jumping, dancing, and singing.

Lead singer and guitarist, Micah Pueschel, provided flawless vocals while guitarist and back up vocalist, Micah Brown, bassist, Adam Taylor, drummer, Joseph Dickens, and keyboardist Cayson Peterson served up the perfect dynamics that carried the fans to the pinnacle of energy. The band seemed to have as much fun as the fans yet they carried a laid-back vibe at the same time. Iration's latest album release, Double Up, is an acoustic offering of past released material that was released in the fall. There were no acoustic songs during tonight's show and no one seemed to be disappointed. That is until the set was over. Once the band finishes the tour, they promised to lay down tracks for a completely new album.

Set List:
Intro Hotting Up Turn Around Get Back to Me You Know You Don't Mind Mr. Operator Midnight Lost And Found Reelin' Automatic	Back Around Summer Nights This Old Song (No Woman, No Cry teaser) Stay Awake Uptown Here I Am Falling Encore: Wait and See Time Bomb