Rebelution’s coming home. Since forming in the early 2000s while students at UCSB, the I.V.-rooted reggae-rock band has gone on to earn international acclaim, a loving fanbase, and recently, a Grammy nod. On its most recent album, Free Rein, the band expands its sound with a mix of soft acoustics and R&B grooves, plus collaborations with reggae greats such as Don Carlos. Rebelution returns to its city of origin on Sunday, September 9, with a Bowl show, featuring support from Stephen Marley, Common Kings, and Zion I, as the final stop on its Free Rein tour. I recently spoke with vocalist Eric Rachmany about the tour, the band’s new album, and positivity.
How is this tour unique? We’re touring with Zion I and Common Kings, whom we’ve toured with before, but we’ve never toured with Stephen Marley. We were listening to Stephen Marley when Rebelution first got started, so to have Stephen Marley on tour is pretty special. He performs a lot of his father’s songs, but we get to hear him do original music, too, which we’re all a big fan of. We enjoy just watching the three groups go ahead of us; they kill it every time.
Everyone on the tour comes from different ends of the reggae music spectrum. What is the dynamic like between you all? I think everybody on this tour has been influenced by reggae. Stephen, through his father, obviously; Common King have their own influences. Zion I is primarily a hip-hop group, but they have shown some reggae influence, too, and touring with them over the year, we’ve even influenced them to expand them with reggae a bit more. It’s cool; we all influence each other.