By Ryan Miller Special to The Record
June 04, 2009 4:15 PM
Once again, the Plea for Peace Center drew a diverse crowd for a reggae and ska concert. The show featured three acts: Braata from Manteca, Kyoko from Orange County, and the headliner, Black Square, who traveled from Hawaii.
Black Square, a ska band, was the last act of the night. The band was tight within their sound, and they began blasting the horns right off the bat. The band had great stage presence, as all of the members except the drummer were bouncing around and excited to be there. They were a great ska band to see and listen to. While the horn parts didn’t blend together, the band played with tempos to draw in the crowd and create a dance-friendly atmosphere.
A highlight of their set was a song going out to Peaceable Jones, who they played with a few nights before; the song was Operation Ivy’s “Take Warning.” The crowd was singing along to the classic, and was obviously into the music, dancing and clapping along.
The second act of the night was Kyoko, the band was from Orange County (which the band joked about). Kyoko had a different sound than the two other bands of the night, a mix of alternative, punk and ska. They fit the bill even though it was a tad different. The music was generally fast paced and had big breakdowns.
The first act of the night was Manteca’s own Braata, which is a female-fronted reggae band. The band appeared to be very young compared with the other bands and most of concertgoers. A highlight from their set was a request to hear “I shot the Sheriff,” which they played. The set seemed long since the songs were slower and sort of dragged on, but it wasn’t a bad thing.
Overall, it was just another night at the Plea for Peace Center, seeing touring bands doing what they love to do.