n a music world of commercial fads, Steel Pulse is indeed a lifeline for reggae connoisseurs.

The real show didn’t start (a Fox News-like weak figure of speech, I know) until Steel Pulse took the stage, but Olbe and Tara Cinelli and the rest of the good people at Club Suede were wary enough to provide, at least, an amiable atmosphere until then. “The reggae crowd is the best crowd. They always have a good time, and we never have any trouble with them,” said Cinelli.

Casually, the band took the stage and unleashed a medley seeminglypowerful enough, as everyone responded to the call from Selwynn Brown’s melodious keyboards and started moving their bodies “irie” style. It was an uprising of pleasurable emotions and the motion on the dance floor demonstrated the music’s effect as the crowd jumped along with frontman David Hinds to the punching drums and dancing bass lines breaking through the air.

David Hinds - lead vocals, rhythm guitar		Selwyn Brown - keyboards, vocals		Steve Nisbett - drums, percussion

Hinds’ dreads danced with us. Through his sunglasses, he responded to a crowd who had already started singing “Don’t Give In” in full voice. “Rah-speckt,” he’d call out. “MASH IT!” And into the next song we’d groove. This was summer. This was reggae…

After the show, I found a relaxed David Hinds changed out of his concert jersey and into a comfortable T-shirt with denim shorts, eager to share some insight and history with me.
When asked what direction he wants to take with his music, he responded, “I want to open the minds of the youth and show them they are strong—strong enough to make change.”

And hopefully, the youth will listen. One problem, though: This club is closed to minors, thanks to our friends in the State Capitol. Perhaps those who are underage can find an older brother like mine to borrow music from. Or better yet, contact me. I’ll lend you my copy of Handsworth Revolution.
jboyack@chronicle.utah.edu