Reggae show delivers cool vibes

The name of Saturday's reggae concert and festival at the Clark County Government Center could just as easily be phrased, as Alex Trebek likes to say, in the form of a question. As in: Reggae? In the desert?

Nonetheless, to fans of the musical genre forged in Jamaica and associated with laid-back good times everywhere, this year's edition of Reggae in the Desert will be as welcome as a cool island breeze.

It's the event's 10th anniversary, and producer Frederic Apcar says increasing attendance during the past several years -- last year's show drew about 3,000 -- is proof that even desert-locked Southern Nevadans enjoy basking in an islandlike vibe.

Scheduled to perform at the all-day event are Freddie McGregor, Mykal Rose, Don Carlos, Junior Reid, Reggae Angels and Las Vegas-based DJ Ramma. Also scheduled to perform is Michael Black, a Las Vegas resident for the past five years who began singing in his native Jamaica when he was just 10 years old.

Black has performed with Stevie Wonder and a roster of reggae greats that includes Bob Marley, Gregory Isaacs and Dennis Brown. Since moving here, he has been performing with the Jah Guide Band.

Black says reggae's appeal lies largely in fans relating to the fact that "we write about peace and love and all (that) kind of stuff."

Yet, Black notes that reggae isn't as popular a music genre in the United States as it is in, say, Europe. There, he says, festivals and concerts clock five- and even six-digit attendance figures.

He suspects that's because of the relative lack of exposure reggae receives outside of such reggae hotbeds as Miami and New York City.

Apcar notes that Reggae in the Desert still is, comparatively speaking, "a small event. Let's be honest, there are a lot bigger reggae events in Northern California." But, he says, that hasn't kept Reggae in the Desert from attracting "a lot of legendary acts" over its decade-long run.

"The word has spread that we treat (artists) well and that Las Vegas actually has quite a cultural fan base. And, then, (the government center is) a great venue."

Contributing to the attendance growth Reggae in the Desert has seen in recent years has been audiences' discovery that the event -- which runs from 2 to 11 p.m. -- is made up of more than the performers on the stage.

The idea, Apcar says, is to create a Caribbean sort of vibe among everybody from food vendors -- who will offer such Caribbean specialties as jerk chicken and rice dishes -- to vendors who will be selling island-style arts and crafts.

It also helps that Reggae in the Desert is designed to be a family-friendly event.

"I do try to keep the prices low so all the locals can come out," Apcar says, adding that ticket prices -- $25 in advance and $30 on the day of the show -- break down to about "five bucks an hour, and that's not too bad."

All seats are general admission, and guests may bring blankets for lawn seating and personal bottles of water. For more information, visit www. reggaeinthedesert.com.

Contact reporter John Przybys at jprzybys@
reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0280.