COLLEEN CONWAY
Staff Writer
The wind chill and California freeze could not stop Half Pint from warming up the crowd Saturday at the Malibu Inn with his Jamaican vibes.
Half Pint’s soulfully smooth singing puts out an uplifting ambience of peace, love and tranquility as he mixes his own style of reggae that has roots to 1970s dancehall and lover’s rock, utilizing steady melodies and a punchy emphasis on the downbeats to get the crowd moving.
He had the audience in the palm of his hand as they sang lyrics back to him and swayed side to side, responding to the catchy, bouncy lyrics paired with the playful presence of Half Pint’s hired troupe that includes a bassist, keyboardist and drummer.
Lindon Roberts — nicknamed “Half Pint” by a family friend — is originally from Rose Lane in West Kingston, Jamaica, an urban area that has been the home to famous legends such as Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Half Pint’s reggae-style music is in line with other artists in his genre such as Yellowman, Barrington Levy and Eek-a-mouse.
Lights were low and there was an impressive turnout of more than 100 ethnically diverse rastafarians. The Malibu Inn had a surprising crowd for such a cold night and 150 tickets had already been bought presale for the show, not including all those who paid $20 at the door. There were only a few local Malibu-ites and Pepperdine students; most of the crowd consisted of out-of-town travelers who had primarily come to see Half Pint. The vibe at the Inn corresponded with the reggae line-up, mellow and relaxed with friendly nods.
With the recent closure of the infamous Dume Room, the Inn is the only local place left to go for Pepperdine students looking for a fun night out without having to journey up Sunset Boulevard to other Hollywood hot spots. The Malibu Inn has a comfortable atmosphere suiting its beachfront location and largely college-aged patrons, and could be compared to a mini House of Blues because it frequently showcases high quality musicians.
The Inn combines the elements of a typical American restaurant and bar — menu favorites include Buffalo wings and fried chicken — with a fun concert hangout. The type of music played at the Inn varies and manager Holly Padias said, “The Inn is open to every genre of music, which makes it such a fun place to hang out purely for variety. Reggae always does well here in general, but we still mix it up.”
The bands Dread Daze and Tomorrows Bad Seeds opened for the headliner, Half Pint. Dread Daze started off the night, playing some cover tunes, including some from Steel Pulse. Tomorrows Bad Seeds featured a young lead singer similar to Slightly Stoopid’s Kyle McDonald and Miles Doughty, using light surfside punk vocals. Bad Seeds moved through their songs stylistically from reggae surf punk to metal with a twist of reggae beats. In reggae, styles and beats are often borrowed or parodied just as in hip-hop.
By the time Bad Seeds finished, the crowd was anxious for Half Pint to take the stage.
Half Pint’s commanding stage presence made up for his short stature as he stood on stage and threw out dynamic vocals to the crowd. He started strong with his most popular songs such as the hit “Greetings,” “Mr. Landlord,” “Victory” and “Winsome.” He also played a mix of his different albums, mostly old material from the CD “Victory” and “Greetings.”
While Half Pint delivered an engaging show, the sound quality could have been better, as the output was a bit muffled and the bass line could have been turned up a few notches.
Half Pint has had his share of success, with more than 20 years of frequently touring alongside artists such as Long Beach Dub All-stars and playing venues such as the House of Blues and reggae festivals all over the world. A seasoned musician with no lack of experience, he has even been covered by greats such as the Rolling Stones and Sublime.
Half Pint has a new remix album on the way, and tickets for a show at the House of Blues Anaheim with Pato Banton and Dubcat go on sale March 25th.
Upcoming shows at the Malibu Inn include Pimpadelic, a Texan band with a rock-rap background, which will be featured Feb. 7; Better Left Unsaid, an unsigned band that has been endorsed by several companies such as Dickies and EMG Pickups, will play Feb. 23; and Sicky Dicky holds an event every Tuesday. Check out the Inn’s Web site at malibu-inn.com for more information.
01-18-2007