Live At The Maritime Hall (Maritime Hall)

Dub Syndicate played at San Francisco's Maritime Hall in early 2000 as part of an ongoing series of reggae concerts at that venue by top international artists. As has been done with previous concerts by artists such as Yellowman, Gregory Isaacs, and Lee "Scratch" Perry, the performance was recorded and issued on the 2B1 label. The obvious point of comparison for this live set is the 1991 concert recording reissued in 1999 by On-U Sound, Dub Syndicate's home label, and the comparison is somewhat telling. The Maritime Hall set features tunes drawn from Dub Syndicate albums recorded close to the performance, notably Echomania, Ital Breakfast, and Stoned Immaculate, whereas the previous live album drew on older material. It's also significant that the live mix at Maritime Hall was realized by Boots Rolf Hughston, rather than Adrian Sherwood. Both of those distinctions work somewhat to the disadvantage of the Maritime Hall set. Hughston does a fine job at the board, but that special touch of Sherwood magic — the feeling of control being gracefully held in the face of encroaching chaos — is missing. And it's also true that the material itself doesn't seem quite as strong; the Andy Fairly showcase "The Show Is Coming" doesn't quite measure up to the best of Dub Syndicate's previous work (such as "No Alternative," which was featured on the previous live album), nor does the paradoxically shallow "No Lightweight Sound." The two highlights of this program, not surprisingly, are the two tracks that sample vocal parts by the late Prince Far I: "Wadada (Means Love)" and, especially, "Glory to God." Recommended to dedicated fans; others should proceed with some caution.