Kountry (reggae) wrapup
by Michael Greenland
“It’s just Country music from another country.” That’s how Carlos Jones explained reggae music to the folks at “Kickin’ Kountry” in Bolivar, Ohio – where the PLUS Band performed on October 14th. Here’s how Reggae Family reporter – Michael Greenland – saw it.
I swear I didn’t plan this. I looked for a weekend when fall colors might be in bloom and no one was scheduled off work, when plans didn’t conflict for watching my kids, so I could take a vaca day on Saturday. After I got the date, I got a little curious as to what Carlos Jones show I’d be missing. And saw…Bolivar. I kind of knew where Bolivar was. And I thought, “wait a sec…that’s doable”.
But a country bar? If you’ve been following the posts this week, you know the running jokes. Are they opening with “Rawhide”? Maxwell Eger got the memo – plain red shirt, torn jeans.
The place had a huge dance floor (compared to a skating rink by more than one person), great outdoor back area with fire pits, video screens, plenty of room to dance up front with the line-dancers in the back, and did I mention cheap beer?
By the beginning of the second set, it was Carlos Jones PLUS the Ark Band…how was I dancing with Darren Cholly O Evans? By the end of the night, it was a gang of four on the dance floor at times. Although we were small in number, we were mighty in spirit.
In the end, what Linda Dempsey messaged me was right: reggae always brings the love. The crowd was fairly into it. And even if they weren’t, we always are, right? That regular shot of positive vibes to keep us going til the next time.
Rumor is an outdoor show in the back next year…might be worth a road trip. Y’all.