Bam Bam! Sister Nancy Blows Up Dub Club with Dynamite Performance

Some shows you know what you’re going to witness and hear is going to be historic. When I saw legendary Jamaican songstress Sister Nancy was going to perform in L.A.—at the Dub Club on April 15—and further, that she would be backed by the legendary Soul Syndicate (Jamaica’s best studio band during reggae’s “Golden Age”), I knew this would be such a show. Unsurprisingly, I was right. But it wasn’t just a historic show, it was mind-blowingly irie—a truly spiritual affair for music lovers.

Furthermore, it’s important to understand: Despite Sister Nancy and the Soul Syndicate’s status as Jamaican music icons of the highest order, this show marked the first time the Soul Syndicate has ever backed Sister Nancy at a show! This is so despite the fact that the Syndicate created the famous Stalag riddim used on so many notable songs, including Bam Bam, the hit song that cemented Sister Nancy as a global ambassador of reggae for the ages.

Without further ado (because honestly what more could I say to convince you of the majestically high caliber of the performers!?), the point of this piece is: I was blessed to attend the show as Soul Syndicate guitarist Tony Chin’s guest; at the sound check I interviewed Tony about his wonderfully righteous new album Karma, released April 1 on all music platforms (check back soon here at Reggae-Vibes to read that interview).

Due to the fantastic access Tony generously provided me, I had literally the best spot—right in front of the stage, in the center—from which to view the show (and the sound check); this allowed me to take the photos and video footage that accompany this article. I hope this media helps replicate the experience of having witnessed the show, and seeing some of reggae’s most important and influential musicians onstage with—one of the most soulful and powerful songbirds ever born in Jamaica—Sister Nancy, also known as her thick gold necklace reads, as “DJ Muma.”