TOOTS & THE MAYTALS

Thanks to its use in sea cruise commercials and Corona ads, many hipsters are turned off to those oh-so-lazy rhythms originating from Jamaica, best known as reggae music. Truth be told, reggae gets a bum rap from most of the rock cognoscenti—but it ain’t all Bermuda shirts and sandals, baby! Some of the music that’s been so casually lumped into the greater whole called reggae has real kick, stomp, and bite. Frederick “Toots” Hibbert formed Toots & the Maytals all the way back in 1966 (the Maytals’ early single, “Do the Reggay,” is widely considered the genre’s first recorded mention). Blending ska, Memphis soul, and rocksteady, the Maytals’ stirring singles became hits in the mainland and—thanks to exposure on the The Harder They Come soundtrack and, later, via the Clash—earned the group a new, worldwide audience. Some 40 years (!) later, Hibbert’s work hasn’t strayed from its earliest musical roots, yet the uninitiated might still be wary of the reggae tag. Those skeptics would be well advised to peruse the racks and see if there’s any Toots & the Maytals on the shelf, or, better yet, come see the group live for a rare area appearance at the Town Ballroomthis weekend. They’re in for a blessed awakening, a revival if you will. A “Revival Reggae.” Righteous!

—mark norris

6pm (doors). Town Ballroom, 681 Main Street (852-3900/townballroom.com). $23-$27