Stick Figure Live Review
A year ago, I had no idea who Stick Figure was. Today, I can’t stop playing their music and I love getting lost in their vibe.
I’m a rocker, and I don’t stray off of that massive island of tunes often, but I had a good friend open my eyes to the beauty that is Stick Figure reggae. We were headed to Hawaii for our anniversary, and my buddy put together a killer playlist for our many hours of beach time. Fortunately for me, he included a few Stick Figure tunes that showcased their distinctive spin on reggae.
Over the past year, I expanded my Stick Figure knowledge just a little bit. Then, thanks to a series of bad breaks, I actually ended up with some good karma, and stumbled across a last minute pair of Stick Figure tix for my wife and I. To prepare, we spent a day in a deep dig through Stick’s ample catalogue. Damn, the songs were catchy, creative and addictive.
The following evening, we showed up at the Ormond Beach show at Destination Daytona cautiously optimistic. We left the venue blown away.
I went to the show with no intention of writing a review, did no prep work and didn’t take a note. But as the days went by, I realized I wanted to share my thoughts. Why? Because maybe I could do for a few others what my friend Joe did for me last year, turning me onto a killer band with a bright future.
Before getting into the music, let me set the stage a bit. Destination Daytona is a covered open-air pavilion with a capacity of 5,000. The show was sold out with a diverse range of fans. The common denominator, other than the love of reggae, was their love of weed. And EVERYONE was feeling alright.
Livin’ it, what a wonderful night
Oh I’ve been killing, what a beautiful life
I’m loving you, with this feeling inside
I’m not a pot smoker, but sure as hell loved the chill vibe of the crowd that night. I had a few spliffs passed my way which I deferred on. One of the guys saw me pass, and said “I feel like I need to share something with you, how about a smile?” And he flashed a huge grin. Yeah – that was the vibe of 99% of the crowd.
Iya Terra opened the night with an energetic set. Their brand of reggae was a little bit harder than the other bands on the bill – maybe a bit faster and more powerful than other peer acts – perfect for me. They were a great choice to start things off and had the crowd grooving early. Their set was highlighted by Scott Woodruff of Stick Figure joining them onstage for a song.
Collie Buddz was next up, and by the time he took the stage the venue was packed. Collie Buddz (Colin Patrick Harper) has a distinctive voice and clever lyrics (usually focused on marijuana). The Bermudan singer smiled constantly and had a strong stage persona. The crowd was involved throughout the set singing along to many of the tunes. The highlight of the set was “Blind to You” which was a euphoric singalong. The song was kicked up a notch when a fan was pulled up onto stage to sing the last verse. Rasta Rob nailed it.
The stage was set for the headliners and the crowd was buzzing.
I’ve had a few folks ask me to describe the Stick Figure sound and I struggle a bit. It is certainly not the Wailers reggae that I grew up listening to. But, it’s really just the next evolution of reggae. It’s what the world needs now, and it’s fantastic. Bands like Rebelution, Pepper and Slightly Stoopid have all shaped this new sound over the past two decades. Stick Figure has evolved from a longtime solo project into a full-fledged touring band, but this is clearly Scott Woodruff’s baby.
After a short break, the lights dimmed, and Cocoa the Tour Dog trotted across the stage. The sun was setting behind a stand of palm trees providing the idyllic backdrop. As a hazy cloud of reefer drifted overhead, the enthusiastic audience offered a throaty welcome as Woodruff and the rest of his band took their positions.
Woodruff is an unassuming guy, but one hell of a creative force. He took the stage with a plain worn out t-shirt and a nondescript ball cap. It was quickly clear that this wasn’t all about flash, but more so about the fine reggae about to grace our ears. He quickly slid into the vibe that was “Paradise” and the crowd started moving. It was really a beautiful site as EVERYONE started moving as one to the groove. A sea of Stick Figure Family members swaying to the music.
Woodruff was flanked by longtime partner KBong (Kevin Bong) on keyboard and bandmates Kevin Offitzer on drums, bassist Tommy Suliman and talented multi-instrumentalist Johnny Cosmic. They were tight on stage with the sound closely reflecting the recorded sounds that Woodruff has worked to perfect. Suliman’s bass was prominently featured all night. The biggest difference from the recordings and the live performances were the frequent extended jams.
After “Paradise,” Woodruff welcomed the Florida crowd and merged into “Fire On the Horizon.” It was that tune that turned me on to Stick Figure and the masterpiece sounded better live. Other highlights earlier in the set included nice singalong moments in “All For You” and “Choice is Yours.”
The latter track included a sweet walk-on guitar solo from Iya Terra’s Nathan Feinstein. As “Choice is Yours” wrapped up, longtime collaborator TJ O’Neill slipped onto the stage and took lead vocals for “Whiskey Sun” and stuck around for a great duet on “Angels Above Me.” It just added to the feel and the Stick Family vibe, as their friends joined the party on stage.
Woodruff has an original sound to his voice. Definitely not a typical reggae cadence but the perfect fit for his music. He didn’t interact deeply with the crowd – just a few sentences here and there, but he was engaged all night and shared his appreciation for the Florida faithful who missed the last Stick tour due to COVID.
I know it might come across as corny, but their fans consider themselves Stick Family, and it is appropriate. The crowd really felt like a loving, caring, FUN family. It was refreshing, but it wasn’t a surprise as the lyrics are filled with positive themes like, love, enjoying nature and sharing hope. Good stuff.
The set was jammed with familiar songs and they sounded great. The songs were accompanied by a nice lightshow, but not one that took away from the music. Woodruff was animated on stage, and a few times got down close to the fans in the front rows.
For the most part, there were no screaming guitar solos or impressive drum fills, but everything sounded sweet. Reggae is not for everyone, but this fresh style of reggae is pretty damn good, and Stick Figure is at the front of the newer wave.
KBong was an absolute blast to watch. His smile was effervescent and constant and he interacted with the fans frequently. I also noticed live how integral his keyboard pieces were to the sound of the songs. Not terribly challenging but absolutely perfect. Johnny Cosmic added a special touch to the show with all of the cool gadgets and sounds he created.
Collie Buddz came out and shared the lead vocals on “Smokin Love” to kick the show up another notch before they closed with a rousing crowd-participation version of “World On Fire” with Cocoa the Tour Dog at their feet (and in their arms).
Bottom line: I loved the show and can’t wait to see them again. It was an uplifting experience and a night filled with good music, kind people and positive vibes. If you’ve seen Stick Figure, you know what I’m talking about. If not, hopefully, I can be your “Joe” and turn you on to an excellent young band.
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Rock On!
BC
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