The Skatalites may have been the early show at Brooklyn Bowl, but there was no lack of weekend heat. The eight piece effortlessly melded traditional and modern takes on ska and reggae, packing the floor. Long-time hits such as “Simmer Down” hyped the crowd as well as the band – Skatalites keyboardist Ken Stewart literally jumped out of his seat – while vocalist Doreen Shaffer made covers of The Wailers’ “Sugar Sugar” and Ken Boothe’s “Nice Time” feel new.
The group closed with dub of “Rock Fort Rock,” leaning heavily on drums from Trevor “Sparrow” Thompson and Brian Atkinson’s bass. The Skatalites closes out the show with an encore of “Guns of Navarone,” which featured excellent dancing from a well-dressed friend of the band.
