One Love Cali Reggae Fest

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Sarah Alcoser, Staff Writer

Under the sunny Long Beach sky, on the normally quiet beach next to the Queen Mary, more than 50 bands raged on the loud, fluorescent stage of the 2nd Annual One Love Cali Reggae Fest. From world famous bands like 311 to the local Long Beach Dub Allstars, each one played for the overwhelmingly large crowd of more than 3000 people. The weekend long festival’s headliners such as Rebelution and Iration were the stars of Saturday night, as Rebelution played fan favorites like ‘Safe and Sound’ and ‘Good Vibes’ and Iration’s ‘Summer Nights’ moving the crowd with the acoustic performance. The older crowds were entertained with the earlier, classic bands such as War and The Wailers.
The weekend was off to a rough start as the rain turned the grassy standing area to a muddy mess, the parking lot hassle ranged prices from $10 to $40 a day Small shops and reggae booths lined the pathway to the stage to provide shopping and entertainment to those looking to relax.
Despite the people shoving their way to the front of the crowd, the never ending port-a-potty lines, and the overpriced fair food, once the lights dimmed and stage illuminated in the colorful lights, everyone sang along and danced to the music that had brought each and every individual to that moment and enjoy the festival together.