Ziggy Marley & Lettuce bring a funky reggae night to Costa Mesa, CA

Ziggy Marley — the second-generation, eight-time GRAMMY Award-winning reggae icon — came through Costa Mesa, California on July 18th, 2024, in celebration of his Circle of Peace Tour that is currently taking over the U.S. all summer long.

Alongside Ziggy for this date were funk masters themselves, Lettuce.

As fans entered the OC arena, Lettuce began their set promptly and drew the crowd in within minutes. Self-described as “sheer magic of a band that both feeds the rich history of funk and combines it with strains of hip hop, rock, psychedelia, jazz, soul, go-go, and the avant-garde”, the six-piece group delivered every single style all jammed together for a truly all-ages dance experience. Adding the sunset on top made it feel like we were in a movie. The crowd was drawn in and bonded; we were ready for Ziggy. 

As the 13-piece group took the stage under dark light, recorded speeches by John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and even his dad, legend Bob Marley, played out over the speakers. The crowd was instantly attentive and eager for Ziggy Marley to take the stage. The band opened and the crowd instantly stood, ready for an evening of problem-free reggae bliss. Ziggy softly entered his first song “Be Free”, which had everyone swaying and feeling peaceful in unison. When he covered his father’s “Top Rankin’/We and Dem”, Ziggy and the crowd truly connected in a nostalgic moment for the Marley that started it all, as well as truly continuing the message that Bob Marley wanted to convey. Other amazing covers we were lucky to hear were “Get Up, Stand Up” and, of course, the staple “One Love” in the encore. It was truly an unforgettable experience.

Photography by Franny Kovacs

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