It’s that time of the year again. Mid to late summer in Philadelphia means concerts, festivals and parties galore, but this time frame specifically beckons a pivotal reggae element to close summer out right—a Slightly Stoopid and friends gathering.  

For the past seven years or so Slightly Stoopid has made it a tradition to tour various cities across the US in the prime high time of the summer.  This August 2nd, Slightly Stoopid has returned to Philadelphia’s Festival Pier for their Summer Sessions tour with Stephen Marley and Philly’s own G. Love & Special Sauce and Bong Hits For Jesus.

Meteorologists had called for excessive humidity and rain all day and into the evening, however they couldn’t have been more wrong.  There wasn’t one thing looming about the sky that threatened any impulse to run for cover.  Instead, a cool, collected breeze filtered in and around the crowd to Stephen Marley’s “Iron Lion Zion” and “Could You Be Loved,” almost deliberately helping the distinct aromas permeate throughout.  

Around 9:00pm, with a grayish-blue and peach sky backdrop bordering the outdoor stage, the crowd was welcomed into a melody intro that plunges into the classic track “Till It Gets Wet” off of Slightly Stoopid’s Closer to the Sun album.  Continuing to keep it bright and brassy old school, Stoopid plays more of their addictive funky dub beats from Closer to the Sun like: “Somebody” and “Don’t Care” and then the voraciously reverberated “Wicked Rebel” off of Everything You Need.

“Philadelphia, y’all smell good as f*** tonight,” yells lead vocalist, Miles in his red Star Wars t-shirt, shifting the audience’s energy level from a comfortable high to a sky high.

Changing the groove around again, “Sensimilla” off the Acoustic Roots album innocently chimes out like a story being read aloud, that then leads into the newer, chill track, “Devil’s Door” from their latest album, Top of the World.

It’s eclectic songs like “2am”, “This Joint” and “Runnin’ with a Gun,” however, that indisputably set Slightly Stoopid apart from your typical reggae/rocksteady/fusion rock musicians and groups. They strategically move in and out of several different musical styles using their assorted instruments: keys, congas, saxophones, trumpet, guitar, etc—all of which effortlessly encompass just one song’s creation.

As the night’s end draws near, both Stephen Marley and G. Love take the stage again to join with Slightly Stoopid.  “Bandelero” and “Leaving on a Jet Plane” close out the set, and it takes only but a few minutes for the band members to return to their persistent fans for the encore.

Fireworks peer over the Benjamin Franklin Bridge as the opening acoustic guitar riff to “Collie Man” profoundly emanates above the voices in the crowd, and streamer-like gold beams from the stage lights shimmer down on everyone’s reciprocating faces. The crowd is rhythmically swaying and singing the words to the chorus, until we are then embraced with a cover of the 1970s classic Charles Wright song, “Express Yourself.”  The invigorating horns play gallantly and radically against the traditional doo-wop style, inviting everyone to act in the same charismatic manner.

This Saturday night was truly set ablaze by the talented members of Slightly Stoopid, as well as Stephen Marley and G. Love. Even though the live music is over for now, we can safely (hopefully) assume to be right back here in a years time.