After a year of anticipation, the 14th iteration of Cali Roots once again graced the historic stages of the Monterey Fairgrounds. Through the years, the annual Montereggae classic has proven time and time again to be so much more than a festival—an annual family reunion for a worldwide community. With lines extending blocks down the street, droves of fans began lining up outside the gates hours before the festival opened, anxiously awaiting the start of another year of this momentous gathering.
As crowds clustered at the barricades of the Bowl Stage once the gates finally opened, anticipation built by the second while technicians set the stage for the first act of the day, Bumpin Uglies. After almost a half-hour delay, and once the all-clear was finally given, frontman Brandon Hardesty joked, “That was like a nightmare, except I wasn’t naked,” before the band officially started the weekend with their single “All In Stride.” A poet with his words, Hardesty addressed the crowd midway through the set to reflect on the day’s importance: “I think live music is the most powerful fucking force in this universe, and I will die on that hill if I have to. It has the power to bring people from all around the world who love reggae music to Monterey, California, for three beautiful days, to get high as giraffe balls, and listen to reggae music, and I think that’s pretty fucking neat.” He followed this speech—appropriately enough—with their single “Optimism in F#.”
Playing midday on the Bowl Stage, Northern California native Rome Ramirez delivered what amounted to a hometown show, with family driving down from just a few hours up the road. On his first tour since parting ways with the legendary act Sublime a few months prior, his years of veteran showmanship were on full display from the moment he stepped onstage and opened with a cover of Miike Snow’s “Animal.” Eager to unveil new original music, he then leapt into a passionate rendition of his latest single, “Why Me.” Midway through the set, Ramirez paid homage to his 15 years on the road with Sublime and spoke to the band’s meaning for him even before becoming a musician, recalling that, when he first discovered them in his youth, he thought, “This is my bible, these are my people, this is my dress code, this is my everything. And no matter what… I will always look back on the days when I got to play with my favorite band… Long live Sublime, forever. Nothing but love, always.” He delivered these words before covering their 1993 hit “Badfish.” Taking the mood a little slower, he closed his performance with a string of softer, more sentimental ballads, including Sublime with Rome’s “Light On” and a cover of Lee Fields’ “Forever.”
Representing the roots of the reggae genre, Kingston native and prolific dancehall performer Buju Banton took the Bowl Stage for one of the weekend’s most electrifying sets. In his first-ever appearance at a Cali Roots festival, the Grammy winner more than lived up to the anticipation from the moment he stepped onstage. Leaving little to be desired, he drew from his full catalogue of hits, including “Hills and Valleys,” “Untold Stories,” and “Bonafide Love.” Forever humble, he paused to thank the crowd before the band played him off: “I thank you for your time, I thank you for your patience, I thank you for your love, and your love of reggae music.”
Closing out the Cali Roots Stage for the day, just as the sun set over Monterey Bay, one of reggae’s most meteoric acts, The Elovaters, delivered one of their most immersive performances in their tenure at the festival. As the lights dimmed, the band took their places onstage and began with their opener “Castaway.” Immediately ramping up the energy, they followed with “Roll Up”; as the momentum intensified, frontman Jackson Wetherbee’s feet seemed hardly to touch the ground during the chorus. Highlighting the band’s recent strides, the setlist was packed with newer singles, including “Come and Get It,” “Red Wine,” and “All Her Favorite Songs.”
Cementing their legacy as Cali Roots’ in-house headliners, California reggae icons Rebelution closed out the night, marking a full decade of headlining the festival. The familiar faces proved an ideal way to end the evening, their set putting a calming punctuation on the day’s events. From the opening notes—accompanied by a flurry of fireworks that flooded the stage—the band’s presence was undeniable. They mined their deep catalogue, performing favorites such as “Green to Black,” “Fade Away,” and “Lazy Afternoon,” while an extensive light and laser show amplified their visual appeal. As the full and exhilarating day came to an end, fans slowly began leaving the fairgrounds, already brimming with anticipation for the days ahead.
Check out more photos from Cali Roots Day one.
