4/20 Party: Dub Apocalypse & Green Lion Crew

4/20 Party

Dub Apocalypse & Green Lion Crew

Fri 4/18

8pm doors/9pm show

Dub Apocalypse is an instrumental dub reggae band from Boston, MA. Band members are Tommy Benedetti-drums,Van Martin-guitar,Johnny Trama-guitar,Aaron Bellamy-bass,and Timo Shanko-sax/bass. The band came together in 2007, led by drummer Tommy Benedetti and guitarist, Johnny Trama.Tommy Benedetti is one of the founding members of American Reggae Pioneers,John Brown's Body. He brings a wealth of experience from the reggae/dub scene to the table,having recorded albums for the legendary Shanachie Label,John Zorn's Tzadik Label (mixed by Bill Laswell),and is currently with John Brown's Body on Easy Star Records. This history is combined with almost 2 decades of International touring,as well as backing some of the giants of Jamaican music,including The Meditations and Justin Hinds.

Guitarist Johnny Trama adds a soulful blues touch to the Dub Apocalypse signature sound.Trama has spent time on the road with the great Ron Levy, BB King's organ player, as well as many other regional rock and soul/r&b acts. Not long after Dub Apocalypse came together, longtime friend Timo Shanko entered the fold.A dual threat on both bass and saxophone,Shanko is a veteran of the blues and free jazz scene.He spent many years on the road with Blues legend, Eddie Kirkland, as well as with G. Love and Special Sauce. Shanko is also a prolific composer,and his improvisational stylings are an integral part of the Dub Apocalypse sound. Although DA started out as more of a collective,in the past few years the lineup has solidified with the addition of bassist Aaron Bellamy and guitarist Van Martin. Bellamy is a longtime fixture in the Boston funk scene,and in combination with Benedetti ,they form the deep,militant sound at the core of Dub Apocalypse.

Originally hailing from Chicago,Van Martin rounds out the lineup on guitar. Martin has much touring experience as well, including appearances with Bernie Worrell and Big Daddy Kane. His sonic textures,adventurous playing and songwriting have helped Dub Apocalypse take their sound to a new level. The DA sound is an evolving mix of original compositions and their own interpretations of classic Jamaican and UK songs and dub plates. Heavy hitting drum and bass grooves set the table. A twin guitar attack, with Trama's rhythmic anchor,and Martin's dub sonics, swirl in and out in tandem. These pieces, combined with Timo Shanko's Coltrane inspired sax approach, give Dub Apocalypse a sound that is truly their own.

The band has appeared at many clubs and festivals throughout New England.They've won a Boston Music Award,were named "One of 10 Local Acts You Need To Hear Now" by The Improper Bostonian,and have one of the most popular and longest running weekly residencies in Boston.Dub Apocalypse released their first cd, "Road To Oblivion" in March 2015.The cd release will be followed by an International release on vinyl through Mnemonic Dojo Records out of the UK.

From an early age, Green Lion Crew’s Zeke Stern and Dana Knowles became students of the sounds of Caribbean Culture. After a decade of producing in Jamaica, St. Croix, and the United States their collaboration list features some of the top acts in Reggae music. From producing for modern artists like Collie Buddz, Chronixx, Kabaka Pyramid, Jesse Royal, and Roe Summerz to working with legendary acts like Beenie Man, Capleton, Busy Signal, Akae Beka, and Lee “Scratch” Perry. Green Lion Crew continues to push the boundaries of sonics and style while madly celebrating the culture of Jamaica.

As anyone who is familiar with Reggae knows, the true thrill is in the live performance. With authentic knowledge of sound system culture, Green Lion Crew captures the audience with their addictive beats and rhythms, often having a guest vocalist double as the emcee and toastmaster.

They have been a staple in the east coast reggae scene for over a decade while sharing the stage with artists like Stephen Marley, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Stick Figure, Anthony B, and many more. They have entertained large crowds at festivals like Cali Roots from Mexico to Zimbabwe.

Since their inception, the music of Green Lion Crew has been heard on ESPN, Vice TV, and the X-Games. The group has been supported by tropical tastemakers like Walshy Fire of Major Lazer, David Rodigan from BBC 1xtra, and Yaadcore from Jamaica. In 2019 they teamed up with Ineffable Records to help elevate their releases and since then, their streaming catalog has surpassed 20 million lifetime streams. With a critically acclaimed album called Riddim Full of Culture released in 2022 and new production credits for Sizzla, Anthony B, Busy Signal, Bugle, The Movement, Yaadcore and more they show no signs of slowing down.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Press Room - Upstairs, 77 Daniel Street, Portsmouth, United States