It was a beautiful Sunday evening at Riverfront Park in Harrisburg, PA, for Stephen “Ragga” and Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and their Traffic Jam Tour. This was the second installment of the Traffic Jam Tour; the first took place early last year, and I had the opportunity to attend the Philadelphia show in March of ’24. I surprised my wife for her birthday since she had never seen either of the Marley brothers perform live.

Stephen and Damian consistently deliver an outstanding performance, showcasing their incredible chemistry while guiding the crowd through a journey of reggae’s past, present, and future. They highlight their solo work, powerful collaborations, and fantastic renditions of their fathers’ timeless classics. Over the past two decades, they have teamed up on numerous musical projects, most recently collaborating with Baby Cham on “Hustling in My Blood” and “Cast the First Stone” from Stephen Marley’s album Old Soul, along with many other hit songs that reflect their unmistakable bond. You can clearly see the love they have for each other, their music, the message they convey, and their audience.

The night began with the band playing, setting the stage for an exciting journey ahead. As Bob Marley’s voice welcomed us into “10,000 Chariots,” Stephen stepped onto the stage, ready to deliver a musical stampede. Damian burst onto the scene, taking control of the mic, and the energy in the room surged like midnight ravers.“Pom, rom, pa, ba, dom, ba, dom, ba, ba, dom. Babba, dom, ba, dabba, dom, ba, dom, ba, ba, dom” the tour title track is next as Stephen takes us through the “Traffic Jam.” Stephen singing, “First thing him waan to know is where dat smell is comin’ from. Are you smokin’ marijuana?” to which the crowd enthusiastically replied, “Yes, I am!”

Then, the performance shifted to a classic Bob Marley song, “So Much Trouble,” blended with Damian’s own spin, “Trouble.” Hearing these mash-ups was something special; they provided a fresh sound while staying true to the vibe and message of Bob Marley’s classics. Stephen also treated us to one of his hits, “Hey Baby.” At 18 years old, it’s already becoming a classic in its own right, and he sounded fantastic while performing it.

There’s one good thing about music: when it hits, you feel no pain! Next up is Damian’s “Kingston 12,” with Stephen kicking things off with the hooks, and then Damian brings so much energy that he captivates the crowd. It’s as if we’re all in Kingston 12, grooving together. They have such a wide selection of songs to choose from, and this set list is a refreshing change from previous years’ Traffic Jam Tours, which is fantastic. The high energy and positive vibes continue as they perform “All Night.” They do a playful “dance” where they hold their arms straight out in front of them and march towards each other. The smiles on their faces are enormous; you can see they are having a great time together. Their love for performing shines through and resonates with the audience.

One of my absolute favorite songs that they have performed together, which I have not yet heard live, is “Pimpa’s Paradise.” Taken from Bob’s hit song, they have done an amazing job remixing this version. As Stephen starts with, “Hey! She loves to party, have a good time,” I get chills, and when Damian chimes in with, “’Cause coke was a thing that once she first tried. Was once a blue moon to once a blue sky,” I feel choked up. There are certain songs that hit just right and can transport you to another place, like a natural mystic flowing through the air. This feeling continues with “Move!” as Damian flows so effortlessly on the mic, fast and furious.

When Stephen grabs his guitar, we know we are about to hear “Tight Ship.” This song refers to a disciplined and orderly environment, particularly within a family or community. It pays homage to his father and his work ethic with the line, “There is no room for mistakes, papa said, sailing a tight ship ashore.” Damian then addresses the haters, stating that nothing was handed to them; they work harder than anyone else: “Nuff a dem a get bad mind and saying, ‘Those arrogant Marleys.’ Them say who Jah bless, no man curse; Babylon is harmless. Alright now, nuff a dem hard at work, them watching who’s working the hardest.” “It Was Written” comes through the speakers with Damian leading the way. This song sounds amazing, and the only thing that could have made it any better is if Capleton strolled out on stage.

Stephen asked the crowd, “Do you love reggae music?” The response was a resounding, “YES!” He repeated the question, and the crowd responded even louder, “YES!!!” 

One of the best songs to hear live from Stephen and Damian is “Jah Army.” There was so much energy and interaction between the brothers, and their grins and smiles were fantastic to see.

Next, it was time for Jr. Gong to educate us on all the benefits of marijuana as they transitioned into “Medication.” Stephen’s sweet voice rang through on the hook, complemented by Damian’s masterful vocals and lyrics. When Damian sang, “Inna fields of marijuana, that is my playground,” the crowd responded loudly, “I LOVE YOU, MARY JANE!” He seemed to enjoy the response so much that he took us back through the lyrics a second time.

It was now time for a crowd favorite and another classic from Ragga and Jr. Gong, “The Mission.” The audience excitedly reacted as they heard the band start playing, and the energy levels rose, feeding Stephen and Damian as they delivered a powerful performance. While the band sounded amazing all night, they particularly shone during this song, especially with the impressive guitar solos that elevated the energy even further. Damian then delivered “Love and Inity,” going through his lyrics in a militant and powerful manner, giving shout-outs to his brothers and Buju. He mentioned, “Well, tell ’bout ‘Works To Do’ by Ziggy Marley. Buju Banton raggamuffin with the Do-Re-Mi. ‘Loving Clear’ by Ju Ju Royalty. Under the Maestro with I ‘My Daddy’.” 

The band smoothly flowed into a Stephen Marley live standard, “Punky Reggae Party,” as he encouraged the crowd to join in: “New wave, new craze (Punky punky punk). New wave, new wave, new phrase (Punky punky punk).” This elevated the joyous atmosphere that everyone was enjoying! The sun was shining, the weather was sweet, it was making us want to move our dancing feet as Stephen performed “Sun Is Shining.” His rendition was so sweet that you could feel Bob Marley’s spirit in the air. When the band began the first few notes of “Is This Love,” the crowd erupted with excitement! Ragga and Jr. Gong did a fantastic job covering this song, and the audience always appreciates their performance. Not a single person in the crowd was standing still; everyone was singing along, dancing, and enjoying the good vibes together.

Just when you think the energy and excitement couldn’t get any higher, “Rock Stone” hits the speakers. The band is vibing, Stephen is nailing the lyrics, and Damian is dancing all over the stage. The crowd bounces up and down, following Damian’s lead. But when they drop into the dubstep, BAM! The liveliness reaches a whole new level!

Then, Damian brings out his son Elijah, and WOW does he sound good. The talent clearly runs in the family. As Elijah steps onto the stage to take a verse on “Rock Stone,” he instantly engages the crowd. He transitions into a reggae version of Blake Shelton’s “God’s Country,” singing: “Sittin’ with my uncle and daddy on the muddy riverside.  Baptized in reggae music and vibes with the dogs runnin’.  Saved by the sound of being found; roots reggae in the wind,  

That’ll get you Heaven-bound.  The devil went down to Kingston, but he didn’t stick around.”

When he shouts, “Hands up now!” if you had your eyes closed, you would think it was a young Damian performing on stage. Elijah brings his own Damianesque flair, toasting and showcasing his quick cadence as he jumps up and down. Stephen yells to the crowd, “Give it up for little Zilla!” and the crowd erupts. It was fantastic!

Zilla asked the crowd if they wanted to hear some new music, and I immediately thought it had to be “Hustling In My Blood.” I turned to my wife and said, “I wonder if Baby Cham is here.” Just then, Cham came out as Stephen kicked off the hook, singing, “Hustling ina mi blood. Guh for it ina di mud. Tru the fire and the flood. Listen to my every wud. Whoa, we the strongest of the strongest. Whoa, we will be here the longest.” This is my favorite song right now; it’s so good. Baby Cham took over with his verse, captivating the crowd, followed by Damian, who delivered his verse powerfully. The audience was bobbing their heads, clearly enjoying the performance. Cham then launched into his classic hit “Ghetto Story,” again commanding the stage and the crowd. The energy was electric, and it was incredibly entertaining, a perfect addition to the Traffic Jam tour!

Damian asked the crowd to pull out their lighters and phones and wave them in the air as he transitioned into “Road to Zion,” a song that always hits me emotionally. The music flowed through the air as Damian guided us on this journey with his lyrical prowess. “I got to keep on walkin’, on the road to Zion, man. Hey, we got to keep it burnin’, on the road to Zion, man.” The piano began, and Damian stated, “I just want to say, it’s not where you are from, it’s where you’re going.” We all knew what was coming next as he called out, “Jamaica, Jamaica, Yeah, Jamaica, Jamaica, Yeah, Jamaica, Jamaica, Yeah, Jamaica, Jamaica!” No matter how many times I’ve heard “Welcome to Jamrock,” it never gets old. You can never tire of hearing it, especially live. Damian brought the energy, and the crowd sang and danced along with him, making it an experience to truly cherish.

As the show was winding down, it was time for the Bob Marley classic, “Exodus.” With the sound of guitars strumming in the air, Stephen and Damian took us on a journey through the masterpiece created by Bob Marley and the Wailers. It was the perfect ending to the Traffic Jam Tour. As the brothers walked off the stage to thunderous applause, we all sensed there was one more song left in them. The tour manager asked the crowd if they wanted more, and a resounding “YES” rang out. He asked again, and we erupted with another enthusiastic “YES!” 

Encouraging us to chant “Marley, Marley,” the energy within the crowd grew. As we called out Marley, we heard the distinct, syncopated riff of the guitar with the popcorn picking, followed by the Cuica drum. The keyboard entered on the downbeat, and everyone began singing along to “Could You Be Loved.” J. Boog joined them on stage to deliver a few verses, lending an outstanding performance that brought a Pacific Island vibe to the mix. Baby Cham also joined in, ramping up the energy even more. 

It was the most positive and perfect way to end the night—a celebration filled with great music, beautiful vibes, and lots of love. My wife loved the show, and finally getting to see them both live. She loved hearing Stephen’s voice and watching Damian as he danced and controlled the crowd all night.

I have seen Stephen live in concert over 15 times and Damian nearly as many. I can confidently say that every performance, especially when they perform together, gets better and better. They are like a fine wine that improves with age. Their sound is flawless, the vibe is unmatched, their vocals are as powerful as ever, and the energy is incredible. There is truly a natural mystic surrounding them when they are together. This show was an absolute masterpiece and a joy to experience.

One Love, Todd M. Judd