Gig review: The Wailers, Glasgow

Such is the enduring reach of Bob Marley’s music 30 years after his death, that an nth generation incarnation of his former backing band, featuring one original member in the person of unassuming bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett, can still raise the spirits of fans of all ages at capacity shows such as this one, which aimed for a mini-indoor festival vibe with a Jamaican food stall and acres of merchandise in any colour as long as it was red, gold and green.

The Wailers at T in the Park last year. Picture: Jane Barlow

The Wailers - ABC, Glasgow

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Fortunately, the music was fresh and fragrant enough to mask the smell of Bob-as-brand, as The Wailers worked their way through greatest hits compilation Legend – the best-selling reggae album of all time – in its entirety.

Frontman Koolant Brown has big shoes to fill. Wisely, he didn’t try to match up to Marley but, even though the songs were the stars here and the crowd needed little encouragement to sing along with such a classic setlist, he could still have projected more spirit in his performance.

Backing vocalist Cegee Victory acquitted her role deputising for Marley’s Three I’s with sweet serenity.

Though her fellow musicians were not the most vibrant performers, the show was studded with moments to cherish such as the beautiful, lyrical guitar work from Audley Chisholm on Waiting In Vain which hardly needed the brief call-and-response mash-up with Tina Turner’s What’s Love Got To Do With It? to enhance its story.