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One Love Reggae Harborfest - FleetBoston Pavilion - September 18 2004 - Boston

If there ever was a day in desperate need of music suggesting warm Caribbean breezes, it was the spectacularly dreary Saturday at FleetBoston Pavilion.

Though the eight-hour One Love Reggae Harborfest couldn't quite transform the unseasonably raw temperatures into a balmy day at the beach, it injected enough island spice to keep the crowd -- far short of a sellout -- dancing well into the evening.

Love, respect, and unity were the buzzwords for the day -- not uncommon in reggae, but in stark contrast to recent controversies about homophobic lyrics by such dancehall artists as Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, and Elephant Man. Last week, Capleton was dropped from San Francisco's upcoming Reggae in the Park festival after complaints that some of his songs degrade gay men and promote antigay violence.

At Harborfest, there were no protests against Capleton, and throughout his performance, there was no clear evidence of derogatory terms or songs against gay men. Since he closed the show, he was essentially the headliner, but the evening's best set belonged to Barrington Levy.

Of course, any artist who uses as his introductory fanfare the majestic theme from "2001: A Space Odyssey" better plan on a blazing performance, and Levy did not disappoint. Backed by a tight four-piece band, Levy was in fine voice, offering such classics as "She's Mine," "Living Dangerously," "Murderer," and "Black Roses."

Unlike some of the day's other acts who relied on medleys of their greatest hits, Levy provided meaty, full-length versions of his songs, so his set felt more relaxed and satisfying. And while making clear he was not advocating drug use, he even found time to extol the virtues of marijuana over cocaine -- advice more than a few in the audience were only too happy to accept.

Another crowd favorite, especially among the college-age attendees, was John Brown's Body, which has its roots in the early 1990s Boston-based band Tribulations. With a three-piece horn section, JBB's music leans more toward ska with messages of spirituality and social uplift. The band, led by singer-guitarist Kevin Kinsella, is so enthusiastic one can almost forgive the fake Jamaican accents its members employ while singing.

Soca singer Kevin Lyttle, whose self-titled debut has been one of the year's surprise hits, offered a brief set, including his breakthrough, "Turn Me On." He was accompanied by a DJ and a backup singer, but not a live band, and real instrumentation might have helped, since Lyttle's voice is reedy, nasal, and after more than two songs, downright irritating.

More authoritative was Cocoa Tea, who in addition to his own songs, such as "She Loves Me Now," tossed in bits of Sam Cooke's "Another Saturday Night" and Harry Belafonte's "Jamaica Farewell."

With so many Caribbean artists on hand, there were numerous references to Hurricane Ivan (the chilly, drizzly remnants of which made its presence felt) and other storms that have recently devastated parts of Jamaica and Grenada. There was a booth for those who wanted to make contributions for relief efforts, while singer Chuck Fenda encouraged people to "pray for Jamaica" and dedicated his set to "hurricane victims all over the world."