Staples, Cliff Show the Way at Lolla Opening Day

It's a Lolla tradition to spotlight Elder Statesmen (and Stateswomen) of the music industry and Day 1 this year showcased two of influential singers to great effect.




Gospel icon Mavis Staples hit the Budweiser stage right on schedule Friday afternoon, kicking off her set with an acappella song that lead in to a rousing number from her soon-to-be released Jeff Tweedy-produced CD. The 71-year-old Staples, daughter of Pops Staples and one of the members of Chicago's First Family of Gospel Music, took the boisterous crowd to church and then to task, eventually letting them know that she would carry their burden. Midway through her set (following a guest appearance by Wilco's Tweedy on guitar) Staples picked up The Band's "The Weight"(which the Staples Singers performed with The Band at that group's Last Waltz in 1977), and arms widestretched, exhorted the crowd to "Put the Load right on me" and it looked like she could shoulder it all.

Staples closed the set after another Tweedy appearance) with "I'll Take You There," a hit by the first family in 1972, and an urge to the crowd that she take them -- and they take her. Quite a contrast to those preaching hellfire and damnation to all us sinners within hearing of their bullhorn. Too bad they missed her set.

A couple hours later on the Playstation stage reggae groundbreaker Jimmy Cliff treated a packed and enthusiastic crowd to hit after hit, including "The Harder They Come," Sitting in Limbo," "You Can Get It if You really Want," and a sweet "Many Rivers to Cross" -- all from the soundtrack of Cliff's breakthrough bad guy film, The Harder They Come. While never attaining the status of Bob Marley, Cliff should get the credit for breaking reggae music in the U.S., opening the way for Marley, Peter Tosh, and stirring the influence of that music into the American melting pot.

Politics are never far from Cliff's shows and he updated his anti-war anthem "Vietnam" to Afghanistan," even making the "telegram" an e-mail. Sadly the song, as Cliff noted, is still relevant.

He covered Cat Stevens' "Wild World," a minor hit for him, and also Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now," a Nash hit on its original release in 1972 and a hit more than 20 years later for Cliff.

But his most effective cover of the set was his closing number, The Melodian's "Rivers of Babylon," a song Jamaican group he introduced to the U.S. Seated at a conga drum and supported by four other congas (his band was tight and great all day), Cliff whispered and crooned and sang as he and his band pounded a soft rhythm to this great Rastafarian hymn