Ziggy Marley and band performing on stage at Wolf Trap. Photo by Andrew Propp, courtesy of Wolf Trap

The afternoon got off to an ominous start with the skies opening and rain pouring down, eerily reminiscent of an earlier concert going debacle. Thankfully, the rain stopped, as if coaxed by the uplifting music of the Bob Marley Roots, Rock, Reggae Festival, held this past Sunday at Wolf Trap. But let’s face it, even if the rain had continued, it would have had little effect on those at the show, because no one could feel down while listening to music that exudes such joy and sunshine. Unfortunately, the deluge did prevent us from seeing the festival’s opening act, local reggae outfit Soldiers of Jah Army, but the remainder of the concert had everyone singing along to some of the most well-known songs ever written.

Walking through the crowd as veteran performer Barrington Levy took the stage, one could not help but notice the refreshing diversity of the audience. True-to-life rastas and college age wannabe rastas sat alongside suburban baby boomers with kids, and often grandkids, in tow. Wolf Trap deserves credit for recognizing the universal appeal of this music and creating an event where folks of all stripes could dance to the same beat.