Rebelution formed eight years ago when five college buddies from the Santa Barbara beach community of Isla Vista turned their mutual affinity for Reggae and Pop/Rock into an actual band. Initially, Rebelution worked on establishing a solid local base with constant gigging and a well-received indie EP, but it was the band’s 2007 debut full length, Courage to Grow, that broke them to a wider audience. Massive downloads, heavy radio play in Southern California and a Top 5 slot on Billboard’s Top Reggae Albums chart led iTunes to declare Courage to Grow the best Reggae album of 2007. The band was trimmed to a quartet when vocalist/guitarist Matt Velasquez left shortly after the release of Courage (half of which he wrote), leaving Eric Rachmany as the lone frontman.
In 2009, Rebelution dropped its sophomore album, Bright Side of Life, proving that Velasquez’s departure hadn’t diminished the band’s appeal. Upon its iTunes release, Bright Side of Life was the site’s No. 1 Reggae download and the third most downloaded album overall. The recording also launched the band’s own label, 87 Music, in cooperation with Controlled Substance Sound Labs, the California music collective. Peace of Mind, Rebelution’s expansive new triple album, notched the biggest numbers in the band’s history after its January release, debuting at No. 13 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart and taking the No. 1 slot on both the Reggae and Independent releases charts.
Rebelution’s infectious blend of Reggae and Pop underscores their socially conscious lyrics, creating a positive vibration that has proven to be engaging and wildly popular.
REBELUTION performs Wednesday, March 28 with guests The Green and Pep Love at the Madison Theater. Buy tickets, check out performance times and get venue details here.
