Bob Marley was nothing if not prolific, both professionally and personally. In the 36 years he lived before he succumbed to cancer, the iconic Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter and activist released 13 albums (one posthumously) and fathered 11 children, nine of them biologically. Of those 11, seven have spawned their own careers in music, including the five sons—Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Ky-Mani Marley, and Julian Marley—who are now performing together across North America.
The Legacy Tour is, indeed, a testament to Bob’s enduring impact on the world, 43 years after his untimely passing. Two decades since their last shows together, the aforementioned quintet of Bob’s boys returned to the road to remind the musical world that the Marley name still very much matters, ahead of what would have been their father’s 80th birthday in 2025.
As the five Marley brothers showed during their mid-September visit to the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, CA, there is so much more to that legacy—and this tour—than just the legendary songbook that their father left behind.
The five sons, who have a combined 22 Grammy Awards (including Julian’s for “Best Reggae Album” in 2024), got roughly equal time in the spotlight. After an opening DJ set by Geefus of Stone Love, Ziggy, Stephen, Damian, Ky-Mani, and Julian emerged onstage amid a video projection of their father preparing to perform “Natural Mystic”. His sons did the same, taking choreographed turns on the mic to their dad’s mesmerizing track. They continued to share—as well-raised brothers would—through “Get Up, Stand Up” and “Iron Lion Zion”, both of which whipped the enthusiastic crowd into a cloudy frenzy.
Save for a similar splitting of duties on “Wake Up and Live” in the middle of the show, the Marley brothers spent most of the rest of the main set handing off the proverbial baton from song to song.
As the eldest of Bob’s sons, Ziggy started that portion of the proceedings with a heartwarming rendition of “Coming in From the Cold”. He then slid aside in favor of Julian for “Positive Vibrations”, who, in turn, ceded the stage to Ky-Mani on “Heathen”. Once Ky-Mani’s stint had come and gone, Stephen stepped in for “Rebel Music (3 O’Clock Roadblock)” before giving way to Damian, his most frequent Marley family collaborator, on “Concrete Jungle”.
Shortly thereafter, the pace between songs and brothers quickened a bit. Ziggy and Stephen shared vocal duties on “War”, which bled right into Damian’s starring role on “No More Trouble”. Julian then handled “Running Away” with aplomb, seamlessly setting the stage for Ky-Mani and Damian to combine on “Crazy Baldhead”.
That began another rotation of the brothers through Bob’s catalog. Ziggy sweetly sang “Three Little Birds”, with bits of support from Damian and Stephen. Damian subsequently lent his signature jamrock fervor to “Is This Love” ahead of Stephen’s spot-on impression of their father on “Don’t Rock My Boat (Satisfy My Soul)”. Ky-Mani manned the mic for “Buffalo Soldier”, while Julian had the audience jumping to “Jamming”.
The night didn’t belong entirely to songs by Bob Marley and The Wailers, though. Each of the brothers got to trot out an original track or two of his own.
Julian spent his solo spotlight on “Boom Draw”. For Ky-Mani, it was “New Heights”. Ziggy took two song slots for “Shalom Salaam” and “Melancholy Mood”. Stephen joined Damian on their seminal cannabis anthem “Medication”, the latter of whom also slipped in “Me Name Jr. Gong”—along with jamrock verses throughout his father’s songs. One such feature came toward the end of the show on “Kaya”. Ziggy took the lead on vocals, but was joined by his brothers on the chorus.
The five Marleys closed out the main set by returning to their rotating ways on “Exodus”, and kept that going during an encore of “Could You Be Loved” and “One Love”.
The brothers’ visit to Chula Vista marked just the fifth in their 22-date tour. They will spend the next three weeks winding their way across the United States and Canada before wrapping up their road trip in Miami—the city where their father took his last breath in 1981. Find tickets and a full list of tour dates on Ticketmaster, and check out photos from Josh Martin along with fan-shot videos from Marcio Marley.
The Marley Brothers — “Exodus” — 9/11/24
Setlist: The Marley Brothers | North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre | Chula Vista, CA | 9/11/24
Set: Natural Mystic, Get Up, Stand Up, Iron Lion Zion, So Much Trouble, Coming in From the Cold, Rastaman Vibration, Heathen, Rebel Music (3 O’Clock Roadblock), Concrete Jungle, Wake Up and Live, Shalom Salaam, War / No More Trouble, Three Little Birds, Is This Love, Don’t Rock My Boat (Satisfy My Soul), Buffalo Soldier, Jamming, Melancholy Mood, Boom Draw, New Heights, Medication, Kaya, Exodus
Encore: Could You Be Loved, One Love
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