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A few minutes latter another one of the firefly crew comes over and invites us to move deeper in, there’s ‘plenty’ of room. We stop about 20 feet from the stage, and I smile to myself, how cool that almost everyone from the firefly night is now at Ben Harper and none of us had talked to each other about it? Makes perfect sense though, like attracts like and the similarities are numerous between seeing Ben Harper perform live at World’s Fair Park and watching thousands of fireflies light up the darkness.

When Damien Marley’s crew came out, almost all of them are dressed in camo, as if they are dressed for war. I had a feeling he’d be all about ‘businesses’. It’s one of the reasons I love reggae music so much, it has a voice, a consciousness. It is all about educating and encouraging others to join the fight. Damien is much rougher than Bob; in style and content, he comes off harder. But from my limited experience in Jamaica and urban America I can see why. There has been growth and change since Bob was singing but not as much as many would like to see. And the original fight is against apathy, so Damien hits hard in an effort to wake people up. The crowd, of primarily 20 something white kids was listening intently as he educated us on eating ital (similar to vegan, which orthodox Rastafarians do for their physical and spiritual health) and getting enough rest. We chanted ‘Be Brave’ back and forth with Damien, jumped up and down, and were entertained with the dancing of his two back up singers. The surprise of the evening, for me, was when his brother, Steven, (Ziggy’s little brother) came out and sang a song with Damien! Near the end of their set I notice a new guy standing next to me very still. He has sun glasses like Tom Cruise circa 1986 in Top Gun, and he is recording the show with a fancy wireless notebook. I hand him my email address when he left, never saying a word to him. I hope he gets that I want a copy?

As the darkness gradually spread over us the light seemed to grow. That light within each of us, that buzz and excitement during a really good live show. Some time during the short break between sets the first star came out, just to the right. Someone noticed it and spread the word on down. See, by the time Ben came on we were one big happy family. Everyone was talking with everyone. Like TJ and Lydia, the really cool couple in front of me that had driven from Winchester, KY to see the show. We even exchanged numbers before the evening was over.

Ben and the Innocent Criminals kicked it off with a pseudo acoustic version of ‘Burn One Down’ and everyone went wild. The glow sticks began whizzing through the air, along with beach balls, and smoke. Before long a girl just in front of me was lifted above our heads and entrusted to the few hands that weren’t smoking and drinking to keep her moving along, several more quickly followed her lead. Within a few songs, the glow sticks started breaking and spilling their radioactive looking funk all over everyone and some dude close to me accidentally got hit in the face and his nose was bleeding. So people quickly chilled out. It was actually the most polite and considerate crowd I’ve ever had the pleasure of being in. Maybe it’s all the UT football games and Bonnaroo practice, or maybe because it was Ben Harper? But seriously, I didn’t even have to fight to keep my place the whole night, and I could dance too? Ben and the guys started tentatively almost, feeling us out, warming themselves up and gauging if we were there strictly to be entertained or if we wanted some inspiration as well. Ben moved through his set list digging deep in the vaults and pulling out the 3 soon to be classics from his latest, Both Sides of the Gun. The whole Marley crew came back out for ‘Get up, Stand Up” and they even did an amazing cover of ‘Heart of Gold’ with Jason Yates playing a mean harmonica. Oh and Juan Nelson sang a couple times and did a mesmerizing bass solo, which had Ben fanning him with a towel, because we all dug it so much, so he played than I think he was going to. As more stars came out, Ben dug deeper and deeper in himself and in performing his songs that touch more obviously on his spirituality. When he played, ‘Where Could I Go?’ he pulled away from the mic, pulled way - away from it and … just paused there. We all continued to cheer and I kept thinking at any second he’d step up and wail out, ‘but to the Lord’. But he stayed away so long I wonder if he wasn’t choked up? I can only imagine what it must be like for a musician to put their heart and soul into a song, especially about something as personal as their spirituality, and then go out on stage and perform it for thousands of people. Can you imagine opening yourself up to the judgments and opinions of so many? Now that takes GUTS! And then when they ‘get it’? I’d be choked up! I just remember throwing my hands open wide and seeing so many around me doing the same, patiently waiting for him to come put a voice to what we were all feeling. He began the acoustic set with ‘My Own Two Hands’ and as I sang along with everyone else, I wondered if hearing songs like this inspire others the way they inspire me to make the world a better place? I had a flashback of being upset at 4 or 5 because baby seals were being clubbed to death in Alaska. My Mom suggested I write the president a letter; tell him what I think about it, like it was Grandma or something? So, I did, and we mailed it too. That’s when it started for me, way back then. I wonder about others though, do they believe they can make a difference, do they use their own two hands, and does Ben’s music inspire and encourage them? What about you? Ben clearly is up there with more on his mind than just entertaining us. Something about soaking in Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals that leaves me feeling more refreshed than the best sleep. He sets off a spark within me and each time I’m awakened to another means of fighting the apathy that surrounds us. I hope if you were there that you are inspired to get involved. And if you weren’t, just get his latest album, and listen to the first track, ‘Better Way’ if it’s inspiration you need. Oh, and if you need help finding a direction to begin, hit me up.

--Gretchen Paxton has been working in the music biz since she was 15 and has been a fan since she could hear. She is also a writer and an activist.