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A Musical Tribute to Nathan Martisius ft. Dub Congress & Friends, Kava Jah & The Remedy, DJ Robert Rankin *SOLD OUT - THANK YOU!*
Sat, 10 May, 9:00 PM PDT
Doors open
8:00 PM PDT
Moe's Alley
1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95065
TICKET SALES TERMINATED
Tickets are currently unavailable on TicketWeb
Description
This is a special tribute show celebrating the life and legacy of local legend NATHAN MARTISIUS.
Saturday, May 10th
Doors: 8pm / Show: 9pm
$15 in advance / $20 day of the show
21+
Best known as the front-man and lead singer of Santa Cruz's own DUB CONGRESS, Nathan passed away on May 10, 2024. One year later to the day, the members of Dub Congress will honor their bandmate and brother-in-arms by performing the band's songs alongside an all-star selection of guest singers and musicians, assembled from near and far to remember and honor Nathan and his music.
Nathan was a leading light in the Santa Cruz reggae community. He was an innovative and constantly fresh creative presence who, alongside his Dub Congress comrades, carved out a unique and lasting musical legacy over the course of 30 years as a celebrated performer and recording artist.
On May 10, 2025, DUB CONGRESS & FRIENDS will honor Nathan in the best way they can: with a musical tribute in his honor. We humbly invite all fans, friends, followers, the whole Santa Cruz reggae massive, and the community at large, to join us in joyous remembrance.
KAVA JAH & THE REMEDY, representing the Jamaica-California connection at its finest, were a favorite of Nathan's, with ties of friendship and mutual respect forged over the course of many years. They'll be on hand to elevate this special event with a blazing set of original roots reggae presented in Nathan's honor.
Star selector DJ ROBERT RANKIN, a staunch supporter and friend of Nathan and Dub Congress since the earliest days, rounds out the line-up. Count on Robert to come through with the wickedest selection of roots reggae, dancehall, and dub to keep the vibes lit and the dancefloor bubbling. Nathan wouldn't have it any other way.
Event Information
Age Limit
21+
Reggae
Dub Congress
Dub Congress
Reggae
Formed in 1994, Dub Congress remains a prime mover in the West Coast reggae and dub scene. Best known for their influential 2002 album Down in Santa Cruz – a wry tribute to their hometown, and arguably the city’s definitive musical statement of that era – they unofficially retired in 2009, then made a surprise comeback in 2019 to mark the 25th anniversary of the band’s formation.
Now, for their very first post-pandemic performance, Dub Congress returns to Moe’s Alley, where they will once again bless the stage with their heavyweight brand of reggae, dancehall, and dub.
Dub Congress in 2023 still features a classic lineup of original members: On lead vocals and guitar, Nathan Martisius, whose conscious, visionary songwriting and off-the-dome freestyles have always benchmarked the band’s approach. On lead guitar, Ehrin Poklen, whose unique plucking style is a treasured and essential feature of the Dub Congress sound. On keyboards, Danny Dub, a veteran bubbler with a long list of touring and recording credits, including stints with The Itals, Fiji, Inka Inka, and Native Elements. On drums, Aaron Sonnenshine (AKA Sunshine), whose booming kick drum and crashing cymbals mark a style that traces back to the heaviest roots reggae of the 1970s. And making his Dub Congress debut at Moe’s Alley, new bassist Matt Barnett joins the crew for the first time, bringing a blast of fresh energy to the band’s three-decade legacy.
Reggae
Kava Jah and The Remedy
Kava Jah and The Remedy
Reggae
Kava Jah, born Junior Johnson, in Cumberland, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica, is a reggae artist who writes, sings, and chants his own lyrics in his own style. Born into a family with musical roots, Kava Jah's father Levi Johnson was a teacher of music at the Spalding's Comprehensive High School and choir master in the church. He was a leader in the community both musically and spiritually. Kava Jah began working with Gumption Music Production out of Kingston, Jamaica creating, recording, and preparing to tour. In 2012 Kava Jah joined the I-Kronik band as lead singer and songwriter touring internationally and sharing the stage with artists such as Romain Virgo, Luciano, Protoje, David Hines of Steel Pulse, Junior Reid, I-Wayne, and many more. In 2016, Kava Jah joined The Root System band after relocating to Santa Cruz, Ca. Many of his original song works made up The Root Systems live performances. In 2017, Kava Jah and The Remedy formed and is still active with performances throughout California. Kava Jah and The Remedy has played for many venues and has supported international reggae acts ranging from The Gladiators, Cocoa Tea, Yellowman, Prezident Brown, Sister Carol, The Mighty Diamonds, Collie Buddz, The Itals, Israel Vibrations and Black Uhuru. Kava Jah has released many singles having worked with a variety of producers. Most recent works from Kava Jah and The Remedy released February 2022 with another full length album to drop in 2023.