The Elovaters at Jannus Live (Review)

It was once said, “God loves Reggae”. Tonight may have been some proof. The rain clouds parted for clear skies as the gates opened at Jannus Live in St. Petersburg, Florida to start The Elovaters New Year’s Eve run in the sunshine state. There is something magical about this venue. Sonically, the sound is always amazing, the energy is always electric and when you add the stars in the sky above you, it has all the makings of a beautiful night out and memories that will last. Tonight The Elovaters are starting their 4 show Sold Out New Year’s Eve run in Florida. The Boston boys have been on an absolute tear over the last few years. Their album Castles is widely considered one of the very best reggae albums of 2021. And I think you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t believe that Endless Summer is at the top of the list in 2023. Lead singer Jackson’s lyrics and vocals are top shelf and musically every band member is super tight and clearly understands how to create extremely catchy yet timeless tunes. I was pretty gassed to finally see them live after running countless miles on the treadmill to their playlist. Setting things off was support from Surfer Girl music and Swayze both commanded the stage and had the crowd on hanging on every word. There was an extra pop from the audience when Swayze brought out Florida’s own Little John Rex of Artikal Sound System who is a star in the making. The Elovaters hit the stage around 9:30 and by 9:31 it was clear why they are the People’s Champs. The crowd knew every word and was happy to sing along as the boys ran through favorite after favorite not missing a beat. A few stand-up moments for me were performances of, MIA, Roll Up, Gimmie Love, Mind Bender (with Surfer Girl), and of course Endless Summer. The Elovators keep shining brighter. And on this December night, they brought the summer back even if just for a few hours.