live in the rainbowwho captured the sound and spirit of Bob Marley at its peak, was long considered a classic concert film. But the issue of June 4, 1977 available for a long time only covered a quarter of the music of Bob, The Wailers and The I Three created during a series of triumphant performances at the dawn of a long hot summer in London. Now the love and rebellion they sparked over the previous three nights has been unleashed for the first time. The power and intensity of the music is unmatched. But in hindsight, the prophet of reggae’s moment of triumph offers a clue to the human vulnerability that would alienate him from the world.

Bob Marley found 1977 to be a pivotal year. The superstar was no stranger to life outside of Jamaica, having worked and toured the United States and Europe for months. But this time, Bob hadn’t chosen to move: it was a life or death decision. He and his wife Rita had been shot dead by intruders at their home in Kingston, Jamaica, in December 1976, an incident linked to political violence that has plagued the island. Although neither was seriously injured, it was a short-lived affair. Bob needed to leave Jamaica for a while to let things calm down.

Listen to Bob Marley’s live sets on July 1, 2, 3 and 4 at the Rainbow.

After a brief stay in Nassau, he and the Wailers moved to Chelsea, west London in January 1977, close to the headquarters of Island Records. As always, Marley made the most of the hand dealt to him. He undertook to record a certain number of titles, of which 10 became Exoduslater stated by Time magazine the best album of the 20th century. Exodus‘ was partly inspired by his escape from Jamaica, and its fervent atmosphere was influenced by the feverish London music scene of that year, which quivered with peak-era punk rock and considered reggae its sound. partner in the musical revolution.

Exodus was released on June 3, 1977 and charted worldwide. Marley and The Wailers were already on the road promoting it. The Exodus tour kicked off at the Paris Pavilion on May 10, with concerts in Belgium, Sweden, West Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark, before a four-night climax at the Rainbow Theater in Finsbury Park , north of London. The cavernous old cinema was a prestigious venue: if you had headlined this 2,800-seat hall, you would have. Marley’s 1975 London showcase at the Lyceum scored a breakthrough by delivering his classic Live! album and the accompanying hit “No Woman, No Cry”. The Rainbow was a step up, and its mobs of ability greeted the Rasta communicator as a conquering hero. He rewarded them with compelling sets that saw deeper material side by side with hymns.

Each show was distinctly different. The first night opened with haunting live versions of the new album’s first three songs – “Natural Mystic”, “So Much Things To Say” and “Guiltiness” – but overnight they disappeared, replaced by the old favorites from the show “Rebel”. Music (3 O’Clock Roadblock)”, “Burnin’ and Lootin'”, and “Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)”. A medley intertwining “Crazy Baldhead” with “Running Away”, one of many other tracks Bob recorded in London, which would not appear on record until the following year, was also added. kayak. By night three, the opening number had become “Trenchtown Rock”. The Wailers, totally in tune with Marley’s mood, handled the changing setlist with precision. Hypnotized by “War/No More Trouble,” rocked by “Lively Up Yourself,” and tasked with an extended encore that culminated in “Exodus,” Rainbow crowds were treated to an unparalleled musical high.

Bob needed the lyrics to “No More Trouble”: he was dealing with his own worries. On June 4, he went to Marylebone Magistrates Court, where he was fined £50 for possession of ganja following an arrest in March. On that night’s show, he delivered “War” and “Exodus” with added venom, and the line “erase the transgression, set the captives free” was completed with a growling laugh instead of the last word. .

But the reggae lion faced a far more critical problem than an entanglement with Babylon, one that couldn’t be faced defiantly on stage. Bob had suffered what he assumed was a toe injury sustained during a football match, but a London doctor discovered melanoma cells in the wound. This cancer will end the singer’s stay on earth five years later. Bob’s triumphal residency at the Rainbow came to an abrupt end. A US tour, his expected US triumph, was also cancelled. But the music Bob created on those four remarkable Rainbow Nights and the love he inspired is with us forever. His presence remains, positive and energetic, a musician at the height of his powers.

Listen to Bob Marley’s live sets on July 1, 2, 3 and 4 at the Rainbow.