February Level the Vibes to Feature Chicago Selector Ali Baba & Denver’s Levi “Top Dog” Vermont
Level the Vibes at The Black Box
Level the Vibes is Denver’s newest reggae showcase. It takes place at The Black Box in Denver, CO on the 4th Thursday of every month. The event is hosted by Capital Hill Hi-Fi, a collaboration with Denver Vintage Reggae Society and Spellbinder, and each month it will feature guest performances by local, national, and international artists and selectors. The goal of the concert series is to celebrate and promote the golden era of early dancehall and reggae music. Level the Vibes kicked off the first show this past January with Jamaican dancehall legend, Ranking Joe, and the evening was a huge success. Level the Vibes is a strictly sound system style party, with two turntables, a microphone, and the obligatory participation of a crowd of enthusiastic listeners. If you don’t know what a sound system party is, Level the Vibes is the perfect place to find out.
Capital Hill Hi-Fi
Capital Hill Hi-Fi is a collaborative effort between Adam Hester and Wesely Summerhill of Denver Vintage Reggae Society, and Denver local reggae artist and MC, Spellbinder. The project was started to host the monthly Level the Vibes shows at The Black Box and bring together their various talents for the concert series. The careful selections of strictly the best vintage 45’s by Adam and Wesley, coupled with the skills on the mic to host and toast like a true dancehall legend from Spellbinder, make Capital Hill Hi-Fi an unstoppable force on the sound system.
Selector Ali Baba
DJ Ali Baba is coming to us all the way from Chicago for this month’s edition of Level the Vibes. He first started his live performances in the Fall of 2015 and has held multiple residencies in Chicago since then. The most recent of which, called Rub A Dub On The Frontline, is a Chicago local favorite. He has selected for Carlton Livingston and Ranking Joe at the Dub Club Chicago. He has also gotten to play multiple times at the legendary Double Door Club in Chicago before it closed. DJ Ali Baba specializes in early 80’s Rub-A-Dub and 90’s Dancehall music and will be bringing with him some very special selections this week for his Denver debut performance.
Levi "Top Dog" Vermont
Levi “Top Dog” Vermont is a Jamaican dancehall/reggae artist who has now made his home here in Denver, Colorado. Levi has performed in many cities, such as Kingston, New York City, and Denver. We have seen him at reggae events and venues around town, such as Reggae on the Grass, Goosetown Tavern, and at the Gypsy House Cafe, toasting Supercat tracks alongside DJ BloodPreshah. His quick delivery and comfort on the mic, coupled with his native Kingston accent, will give you a taste of what a real dancehall sound system party is all about.
The Black Box
The Black Box is Denver’s home for underground, bass heavy music and there is nothing more underground and bass heavy than real Jamaican sound system music. That is what makes this venue the perfect place to host Level the Vibes. The Black Box boasts one of the largest and best sound systems in the state and their desire to expand their concert offerings into different genres is what has led to this collaborative effort to bring some authentic sound system culture to the heart of the Mile High City.
