Bunny Wailer Live at Youth Consciousness Festival 1982

Wailer, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, I-Three perform together on one stage

Today I’m sharing a very special show in the history of reggae and The Wailers.  Bunny Wailer’s performance at the 1982 Youth Consciousness Festival is remembered as one of the best live performances ever to occur on the rock by a reggae artist.  Many have suggested that the greatest live performance ever to occur on the island was Bob Marley’s 1976 performance at Smile Jamaica, where King Marley performed with bullets still in his body from an assassination attempt just two days prior.  In pain and in fear for his life, Marley bravely stepped on stage and made history on December 6, 1976.  In turn, many suggest that it was Marley’s performance upon his return from exile two years later in 1978 at the One Love Peace Concert.

Bunny Wailer’s performance at the 1982 Youth Consciousness Festival, backed by both the Roots Radics and Sly & Robbie, with guest appearances by the I-Three, Peter Tosh, and Jimmy Cliff, deserves to be mentioned with the best.  Bunny, performing live for the first time in seven years, played an historic show which lasted more than 3 hours.  It uplifted an entire country reeling from a recent polio outbreak and still mourning the passing of Bob Marley.

Doctor Dread and Dermot Hussey recently spoke about it and recalled watching the sun come up while Bunny Wailer played hit after hit after hit.

Here are a few of the songs he played that night…

Here are several phenomenal photos taken during the performance where you see Bunny, Peter, Jimmy, and Judy live on-stage.  Give thanks to Doctor Dread for these amazing photos…Although I’ve been told that Ras Karbi actually shot the photos.