Long Beach Dub Allstars on Tour

If you’re looking for laid-back good vibes, look no further than a concert by ska/reggae band Long Beach Dub Allstars. The California-based troupe perform selections from their two albums (1999’s Right Back and 2001’s Wonders of the World), along with a well-curated mix of ska and reggae covers, plus the occasional curveball (such as a Grateful Dead song). The result is a set with heady grooves for days, suitable for chilling and dancing, but with enough twists and turns to leave fans wanting more.

Formed in 1997, Long Beach Dub Allstars spent a fruitful half-decade together before splitting in 2002 and spending most of the 2000s apart. Thankfully, they reconvened in 2012 and have continued to tour regularly since then. Long Beach Dub Allstars have opened for the Wailers and performed at the Vans Warped Tour, with a summer 2019 headlining stint for a package bill featuring openers The Aggrolites, Tomorrows Bad Seeds, and Mike Pinto.

Long Beach Dub Allstars Background

Long Beach Dub Allstars originally formed after the dissolution of influential ’90s hip-hop/ska-punk group Sublime. In fact, the two groups are inextricably linked. Sublime’s late singer, Brad Nowell, actually came up with the name Long Beach Dub Allstars as a potential alternate name for his own band. 

More importantly, the current Long Beach Dub Allstars lineup features various members and associates of Sublime, including vocalist Opie Ortiz — the tattoo artist whose evocative work appears on Sublime album covers — as well as guitarist Miguel Happoldt and drummer Marshall Goodman. 

The group’s two albums, Right Back and Wonders of the World (both of which charted on the Billboard Top 200), keep Sublime’s sincere heart and eclectic musical approach alive. For good measure, Long Beach Dub Allstars’ will.i.am-featuring 2001 alternative radio hit “Sunny Hours” even samples Sublime.