Fifty years ago, in the tumultuous streets of Handsworth, Birmingham, Steel Pulse came together to channel the anger, hope, and spiritual yearning of West Indian immigrant communities. Led by David Hinds, with founding partners Basil Gabbidon and Ronald “Stepper” McQueen, the band carved out one of the most important roots-reggae legacies outside Jamaica.
From their early-day singles like " Ku Klux Klan" to their breakthrough "Handsworth Revolution" (1978), Steel Pulse established a fierce voice for justice. Their lyrical concerns—racism, poverty, Rastafarian identity, police brutality—are as relevant now as ever. With albums like True Democracy, Earth Crisis, Babylon The Bandit (which won them a Grammy in 1986), and more recently Mass Manipulation, they’ve never shied away from weighing in on the global crises of their times.
On Thursday, September 25 at 7:30pm, City Winery Hudson Valley plays host to this landmark 50th-anniversary show, promising not only a walk through Steel Pulse’s storied past, but a potent reminder that reggae remains a weapon of peace, and music still has the power to galvanize. For fans of roots music, resistance, and radiant soul, this is a night to be part of.
