Watch: Bob Marley And The Wailers ‘Skanking In Boston’ In Never-Before-Seen Footage From 1978

Bob Marley

New footage of Bob Marley and The Wailers’ Easy Skanking In Boston 78 – an extended live performance at the Boston Music Hall – has surfaced, offering fans a never-before-seen perspective of what became the band’s fifth live album.

The footage, reportedly shot by a fan Marley allowed “right in front of the stage,” intimately highlights the ‘King of Reggae’ delivering an iconic set. It captured the legend’s typical incendiary guitar solos, his soulful and almost enchanting movements, and The Wailers at their musical best.

The recording captures the band going through seven songs, namely Rebel Music, No Woman No Cry, I Shot the Sheriff, Lively Up Yourself, Jamming, War/No More Trouble, and Exodus.

Notably, because of the technology back then, which didn’t allow for continuous recording, changing the film rolls throughout the show meant there would have been gaps in the otherwise perfectly captured videos. Fortunately, those gaps were complementarily filled with animations by the S77 group, resulting in smooth and seamless transitions for the project.

Additionally, following news of the newfound footage, it was also revealed that plans are afoot to release one of the seven songs performed by the band each day up to 4/20 (April 20). This is expected to coincide with a special performance at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado by five of Marley’s sons, Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley, Ky-Mani Marley, Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley, and Julian Marley.

A host of other artists, including Dancehall megastar Sean Paul, Grammy-nominated Protoje and Steel Pulse, among others, are expected to join the Marleys for the celebration. 

Shot on June 8, 1978, that performance at the Boston Music Hall (now The Wang Theatre) was released by the Marley family in 2015 as a live album, as part of celebrations to commemorate the icons 70th birthday. It was produced by Island Records and Tuff Gong, and was released on CD, DVD and Blu-Ray.

‘Easy Skanking In Boston 78’ formed part of Bob Marley and The Wailers’ Kaya Tour – undertaken to promote the band’s album of the same name. Earlier that year, 1978, Bob Marley and The Wailers hosted the legendary One Love Peace Concert in Jamaica, and the Kaya album (and tour) was to be the band’s next big showing as they continued their mission of spreading Reggae music across the world.

The tour began on May 18, 1978 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and ended in Miami Florida on August 5.

Check out the remaining videos below on the official Bob Marley YouTube channel.