Yesterday I got a text from one of Seattle's most popular reggae selector's, DJ Soul One (pictured above), saying Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton was going to be at Club Aura in Pioneer Square. At first I was excited, but then remembered that since Buju is in prison, it was just a bad April Fool's Joke.

I typically wouldn't want anything to do with a place called Club Aura, but (luckily) I decided to show up. They were resurrecting Wicked and Wild, one of the longest running reggae nights in Seattle's history. It used to be a popular Thursday night function at War Room, but since that venue closed last November, nothing has consistently captured people's attention in the reggae scene.

That seems set to change.



Just a little after midnight the place was jumping as people like the Dyme Def crew, DJ Topspin , Spaceman, and some of the Cloud Nice folks showed up. It was a convergence of folks from the reggae and hip-hop scenes meeting on the dance floor.

By the end of the night DJ Redman asked the crowd: "Now who showed up here to see Buju Banton tonight?" Everyone just laughed. It was April Fool's alright but the reggae vibe at Aura last night definitely wasn't a joke.