The Vibes

The Vibes are an 8-piece soulful reggae band based in Belfast. Formed in 2014 they immediately began a monthly residency in The Belfast Empire. The band worked as support act for legends like Lee “Scratch” Perry and The Specials, as well as New York ska heroes The Slackers and The Toasters. The Vibes released their debut album Workin’ in 2017 but were soon forced into hiatus
when trombone player Willie McLean suffered a severe stroke, the band gradually returned to do some small shows in late 2018 and 2019.
After another enforced hiatus in 2020/21, The Vibes returned to the studio in 2022 to record a second album, The Vibes Play Don Drummond, consisting of 9 tracks all written by Jamaican trombone innovator Don Drummond of The Skatalites. The album was conceived by Vibes trombonist Willie McLean with song arrangements by UK brass icon Dennis Rollins (Jamiroquai, Maceo Parker, Blur). On this album The Vibes pay homage to some of the greatest early ska music with 7 instrumentals and 2 songs including Simmer Down, Occupation and Latin Goes Ska. With another album worth of original songs still to be recorded, the band also do a wide array of covers, some reggae songs by the likes of Jimmy Cliff and Alton Ellis, but also lot of non-reggae
songs from artists like Bob Dylan, Sam Cooke, Arethra Franklin and many others, given the reggae treatment.