Supernova Reggae Band at The Soulist, Alsancak, Review

By Roland Eyerich ….

The Soulist Rock’n’Soul and Reggae music weekend continued with the Supernova Reggae Band on Saturday 7^th March.

What a finalè it was on Saturday night, this time with the Supernova Reggae Band. Again a full packed house.

Three music genre in one weekend at the Soulist – “Rock’n’Soul‘n’Reggae“. With Supernova Reggae band (SRB) one of the hip Reggae bands of Cyprus which was a guest again on the Soulist stage and finished the weekend program with their performance. SRB made their debut at the Soulist with the 2nd “Friends Across Borders” Festival held in September 2019. Reggae music has its fan base in Cyprus. Reggae is developing its renaissance in Northern Cyprus with bands such as the Healers and the Supernova Reggae Band. Reggae as a musical expression of social protest.

SRB started with a lot of energy. From the beginning the special reggae feeling was transmitted from the stage to the audience. Sonero Öncal, the frontman, has this talent to reach the audience directly. The motto for this special evening “One love – one heart – let’s get together and feel alright”. Dancing people, people having fun and happy people, this is what happened on this night. Sonero Öncal and Ersen Eroğul harmonised as a vocal duo with Hasan Rahvancıoğlu especially brilliant on piano.

Sonero Öncal

Hasan Rahvancıoğlu

Ersen Eroğul

An interesting program with their own songs and of course in memory of the peaceful music revolutionary Bob Marley. This is a band that has its own program in Turkish and English. Songs from their album Meram (2017) such as: “Tell me something Good”, “Reject of the Babylon” and “Pis sinek” in the set list, also Pink Floyd reggae interpretations like The Wall or Wish you were Here. SRB is a band that can present a program with their own songs in both the Turkish and English language.

Sonero`s wake-up call is always with him, so with the song “Real Solution” Sonero reflects on the situation in the world and especially on the special situation of Cyprus.

Real Solution: “Check out the real situation Nation war against Nation. Where did it all begin? When will it end? Well, it seems like, total destruction the only solution and there ain’t no use no one can stop them now, Ain’t no use, nobody can stop them now.”

SRB started the 2nd Set with a special guest – from Cyprus – Mert Yilmaz, the finalist of this year’s Voice of Turkey, who presented his song “Roxanne“ with the band. Great performance, and then SRB took up their high energy again for their Reggae performance and closed with an encore “Freedom“ after nearly 2½ hours.

Thank you Sonero, thanks Supernova Reggae Band for this special Reggae night and experience.

At the end of the concert I had an interview with Sonero about his Reggae performance, also with his own songs in the Turkish language:

Roland: “Hello Sonero, with the Turkish text/lyrics you are in the philosophy of the reggae roots, social protests and touching many areas and problems of human life…especially now in Cyprus?

Sonero: “Mostly yes, its reality I explore. I don’t protest! I mostly declare awareness and open discussion, very humanist vision, human rights and justice.”

Biography

Supernova Reggae Band (Kyrenia)

Supernova Reggae Band was founded in 2015 and has been playing its own compositions since its foundation. The “Meram“ album with the label of Arpej production, was released in July 2017. Supernova has never stopped working. Since the album 5 new songs are being prepared more strongly for the Reggae music industry. The Band has written Turkish and English compositions. Supernova, consisting of a 7(8)-member orchestra, attracts attention with its high energy and intensity.

Band for Soulist presentation: