Sublime with Rome
By Megan Randall
Gratitude was the name of the game during Sublime with Rome’s set at the end of Day 2 of the Bunbury Music Festival. Rome Ramirez (guitar/vocals) often commented throughout the set how thankful he was to be there, on the stage, “doing what I love.” He added between singing Sublime classics “Smoked 2 Joints” and “Wrong Way” that 10 years ago he was homeless and living in his van and “now I’m on the verge on our largest tour yet, a world tour, and singing in my favorite band.”
What makes Sublime with Rome a little different than the band’s predecessor? The band seems to be casting their net out wider and incorporating new sounds. Turntables and sound mixes interjected songs, but the true “surfer rock” sound of sublime remained.
Yes, the band did “throw it back for OG Sublime fans” frequently throughout the set, but the group played tracks off their new album, Blessings, recently released this spring. “Wicked Heart,” the first single off the new album, erupted cheers from the audience as fans recognized the intro beats.
As Ramirez mentioned, the band is currently touring to promote their new album with dates in the U.S. throughout September.
Photographs by Shawn Wiseman
