Everyone will Pipe Down when the music starts on Saturday at the Truckee Reggae Fest.
A North Tahoe area band that formed just a year ago has made a fast rise after playing about 70-to-80 shows.
It will share the same Truckee River Regional Park stage with internationally popular Third World, Ky-Mani Marley, Wailing Souls and Sister Carol.
“We are excited about the band’s progress,” said lead singer and rhythm guitarist Donny Beck.
Beck and lead guitarist Subra Doyle began their musical collaboration during the down days of the Covid pandemic. By July 2021, they had a full band with keyboardist Casey Barrett, bass player and backing vocal, Scott Rescigno, drummer Alex Hunt and percussionist and backing vocalist Dave Pickford.
“We describe ourselves as Cali reggae or reggae nock,” Doyle said. “We play a little bit of roots reggae, but we have our own unique blend going on. We get lot of inspiration like Sublime and contemporary artists like Stick Figure, Rebelution and Slightly Stoopid, and a lot of influence from and Australian group called Sticky Fingers. So we have a wide array of inspirations.”
“It is hard for me to put a finger on it yet because we are in the growing stages,” Beck said. “But there is a heavy reggae influence and indie rock influence.”
Doyle has been around Tahoe, and the globe, for most of his life. Born in Germany, Doyle spent his school years in whatever location his father served in the Army, including Saudi Arabia, upstate New York, Tennessee and Arizona. In summertime, his mother works as a forest ranger at Lake Tahoe, where he would spend his summers. Now 34, years old, Doyle has lived at Tahoe full time for four years.
When he’s not exploring hiking trails, Doyle delves into music. He started playing guitar when he was 7, bass at 12 and writing songs at 13. In college, he studied audio music production.
As a solo performer, Doyle makes audio loops from seven instruments.
Pipe Down has 10 original songs and plans to travel in July to San Diego to record and album. A live show also might include five or six cover tunes. The band made a wintertime video at Homewood Mountain Resort to its song “Smile.”
Beck came up with the name Pipe Down, a sailor’s term for winding down at the end of a day. Of course, the name offers room for interpretation.
Pipe Down opens Day 2 of the Truckee Reggae Fest on Saturday at 2 p.m.
-Tim Parsons with contributions from Rachel Lopez
Related story: The coolest “Cat” in reggae might not have nine lives, but the one he has is quite legendary. Cat Coore and Third World headline Saturday at Truckee Reggae Fest. LINK
The 2022 Truckee Reggae Fest on June 24-25 at the Truckee River Outdoor Amphitheater features Ky-Mani Marley, Third World, Wailing Souls, Sister Carol, Big Mountain, Lutan Fyah, Arise Roots, J-Ras and local band Pipe Down. Tickets available at: New Moon Natural Foods (Truckee), New Moon Natural Foods (Tahoe City), Recycled Records (Reno), The Buttermuffin (South Lake Tahoe)
- Friday, June 24
- 3 p.m. – 10 p.m.
- Ky-Mani Marley
- Sister Carol
- Big Mountain
- J-Ras & the Higher Elevation
- Saturday, June 25
- 2 p.m. – 10 p.m.
- Third World
- Wailing Souls
- Lutan Fyah & the Fyah Squad
- Arise Roots
- Pipe Down
DJ’s for both nights: Stay Positive Sound, Full Watts HiFi, DJ Treez, DJ Redlocks
