Iration melts winter at Cargo in Reno

Iration will warm the nation this winter with its Hawaiian Punch Tour, which will be spiced with Pepper, stopping on Wednesday, Feb. 17, in Reno.

A very familiar reggae band in the Reno-Tahoe area, Iration is made up of Hawaiian natives who started the group while attending college in Santa Barbara. Lead singer Micah Pueschel says Pepper paved the path Iration has taken toward success.

“They were the first band from the Big Island to make it on the mainland and become a national touring act,” Pueschel said from Santa Barbara, where he still resides. “They took us out on our big first tour in 2008. They laid the groundwork for us and were kind of our role models and big brothers as far as teaching us how to be a touring act and showing us the ropes.

“They are about to release a new record and they have been on somewhat of a hiatus with new music. It’s two bona fide headline bands that could headline on their own.”

Pepper and Iration will be joined on the tour through March 4 by a band from the opposite side of the country, Brooklyn’s New Kingston, a dancehall and R&B-styled reggae group led by brothers Tahir, Stephen and Courtney Jr. Panton.

Staying healthy on the road is a challenge for musicians, especially for singers during wintertime. Pueschel said he was sick for a month during Iration’s last tour, which included a headlining performance at the Lake Tahoe Reggae Festival.

“My No. 1 thing is trying not to be sick out there,” he said. “You just have to wash your hands a lot and try to stay hydrated and try to get sleep. I take Emergen-C and drink Apple Cider Vinegar before bed to bring the immune system up. But sleep is really No. 1.”

Cargo will be a breath of fresh air on the Hawaiian Punch Tour. The downtown Reno venue in the Whitney Peak Hotel does not allow smoking, nor is there gaming.

“I am glad to hear that about Cargo,” Pueschel said. “As a musician and a singer, one of the worst things is when you play in a smoky place. … First of all, your clothes smell, and everybody’s smoking. The first day you sing in one of those rooms, the next day we all have sore throats.”

Cargo has presented numerous reggae shows in recent months, and on March 13 will feature rising roots-rockers Stick Figure. However, last week’s Steel Pulse show was canceled when founding member David “Dread” Hinds was hospitalized with pneumonia. He is now recuperating at his home.

“David Hinds is obviously a legend and one of the best reggae singers of all time,” Pueschel said. “I am glad to hear he’s OK.”

Earlier this week, it was announced that after a three-week break, Iration starts its Hotting Up Tour March 30 with HIRIE, a Big Islander who recently played at Cargo, and the Expanders, a Los Angeles-based reggae band that just played at the Crystal Bay Casino.

Related stories:

• Micah Pueschel checks in with Tahoe Onstage before festival: LINK
• David Hinds of Steel Pulse recovering from pneumonia: LINK
• The Expanders’ classic reggae sound: LINK
• HIRIE, Collie Buddz bring glow to Cargo: LINK

• Iration, Pepper, New Kingston
  When: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17
  Where: Cargo in the Whitney Peak Hotel
  Tickets: $27.50
  Must be: 18 or older

  

• Hawaiian Punch Tour
  Iration, Pepper, New Kingston
  Feb. 12 – Fresno
  Feb. 17 – Reno, Cargo at the Whitney Peak Hotel
  Feb. 19 – Seattle
  Feb. 20 – Portland
  Feb. 21 – Eugene
  Feb. 24 – Spokane
  Feb. 25 – Boise
  Feb. 26 – Boise
  Feb. 27 – Billings
  Feb. 28 – Bozeman
  March 2 – Laramie
  March 3 – Aspen
  March 4 – Denver
• Hotting Up Tour
  Iration, HIRIE and The Expanders
  (Amp Live is on the tour March 30-April 8)
  March 30 – Grand Theatre, Lawrence, Kansas
  March 31 – Majestic Theatre, Madison, Wisconsin
  April 1 – House of Blues, Chicago
  April 2 – Varsity Theatre, Minneapolis
  April 5 – The Intersection, Grand Rapids, Michigan
  April 6 – Newport Music Hall, Columbus
  April 7 – Rochester, New York
  April 8 – Webster Hall, New York
  April 9 – Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, Providence, Rhode Island
  April 12 – The National, Richmond, Virginia
  April 13 – Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, North Carolina
  April 14 – Greenfield Amphitheater, Wilmington, North Carolina
  April 15 – Greenfield Amphitheater, Wilmington, North Carolina
  April 16 – Variety Playhouse, Atlanta
  April 19 – Music Farm, Charleston South Carolina
  April 20 – The Orange Reel, Asheville, North Carolina
  April 21 – Maverick’s, Jacksonville, Florida
  April 22 – House of Blues, Orlando, Florida
  April 23 – Vinyl Music Hall, Pensacola, Florida