What do Easter eggs and chart-topping reggae band John Brown's Body have in common?
As it turns out, quite a few things.
First off, both owe a great deal to a bunny. Easter eggs arrive by way of the Easter Bunny, which came to America via German folklore. The music of John Brown's Body also comes from a bunny, legendary Jamaican record producer Bunny Lee, who helped launch the career of Lee "Scratch" Perry and pioneered the dub genre along with his friend King Tubby. This Bunny is responsible for many of the Jamaican sounds that have influenced John Brown's Body over the group's 15-year career.
Plus, this Easter Sunday, fans of the band will be able to enjoy the legacies of both bunnies. Before the audience members fill their ears with songs from the group's 2008 and 2009 albums, Amplify and Re-Amplify, they can fill their pockets with swag from that famous hare.
But don't expect marshmallow Peeps and hard-boiled eggs. This bunny is dispensing musical treats. Majestic Theatre owner Matt Gerding says he was inspired by the layout of the venue, which is filled with all sorts of hiding places.
"We've never had a show on Easter Sunday and thought it would be fun to get a bunch of plastic eggs, stuff them full of free concert tickets and hide them all over the venue," he says of the Easter egg hunt, which is presented by WORT-FM. "It'll give people a chance to explore all the nooks and crannies of our historic theater while having some Easter fun."
Whether the tickets are for Cloud Cult, Los Campesinos! or another upcoming show, they're likely to make concertgoers feel the magic of the holiday, even if they're not partaking in ham, hymns or other Easter traditions.
What's more, they'll get to watch John Brown's Body perform the band's own magic. Reaching deep into the history of reggae, the group's eight members will combine drum-n-bass, old-school dub and ska-style horns to create a sound that's as refreshing as it is revitalizing. Spring has sprung indeed.