Roanoke, VA – March 3, 2026 — Roanoke, Va.’s new, premier venue, The Exchange Music Hall, located at 201 S. Jefferson Street, plays host to The Wailers – ’50 Years of Positive Vibrations’ on Saturday, May 2, 2026, as the band celebrates 50 years ofRastaman Vibration, one of Bob Marley & The Wailers’ most influential albums. Presented by Vibe Check Productions & Across-the-Way Productions, this special stop on The Wailers’ ‘50 Years of Positive Vibrations’ world tour highlights select cuts from Rastaman Vibration alongside the timeless classics that continue to unite audiences across generations.
Tickets for The Exchange Music Hall Presents: The Wailers – ’50 Years of Positive Vibrations,’ w/ Father Sun go on sale at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4, via https://theexchangeva.com/ and https://aftontickets.com/theexchange-thewailers. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for the all-ages show, with opening act Father Sun taking the stage at 6:30 p.m., followed by The Wailers. In addition to GA tickets, a small number of VIP tickets are also available for the May 2 concert, which feature exclusive access to The Exchange’s Mezzanine Level, including the Speakeasy and VIP bars.
Under the leadership of Aston Barrett Jr., son of legendary bassist Aston “Familyman” Barrett, The Wailers continue to honor their roots while carrying the music forward with purpose and authenticity. Joined by Mitchell Brunings, whose soulful vocals and commanding stage presence have captivated audiences worldwide, the band delivers performances that embody the enduring spirit of reggae — uplifting, conscious and deeply human.
In a unique crossover into film, Aston Barrett Jr. portrayed his father in the 2024 biopic Bob Marley: One Love, directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir. His portrayal added rare authenticity, grounded in lived experience and a deep personal connection to the legacy.
Alongside honoring the past, The Wailers remain firmly rooted in the present. Their recent albums One World and Evolution — both Grammy-nominated — reaffirm the band’s creative vitality. Evolution, produced by Grammy Award-winner Emilio Estefan Jr. on Crescent Moon Records, blends classic roots reggae with contemporary global influences, with songs like “Love Should Be Free” resonating worldwide for their positive and socially conscious message.
Audiences can expect a soul-stirring setlist that weaves together the revolutionary spirit of Rastaman Vibration, the band’s classic anthems, and select modern highlights — all delivered with the same authenticity, musicianship and heart that made The Wailers a cornerstone of global music. ‘50 Years of Positive Vibrations’ is more than a tour — it’s a celebration of music with meaning, a living connection between reggae’s golden era and its continuing power to inspire unity, resilience and hope.
Opening the show is Father Sun, a multigenerational force in psychedelic reggae, born from the deep-rooted bond of a father-and-son rhythm section. Anchored by thunderous bass lines and drenched in cosmic effects, their sound pushes the boundaries of reggae into a new dimension.
Behind the year-round purposeful programming of The Exchange is Across-the-Way Productions, Inc., producers of the award-winning FloydFest. Since its inception in 2002, the art- and artist-forward FloydFest has earned a reputation as a tastemaker festival, providing a vibrant stage for musicians across a wide spectrum of genres. That legacy finds fresh energy with and within Roanoke’s new state-of-the-art music hall, which kicked off its new chapter with an unforgettable, sold-out concert with Grace Potter and Holy Roller on New Year’s Eve 2025.
But The Exchange is just one spoke of a bold new cultural hub for Downtown Roanoke, sharing the storied space with The Promissory (https://thepromissoryhotel.com/), a now-open 27-room boutique hotel featuring spacious suites and heaps of character and modern style, and the soon-to-come ¡Suerte! (https://suerteroa.com/), a Spanish-style restaurant helmed by celebrated Roanoke restauranteur J.P. Powell located in the building’s vibrant atrium.
The Exchange Music Hall is located at 201 S. Jefferson Street in Downtown Roanoke, Va. For more information, visit https://theexchangeva.com/or email hello@theexchangeva.com. Also, The Exchange interchanges on social — interplay with us at www.facebook.com/theexchangevirginia,www.instagram.com/theexchangeva, www.x.com/the_exchange_va,www.tiktok.com/theexchangeva, https://www.facebook.com/groups/exchangevafamily, and don’t miss a single Exchange by signing up for our mailing list and Text Club: https://theexchangeva.hive-pages.com/exchangewithus.
For more information on The Wailers, visit https://www.thewailers.com/, https://www.facebook.com/TheWailers, https://www.instagram.com/thewailersofficial, https://www.youtube.com/@thewailersand https://x.com/TheWailers.
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