A bold new celebration of Bob Marley’s life, music, and legacy premiered July 18th in Las Vegas. Bob Marley Hope Road, an immersive entertainment experience years in the making, officially opened t Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
Developed in collaboration with Cedella Marley, Ziggy Marley, Primary Wave Music, and the award-winning production company Five Currents, Hope Road invites audiences to walk in Bob’s footsteps and feel the power of his message in a completely new way.
A news release from Kirvin Doak Communications handing PR for Bob Marley Hope Road, outlined the production which is divided into two distinct offerings, each delivering a unique expression of Marley’s enduring impact:
"This show is a profound celebration of my father’s legacy," says Executive Producer Cedella Marley. "We invite everyone to feel the rhythm and the message, and connect to the spirit of ‘One Love’ through this extraordinary experience."
“Larry Mestel, founder and CEO of Primary Wave Music, said, ‘Bob Marley’s music is more than just sound—it’s a movement, a message and a source of unity that has transcended generations. Marley’s legacy continues to shape music, culture and social change, and through this one-of-a-kind production, we honor the power of his voice and the impact he continues to have on the world.’
“Travis Lunn, Mandalay Bay’s president & COO, said, ‘Mandalay Bay is leading the way with a new wave of immersive entertainment, and we’re excited to introduce Bob Marley Hope Road as our latest experience. In collaboration with Five Currents and Primary Wave Music, this is a great opportunity to celebrate Bob Marley’s legacy and provide our guests with an innovative production they will enjoy.’
“Whether you’re a lifelong fan or discovering Marley’s music for the first time, Bob Marley Hope Road promises an unforgettable encounter with the heart and soul of reggae.
“Bob Marley Hope Road features dynamic live performances, engaging storytelling and multi-sensory elements. More than just a tribute, this production redefines entertainment in Las Vegas with a first-of-its-kind dual experience unlike anything currently on the Strip; blending interactive storytelling by day and an electrifying live show by night. Bob Marley Hope Road operates daily and nightly with two distinct options for guests:
“The Experience (Daytime Experience)
"The Experience, the daytime program at Bob Marley Hope Road, is currently on hold while the team focuses on The Show. A more focused launch of The Experience is being planned for the near future, and further details will be shared soon.
“The Show (Nighttime Experience)
“At night, the experience transforms into an exciting, intimate live show where guests are immersed in the energy and spirit of Bob Marley’s music. An engaging cast representing the kaleidoscope of humanity will take audiences on a powerful musical journey through striking visuals, stunning sets and electrifying performances. With live spectacle, audience engagement and soul-stirring moments, the interactive show is an unforgettable celebration of Bob Marley’s influence and impact on the world.
“Performing Tuesday through Saturday, this 75-minute guided journey will move guests through the pulse of Bob Marley’s music, the power of his message and the transcendent vitality of Hope Road—leaving them forever changed.
“Tickets start at $49 for The Experience and $69 for The Show, with both available now at HopeRoad.com.”
Roger Steffens is the author of eight books about the Wailers, Bob Marley, and the history of reggae. A recent volume is So Much Things to Say: The Oral History of Bob Marley (2017).
Steffens’ award-winning Reggae Beat radio program was syndicated to 130 stations world-wide. Since 1984 he has lectured internationally with a multi-media presentation called The Life of Bob Marley. He is the co-founder of The Beat magazine and served as founding chairman of the Reggae Grammy Committee for 27 years. Roger is also the former national promotions director for reggae and African music of Island Records.
Roger Steffens attended the opening night of Bob Marley Hope Road and sent me his review.
“‘The spectacular Bob Marley Hope Road event opened in the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Hotel on July 18. As an advisor on history and memorabilia I and my wife Mary were invited to be part of the immersive experience’s formal debut. It was a star-studded event, with participants including Island Records aging founder, Chris Blackwell; exhibit overseer Cedella Marley, looking 30 years younger than her real age, accompanying her wheel-chair bound mother Rita and several of her own children, including Skip Marley.
“It's difficult to describe the multitudinous nature of the experience, which is divided into two parts, with separate entry fees, throughout the day and evening. We began with the evening portion which fills six rooms. You enter Hope Road filled with memorabilia from various major events of his life, and other pictures, animations and advertisements, showing the huge international reach of the reggae master’s career. A layer of video projection animations brings the space and history to life. Together, we experience Bob’s journey through the people, places and visuals that shaped his life, art and social activism.
“Among the pictures is a well-known shot of my own, featuring Bob in profile, with a spliff in his hand, its smoke curling up to the top of the frame. In the Hope Road show it hangs on the wall while an unnerving special effect makes it appear that the smoke is rising off the surface of the print and spiraling onto the poster above, moving constantly. Just one of the many fascinating nuances of the presentations.
“From there you enter into the dancehall in which performers mingle, a bar opens, and folks are free to mix with the actors and dancers, the majority of whom are Jamaican or of other Caribbean decent, and have signed 18 month contracts. There are three different casts each day, 13 members each, and smiles between them and their audiences, abounded everywhere one looked.
“In the nighttime, the Show begins with a performer DJ connecting the crowd for the journey ahead; in the Experience, the Dancehall space comes to life via DJs Zuri and Shacia Payne Marley (Ziggy and Stephen Marley’s daughters). They are not only incredible DJs but also storytellers – layering the music and interacting with visitors, establishing a warm and welcoming Jamaican vibe and layering the music with anecdotes, playful jokes, facts about songs, lyric highlights, and info about other rooms.
“A giant ‘Jamming Tree’ appears with acrobats floating above its branches. It’s inspired by the foundational ‘witness trees’ and roots seen at Hope Road, Tuff Gong, Trench Town and Cane River Falls.
“Another room, inspired by Trench Town, hosts an orange bus, like the one Bob did early ‘70s tours in, with a soccer-ball juggler standing on his head and bouncing the ball with his upraised feet, a real crowd pleaser.
“Murals abound, with costumed folk seemingly leaping out from them. One particularly striking piece by Jamaican street artist Paige Zombie features the quote, ‘In this bright future, you can’t forget your past,’ which speaks to the inspiration of the space.
“In the Experience, secret doors in these murals reveal mixing studios where one can create their own version of a Marley classic. Visitors can mix their own tracks on working sound boards by manipulating guitar, drum, keyboard and Bob’s vocal stems. The interactive consoles were inspired by Bob’s vibrant blue Helios mixing desk on which he recorded his first four studio albums. It’s also a prime space for photos and filming video of each song creation experience in the studio atmosphere.
“Another room features a wall with images of interactive records on them that you can actually spin; a nearby wall lets you paint with your body and bring different parts of Bob’s songs to life as lyrics appear, zoetropes spin, and rare footage pops up.
“Back to the Show: There is a ‘Get Up Stand Up Cathedral’ where ‘War’ and ‘No Woman No Cry’ fill the hall. At the end of all of this tremendous hubbub is the amazing denouement – a 3D curved screen that combines groundbreaking technology and visuals while the cast performs a ‘One Love’ finale that celebrates Bob’s message to the world.
“In the Experience, this screen features Bob and the I Three at the Rainbow in London with six of Bob’s biggest songs. Our jaws were dropping the whole time, feeling as if we were standing right up next to Bob on stage, or swaying with the I Three just inches away. When the camera panned to the enormous two balconied concert hall, we felt like were seeing it through Bob’s own eyes.
“We staggered out of the room into the lobby of the Mandalay, eyes popping, trancelike, trying to absorb the barrage of images, sounds and smells. It’s a breath-taking experience and every true Marley fan should get there asap to see it too. My congratulations to Chloe Douglas, the tireless director of the Experience, and the super staff who saw all the details come together.”
I witnessed Bob Marley and the Wailers in concert eight times from 1975 to 1979. The first was on July 13, 1975, at the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood. I interviewed the group once in 1976 for Melody Maker. Our joint session was held in such a ganja smoke-filled room at the Island Records office on Sunset Boulevard that I forgot to press “record” on my cassette tape machine!
I’ll be seeing Bob Marley Hope Road during September.
(Harvey Kubernik is the author of 20 books, including 2009’s Canyon Of Dreams: The Magic And The Music Of Laurel Canyon, 2014’s Turn Up The Radio! Rock, Pop and Roll In Los Angeles 1956-1972, 2015's Every Body Knows: Leonard Cohen, 2016's Heart of Gold Neil Young and 2017's 1967: A Complete Rock Music History of the Summer of Love. Sterling/Barnes and Noble in 2018 published Harvey and Kenneth Kubernik’s The Story Of The Band: From Big Pink To The Last Waltz. In 2021 the duo wrote Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child for Sterling/Barnes and Noble.
Otherworld Cottage Industries in 2020 published Harvey’s Docs That Rock, Music That Matters. His Screen Gems: (Pop Music Documentaries and Rock ‘n’ Roll TV Scenes) is scheduled for 2025.
Harvey wrote the liner notes to CD re-releases of Carole King’s Tapestry, The Essential Carole King, Allen Ginsberg’s Kaddish, Elvis Presley The ’68 Comeback Special, The Ramones’ End of the Century and Big Brother & the Holding Company Captured Live at The Monterey International Pop Festival.
During 2006 Kubernik appeared at the special hearings by The Library of Congress in Hollywood, California, discussing archiving practices and audiotape preservation. In 2017 he lectured at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, in their Distinguished Speakers Series. Amidst 2023, Harvey spoke at The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles discussing The Last Waltz music documentary. The New York City Department of Education will be publishing in 2025 the social studies textbook Hidden Voices: Jewish Americans in United States History. Kubernik’s 1976 interview with music promoter Bill Graham on the Best Classic Bands website Bill Graham Interview on the Rock ’n’ Roll Revolution, 1976, is included).
Bob Marley Black and White Photo by Roger Steffens
