The cali-reggae band, Rebelution, will be making an appearance in Austin February 26 at 8:00 PM at Stubb’s. This band, who has taken over Cedar Park, is famous for their optimistic views on life and their easy going attitude. Live on the bright side of life is a view from the band that many students have adopted as their mantra. Their song, entitled The Bright Side of Life, was even a choice for the senior class song.

     “[They’ve] made us more positive and nice [toward] each other,” Megan Havener, senior, said.

     Many students will be attending this concert, and for some of them, it won’t be their first Rebelution encounter. For Havener, it will be her third time to see them in concert.

     “I love how when we go see them, they’re not too stuck up to meet us,” Havener said. “Their music is the soundtrack to our summer. [Rebelution] is the main band that we all listen to.”

     The band and cali-reggae music has become more and more popular throughout Cedar Park High School.

      “The reggae genre is reaching out and is [becoming] more inviting,” Katie Love, junior, said.

     Its positive spin on life is what most students love most about Rebelution’s music.

     The band began in Santa Barbara, California, in 2004. They met at University of California at Santa Barbara and after playing local gigs all around town they independently released an EP. Soon the attendance at their shows increased so much that they decided to release a full-length album in 2006 called Courage to Grow. The album remained on the Billboard Top Reggae Album Chart for 36 weeks.  This album put Rebelution on top of the Cali-Reggae scene. The band’s newest  album, Bright Side of Life, released August 2009, made iTunes’ top three most downloaded albums and number 54 on the Billboard Hot 200.This album has an overall theme of encouragement, which many believe is a good influence on students. They sing about making a difference and about living they best way possible.

     Not all of CPHS is raving about this band, however, some students disagree with some of the lyrics and mottos.

      “I don’t like the crowd that follows [Rebelution],” Erik Stevens, junior, said.

     While some of the lyrics by Rebelution make a reference to negative influences, they are mostly concerned with living life positively. However, it’s not just the debatable lyrics that cause these students to dislike the band.

     “By listening to reggae [music] you’re just trying to be popular,” Stevens said .

     Even if there is controversy about this style of music, the band, and cali-reggae genre, is making its mark on Cedar Park High School. More and more people are starting to get into this scene and some believe it is actually making a difference.