Thirty years of original roots reggae, multiple Billboard Reggae chart-toppers, and a reunion that took years to fully materialize — John Brown’s Body is back, and their first confirmed 2026 date lands at Middle Ages Beer Hall in Syracuse on Friday, October 2.
About the Show
The band declared an indefinite hiatus in 2018. Founding members Kevin Kinsella, Tommy Benedetti, and Lee Hamilton continued playing together under the name “KK and the OG JBB,” eventually earning the blessing of departing member Elliot Martin to formally reclaim the John Brown’s Body name. During the hiatus, Kinsella continued his work with 10Ft. Ganja Plant and released solo records including At Imperial Sound, Volume 2. On the transition back, Kinsella described it as gradual: “we had been doing it kind of a while, so it wasn’t like, all of a sudden, Oh! This is totally different.”
Now, with a 30-year anniversary as the occasion, they’re back with the full lineup: Nate Edgar on bass, Jon Pentronzio on keys, TJ Schaper on trombone, and Van Gordon Martin on guitar, alongside the founding trio. The band describes their sound as “roots, dub, powerful songwriting, deep grooves, and horn-driven energy.” That formula produced Amplify (#1 on the Billboard Reggae Chart), Kings And Queens (#1 on both the Billboard and iTunes Reggae charts), and the JBB In Dub EP (#1 on iTunes Reggae). They built that catalog on Easy Star Records and Shanachie Records, and have shared stages with Burning Spear, Dave Matthews, Slightly Stoopid, and SOJA. The band’s name honors abolitionist John Brown, a thread Kinsella has consistently tied to the music’s roots and historical consciousness.
Opening as special guest is the Sim Redmond Band, also out of Ithaca, NY. Active since 1999, the group layers folk-rock foundations with reggae, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and West African influences, anchored by three-part harmonies from vocalists Sim Redmond, Jen Middaugh, and Nate Silas Richardson. Recognized on the regional festival circuit for engaging live shows, they have shared stages with The Wailers, Jimmy Cliff, and the Neville Brothers, and have toured Japan multiple times.
Venue & Logistics
The show is at Middle Ages Beer Hall (also listed as Middle Ages Music Hall on the ticket page), 120 Wilkinson Street, Syracuse — part of the central New York concert scene. At 400 capacity, it is a room where a full horn section has nowhere to go but straight at you; for a band whose sound is built on brass and bass, that closeness is most of the point. Show time is 8:00 p.m. The show is all ages; under 18 requires a guardian.
Tickets
$25.00 face value ($30.86 with fees). Tickets are on sale now. Buy tickets