Midnight Raid

Hailing from one of the most politically active cities in the United States, Midnight Raid reflects Oakland’s revolutionary mentality. Through the time tested rebel mediums of reggae and rock music, this five-piece band promotes resistance and unity in this new era of social consciousness.

Inspired by the unfiltered styles of artists like Peter Tosh, Steel Pulse and John Browns Body, friends Graham Roggli (drums) and Benjamin Garcia Candelaria (vocals/guitar) wanted to offer a musical outlet for current socio-political disdain and to reflect the diverse culture of their home state of California. To help create the sound that was to become Midnight Raid, they enlisted reggae veteran John Baker, bass player from the band Lucky Dub and environmental activist from Washington D.C. Baker’s aggressive bass lines give MNR a distinctive tone that gets the audience moving. Shortly after, Midnight Raid found Vimalier Reyes-Oritz, a classically trained keyboardist from Puerto Rico. “V,” as he is often called, offers salsa and montuno rhythms and melodies that diversify the band’s sound. The most recent addition to the band is lead guitarist, Lenny Crammer. A Tennessee native, Crammer adds his unique approach of using “soundscaping” to the voice of Midnight Raid. One can hear dynamic guitar swells underneath the lyrics and colorful leads soaring over the rhythm.