Joining Lee Perry in the moment

REVOLUTION rock comes in many flavors. And Lee “Scratch” Perry began his own rock revolution with mind-bending dub work in the 1970s as a producer and songwriter (co-writing “Police and Thieves”), twisting roots reggae with cosmic effects and deep, deep bass.

In more recent decades, Perry has become celebrated as an eccentric, fatherly frontman, delivering a wild-eyed reggae gospel on peace and racial harmony, and cursing liars and judges, as he did Tuesday at the House of Blues, declaring: “I am the king of the blues, I am the king of the pop, I am the king of the rock! Rock! Rock!”

His set opened with a surprise, as Perry walked to the stage carrying a skull scepter and introduced rapper Eve. Standing beside the Jamaican dub master, Eve freestyled a few lines, explained she wasn’t actually there to perform and waved goodbye, while Perry called her “the first lady” and rhymed nonsensically: “Eve . . . out of my sleeve, for Christmas Eve....”

That kind of stream of consciousness was a central and constant force within his 90-minute performance. Perry, 70, was comfortably in the moment, riding the classic riddims naturally, draped in jewels and medallions and kicking his heels.

At the House of Blues, Perry spent all of his time behind the microphone, leaving the sound design to his backup band, Dub Is a Weapon. The heaviest dub sounds didn’t echo until the encore, but the seven-member group from Brooklyn created a warm, engaging setting.

On guitar and effects was leader Dave Hahn, while saxophonist Maria Eigen blew deep, bluesy melodies. By the time Perry dived into his signature song, “I Am the Upsetter,” the crowd was right up with him, riding the shuffling groove and following his madman musical journey into the cosmos.