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When Renata Saldanha, a summer visitor to Newport from Brazil, first saw the popular local reggae band The Ravers on stage last Sunday at the Dockside, she said, "This is so strange. They are all white."

By the end of the night however, the Brazilian was dancing alongside hundreds of others reggae fans at the Waite's Wharf nightclub.

What Saldanha didn't see however on that particular night was the band's missing performer, vocalist Michelle Smith of Newport, "the baby of the band" at 23 and as it turns out an African-American.

The band's drummer Doug Ernest, the informal band spokesman, nevertheless echoes the same sentiment.

"People might think it's strange to see five white guys and one woman playing reggae, however we love playing the music so much and we have so much fun, the crowd picks up on it," he said.

Indeed, if you've been on "the scene" at anytime in Newport over the past 15 years, you've seen the Ravers. In a world where bands come and go, the band has proven to a rock of stability. When the Ravers began playing music in 1988, Ronald Reagan has just turned over the presidency to the first George Bush, Edward DiPrete was the governor of Rhode Island, Bobby McFerrin won the Grammy award for "Don't Worry, Be Happy," and the Bruins lost to Edmonton in the Stanley Cup.

Since then, although no one has kept exact count, the band has amassed staggering numbers. It is estimated conservatively that they have been on stage at least 600 times and have played in front of a collective 200,000 fans.

Playing a mixture of reggae and ska - defined as a blend of African-Jamacian folk music, calypso, and rhythm and blues with a scratchy tempo and jazzlike horn riffs - the Ravers play both cover tunes and original music.

Of the 21 members of the band, past and present, they are all Newporters. One is a city fireman, another was the former quarterback for a Rogers High School football state championship team, another runs a local radio station, while others are local contractors. Most went to Rogers High School.

"We were just out of high school and were all living together," Ernest recalled. "One day Boofish (original band member and former bass guitarist Eric Barclay) heard Carey (Bowman, the lead singer) singing in the shower and said 'Listen to him sing, I've got to start a band.'"

Soon the friends played at a backyard party on Eustis Avenue, and that was their first gig.

Fifteen years later, they have outlived many of the venues they have performed at. Gone are the popular nightspots like the Blue Pelican, Threes on Broadway and Area 22. The band has been playing so long that a buzzword around town is, "The Ravers are in their 30s."

What is the band's secret to their longevity?

"It started out as a fun thing to do," said Ernest. "When we really got serious, we almost broke up. Playing is not something we're betting our lives on. When we get on stage with our friends, we're still just trying to have fun. It's like playing baseball once a week with your friends."

"Also," Ernest continued, "An appeal of the band is the type of music. Playing reggae in Newport in the summer, you can't miss. We're lucky. We could have been in Kansas, but we're in the Northeast, where reggae is popular."

This may be a humble assessment. Even during the quieter winter months, when the band plays, they play to packed houses. Perhaps their secret is simply that the band is good. When patrons hear Bowman sing they are transfixed by his voice.

"There is a contrast to Bowman," said Ernest. "In person he is very reserved. He speaks hesitantly but when he gets on stage, he just crawls inside his music. It's amazing."

Whatever the secret is, the Ravers plan to continue playing reggae exactly as they have been over the span of three decades.

"We're just all reggae fans." said Ernest. "We love the music."

Charles Avenengo