You simply won't find two more contrasting styles in reggae music than those of Pato Banton and Eek-a-Mouse.

But under one roof Monday night, the disparate styles of each veteran meshed with great success, treating a packed house at The Independent to an excellent night of reggae.

The ever-engaged Banton was even more hyper-communicative than usual, interacting with dozens of people in the audience individually, doling out hugs and lighthearted jabs, and delivering lengthy monologues on peace and unity that he summed up by urging the crowd to "love everybody that you meet."

The towering Eek-a-Mouse, meanwhile, has long since staked his rep on sing-jaying, the virtually unintelligible toasting style that he invented and that masks any message within a litany of inimitable scat phrases. Save for the occasional "How you feeling?" the Mouse kept his focus on the music, allowing his exceptional band to shine.

The two sets were polar opposites of one another but were equally entertaining.

Banton was up first and quickly informed the crowd that he wasn't in the mood for a normal performance. "This is going to be intimate," he said. "I want to make this night your night. You guys can dictate the songs I perform tonight."

He did just that, with the requisite ups and downs that come with an overdose of intimacy. He received and delivered on a bunch of requests, hugged dozens of fans, and delivered a spirited rendition of one of his signature hits, "Stay Positive," from a thin ledge on the side of the venue. He also ribbed a stoic woman in the crowd to get into it and invited two longtime fans to sing along on "Gwarn!" with startling precision.

But that intimacy also brought some ragged stretches, with the seven-piece Mystic Roots band from Chico, California, delving into lengthy jams while Banton worked the crowd.

Eek-a-Mouse took an entirely different tack, arriving onstage wearing a long cashmere coat and trademark cowboy hat with a slight nod to the crowd amid a thick riddim. He jumped right into the classic "Biddy Bong Bong," the perfect introduction to his signature sing-jay style.

To the newcomer, it was disarming at first, particularly after a set that almost forcibly communicated a message, through both lyrics and monologues. But following Banton's set with almost its complete opposite gave the crowd the rest of the night off, allowing it to soak in the dub and roots reggae vibes--and whatever else was floating through the air.