The London Intl Ska Festival celebrates it's 25th Anniversary with a return to the capital this Easter - Thursday 28th to Sunday 31st March 2013. 50 acts from around the world will be appearing across 12 sensational events housed in famed and iconic London venues including; 100 Club, Jazz Cafe, Dingwalls, The Garage, Islington Metal Works, Dixie Queen paddle steamer, The Dublin Castle and an additional preview event at the Victoria & Albert Museum on Friday 22 March 2013.
Headline acts include, on Thursday 28 March, the legendary trombonist, member of The Specials and Jools Holland's Rhythm & Blues Orchestra - Rico Rodriguez MBE performing his classic 1976 Man From Wareika album. Rodriguez's historic performance will be followed by The Specials/2 Tone founder Jerry Dammers (DJ set) spinning Jamaican Ska & Reggae all happening at the Jazz Cafe. Good Friday 29th March hosts a Studio One Thames Cruise starring BB Seaton founder of rocksteady sensation The Gaylads, Owen Grey (one of the first artists on Studio One Rcds and also Island Records) and Vin Gordon aka Don Drummond Jnr, whilst on Saturday 30th March the festival moves to Oxford Street's 100 Club and stars singer of the 1971 global smash hit Montego Bay - Freddie Notes. Day 4 of the festival, Easter Sunday 31st March, see's the return of Jamaican superstar Ken Boothe, famed for his 1974 number 1 hit 'Everything I Own',
Other highlights throughout the 4 days include; two exclusive comeback shows from Pama International (their first London show in 2 years) and 100 Men starring Mik Whitnall from Babyshambles (their first in 2 decades) and an International Ska Revue at The Garage in Islington on Good Friday 29 March 2013 with 7 acts; the superb indie, ska, pop of Razika from Norway, who have just gone in their national album charts at number 4, Pannonia Allstars Ska Orchestra from Hungary, Mr. T Bone & the Young Lions from Italy, Bombskare from Scotland and fresh from supports with Madness London's brightest new hopes Buster Shuffle headline.
In addition to the Studio One Thames Cruise, the festival also launches several other new events including the inaugural year of The UK Sound System Conference all-nighter as a tribute to the late great Duke Vin. Vin aka The Tickler was the first Jamaican sound system to operator in England having stowed away on a ship from Jamaica in the 1950's! The night boasts an awesome line-up of legendary selectors representing some of the UK's greatest Sounds; Metro with Eddie Regal (Metro Downbeat), Gladdy Wax (Gladdy Wax Sound System), Ras Digby (Sir Jessus Sound System), Jumbo (Java Hi-Power) plus the Tighten Up Crew and in room two Mungos Hi Fi & Wrongtom.
Easter Sunday see's all roads lead to Camden Town, an area steeped in Ska, Reggae and 2 Tone history, with two daytime events; Do The Dog zine, the world's longest running ska publication now into it's 24th year, host their label special at Madness' old stomping ground Camden's Dublin Castle, whilst Dingwalls on Camden Lock host the festivals 'Sunday Social' - a free event featuring a record fair, book signings, boss DJs and exhibitions. The whole festival wraps up after Ken Boothe's performance with the 2 Tone Disco starring Rhoda Dakar from The Bodysnatchers and Special AKA.
From its birth in Jamaica, Ska has come a long way - morphing and inspiring every generation and reaching all corners of the world. The festival showcases all Ska has to offer from its roots in rhythm and blues, mento and calypso, to the Jamaican originators, the progression through rocksteady and reggae, 2 Tone, ska-punk and right up-to-date with 21st century sounds. Originally launched in 1988, The London International Ska Festival proudly celebrates its 25th anniversary and the wonderful world of Ska in all its irrepressible guises.
Tickets on sale now at www.londoninternationalskafestival.co.uk/tickets
THE LONDON INTL SKA FESTIVAL 2013
Complete line up/schedule:
Opening party - full details to follow
FRIDAY 22 MARCH 2013
THE LONDON INTL SKA FESTIVAL OPENING PARTY- 6.30-9.30pm
GLADDY WAX, TIGHTEN UP CREW & STEVE RICE (DOWNBEAT MELODY)
at The V&A Museum - Grand Entrance, Cromwell Rd London SW7 2RL.
Free. Kids welcome.
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Easter Weekend
LISF DAY 1 - THURSDAY 28 MARCH 2013
Evening show - 7pm-11pm
RICO RODRIGUEZ performing Man From Wareika
THE SIDEWALK DOCTORS
DJ DAVID KATZ
at The Jazz Cafe, Parkway, Camden, London NW1
Clubnight - 11pm-2am
founder of The Specials & 2 Tone Records
JERRY DAMMERS DJ set only
spinning Jamaican Ska & Reggae
at The Jazz Cafe, Parkway, Camden, London NW1
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LISF DAY 2 - GOOD FRIDAY - 29 MARCH 2013
Daytime - Studio One Thames Cruise - 12.30-4.30pm
BB SEATON (The Gaylads/Bibby & The Astronauts)
OWEN GRAY (one of Studio One's first artists)
VIN GORDON aka DON DRUMMOND JNR
DJ CHRIS PECKINGS (Peckings Studio1)
TRUE IDENTITY
MADDY CARTY
onboard The Dixie Queen, Tower Hill, Thames.
Evening show - 7pm - 11pm
BUSTER SHUFFLE
PANNONIA ALLSTARS SKA ORCHESTRA (Hungary)
ED ROME
MR T BONE & THE YOUNG LIONS (Italy)
BOMBSKARE (Scotland)
RAZIKA (Norway)
DJ LITTLE DIANE (ACE CAFE)
at The Garage, Highbury Corner, London N5.
Clubnights - 11pm-4am
Rm.1 - SKYLARKIN SOUND SYSTEM w. DJ DEREK & COUNT SKYLARKIN plus PAMA INTERNATIONAL
Rm.2 - CELLOS COAST TO COAST w. DJ CELLO & KRIS TEBBUTT (Reggae Jeggae)
at The Garage, Highbury Corner, Islington
(opp. Highbury & Islington tube)
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LISF DAY 3 - SATURDAY 30 MARCH 2013
Evening show - 7pm-11pm
Trojan Explosion
FREDDIE NOTES (Trojan Rcds/Montego Bay)
INTENSIFIED
THE UPSESSIONS (Netherlands)
DJ PHIL BUSH - SOUNDS & PRESSURE
& more tba
at The 100 Club, 100 Oxford St, London W1
All-nighter - 10pm-6am
TRIBUTE TO DUKE VIN:
THE LISF UK SOUND SYSTEM CONFERENCE 2013
Sponsored by www.lionvibes.com Reggae Vinyl Heaven
- The Sound System Room
METRO & EDDIE REGAL (Metro Sound)
GLADDY WAX
RAS DIGBY (Sir Jessus Sound)
JUMBO (Java Hi-Power)
TIGHTEN UP CREW w. CHAMPIAN (Jamdown Rockers)
- Room 2
MUNGOS HI FI
WRONG TOM
at Islington Metal Works, Torrens St, Islington N1
(behind Angel tube station)
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LISF DAY 4 - EASTER SUNDAY 31 MARCH 2013
Daytime - Midday - 5pm - free
LONDON INTL SKA FESTIVAL SUNDAY SOCIAL ft. David Hill & Oxman
plus record fair, exhibitions, book signings & more incl:
DAVID KATZ - A SOLID FOUNDATION book signing
at Dingwalls, Camden Lock, London NW1
Daytime - 2pm-6pm
DO THE DOG SPECIAL
CARTOON VIOLENCE (offical album launch party)
THE SPLITTERS
ROBB BLAKE (from Whitmore)
at The Dublin Castle, Parkway, Camden, London NW1
Evening - 7pm-11pm
KEN BOOTHE
100 MEN starring Mik Whitnall
POTATO 5 DJ set
at Dingwalls, Camden Lock, London NW1
Closing party 11pm-2am
2 TONE DISCO - The Sounds of 79
RHODA DAKAR (THE BODYSNATCHERS/SPECIAL AKA)
TIME TUNNEL
at Dingwalls, Camden Lock, London NW1
For uptodate info and tickets go to
last single 'Happenstance' there are only 300 of these made. All are hand-numbered and stamped. Happenstance came on red vinyl; this one is on yellow vinyl. This truly is a unique collector’s piece, and they have 200 of them available in their shop. The other 100 will be going into select retail stores on 26th Oct.
