The London International Ska Festival 2012
Bank Holiday Weekend Thursday 3rd – Sunday 6th May
O2 Academy Islington and O2 Shepherd’s Empire
In this, the 50th anniversary of Jamaican Independence, The London International Ska Festival returns to the capital from Thursday 3rd– 6th May 2012 and promises 40 acts from around the world. From its birth in Jamaica, Ska has come a long way - morphing and inspiring every generation and reaching all corners of the world. In association with Academy Events, the festival line up will showcase 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 Ska sounds.
The four days will see some musical legends take to the stage as well as new talent on the Ska scene. Dandy Livingstone will play his world exclusive comeback show and first in 40 years on Friday 4th May at O2 Academy Islington. Dandy released some all-time classic reggae songs including the original 'Rudy A Message To You', as well as being Britain's leading reggae producer and instrumental in establishing Trojan Records. Other headliners across the weekend include The Pioneers starring Jackie Robinson and George Dekker ('Let Your Yeah Be Yeah' and 'Long Shot Kick De Bucket'), Dawn Penn ('No, No, No'), the voice of Dave and Ansell Collins - Dave Barker and Rico Rodriguez MBE.
From the 2 Tone era comes the founder, guitarist and songwriter of The Selecter - Neol Davies, the original Hotknives celebrating their 30th anniversary, California’s Fishbone and multi-award winning Ska Cubano. Contemporary acts The Dualers and Phoenix City All-Stars, will both launch albums at this year’s festival and fresh from supporting The Rifles, London’s very own Buster Shuffle bring piano bashing cockney ska and authentic rock ’n’ roll sound.
The festival also presents a stellar line up of DJs across the four days including Jerry Dammers (The Specials/2Tone Records founder), Grammy winning Don Letts, the king of rocking blues, Gaz Mayall, Andy Smith, Dreadzone Sound System and many more.
Originally launched in 1988, The London International Ska Festival returned to critical acclaim last year, and is delighted to once again be celebrating the wonderful world of Ska in all its irrepressible guises in 2012.
LINE UP
THURSDAY 3RD MAY – O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON
THE PIONEERS (STARRING JACKIE ROBINSON & GEORGE DEKKER) + DAWN PENN + THE MOON INVADERS + KINKY COO COO’S + THE DELEGATORS + DJ ANDY SMITH
FRIDAY 4TH MAY – O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON
DANDY LIVINGSTONE + Dave Barker + Rico Rodriguez + Phoenix City All-stars + Los Granadians + DJ Gladdy Wax
SATURDAY 5TH MAY – O2 SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE
THE DUALERS & SKA CUBANO + Hotknives (origINAL line up) + Buster Shuffle + Capone & The Bullets + DJs Cello (Coast To Coast) & Count Skylarkin
SUNDAY 6TH MAY – O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON
FISHBONE & NEOL DAVIES aka THE SELECTER + The Skints + Chris Murray + Rebelation + DJ Don Letts
For more information/tickets go to www.
Festival Pass available - £122 adv for all shows
O2 Academy Islington – o2academyislington.co.uk
O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire – o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk
FESTIVAL OVERVIEW
Day 1 - Thursday 3rd May - 6pm-11pm - O2 Academy Islington. Tickets £32.50 adv
THE PIONEERS starring Jackie Robinson & George Dekker
plus Dawn Penn | The Moon Invaders | Kinky Coo Coo's | The Delegators | DJ Andy Smith
In 1969 the British Pop charts were pummelled by series of Reggae singles. Among those leading this onslaught was one of Jamaica’s finest acts - The Pioneers. Their breakthrough came with ‘Long Shot Kick De Bucket’, which peaked at No.21 on the UK charts (later, in 1980, taken to the No.1 spot by The Specials on their ‘Too Much Too Young’ EP). Further UK chart hits followed including ‘Let Your Yeah Be Yeah’ which reached No.5. Now approaching 50 years since their formation, their hits, including classics such as ‘Jackpot’ (covered by The Beat), ‘Starvation’, Time Hard’ (covered by The Selecter) and ‘Reggae Fever’, still receive global airplay and keep them in-demand the world over.
Dawn Penn was still at school when she recorded her first tracks for Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One in 1967. Amongst those early recordings was ‘No, No, No, (You Don’t Love Me)' backed by Tommy McCook and The Skatalites, which although an island smash, it wasn’t until Steely and Clevie’s 1991 version that the song became a global hit and won Dawn a Grammy nomination.
Support comes from The Moon Invaders, a devastatingly good authentic Ska act from Belgium, Catalonia's Kinky Coo Coo's, UK's rocksteady stars The Delegators and DJ Andy Smith, who is best known for his work with Portishead and The Trojan Document (a best selling compilation for Trojan Records).
Day 2 - Friday 4th May – 6pm-10pm - O2 Academy Islington. Tickets £32.50 adv
DANDY LIVINGSTONE
plus Dave Barker | Rico Rodriguez | Phoenix City All-stars | Los Granadians | DJ Gladdy Wax
**After show party - DJ All-nighter at Islington Metalworks, 7 Torrens St, London, EC1V 1NQ. 10pm-6am. Ft. Jerry Dammers (The Specials) | Tighten Up v Downbeat Melody | Chris Lane | Tim Wells | DJ Amma Dreadzone Sound System | 3DJ (Funkdub)
Dandy Livingstone is best known for releasing some all-time classic reggae songs including the original 'Rudy A Message To You' (later to become a phenomenal hit for The Specials), 'Reggae In Your Jeggae', 'People Get Ready' and UK chart hits 'Suzanne Beware of The Devil' and 'Big City'. However, he was also Britain's leading reggae producer and was instrumental in establishing Trojan Records, producing countless acts; Rico Rodriguez, Nicky Thomas and Tony Tribe (including his classic version of 'Red Red Wine'). We are honoured that he has decided to play his world exclusive comeback show (first in 40 years) at The London International Ska Festival 2012.
Dave Barker launched his solo career with Lee Perry producing the best-selling singles 'Shocks Of Mighty', 'Just My Imagination' and debut LP, 'Prisoner Of Love'. In 1971, as the vocal half of Dave and Ansell Collins, he found global success with 'Double Barrel', the second ever reggae No. 1 on the UK charts and first reggae ever Top 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Legendary trombonist Rico Rodriguez started his career in the late 1950's in Jamaica where he worked with all the great producers and artists. In 1961 he moved to England where he toured with Georgie Fame and worked closely with Dandy Livingstone, playing on both Dandy's original 'Rudy A Message to You' and The Specials remake a decade later. Honorary membership in The Specials and two solo albums followed for 2 Tone Records. In 2007 he was awarded the MBE and regularly performs with Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.
Support comes from Phoenix City All-Stars who launch their '2 Tone: Ska & Rocksteady Special' album... a truly unique repatriation of 2 Tone's greatest hits to the 'Sounds of Young Jamaica', plus Spain's biggest reggae act Los Granadians and DJ Gladdy Wax.
Day 3 - Saturday 5 May - 6pm-11pm - O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. Tickets £25 adv
THE DUALERS & SKA CUBANO
plus Hotknives (original line up) | Buster Shuffle | Capone & The Bullets vDJs Cello (Coast To Coast) and Count Skylarkin
One of the UK’s most loved Ska bands, The Dualers have taken their Ska sound to the masses. From busking the streets of London to selling out the Indigo2 four times! On record they’ve been equally successful entering the UK charts three times and selling over 35,000 albums. They will be using the festival to launch their 'Prince Buster Tribute' album which as the title states sees them paying tribute to the King of Ska.
International stars Ska Cubano cook up an exquisite mix of multi-award winning mambo, calypso, cumbia and reggae into one almighty Ska explosion. From their bases in Jamaica, Cuba, Japan and England, they've now taken their “Skatalites meet Buena Vista Social Club” hybrid to over 30 countries, triumphing at Glastonbury, Bestival, Womad, Big Day Out and the Noble Peace Prize awards ceremony along the way.
Support comes from last years festival highlight, the Hotknives who due to huge popular demand are returning to celebrate their 30th anniversary, Buster Shuffle, Capone & The Bullets, DJ Cello (Coast To Coast) and Count Skylarkin (Skylarkin Sound System/Big 10”).
Day 4 - Sunday 6 May - 5pm-10pm - O2 Academy Islington. Tickets £20 adv
FISHBONE and NEOL DAVIES aka THE SELECTER
plus The Skints | Chris Murray | Rebelation | DJ Don Letts
** Festival Closing Party at Islington Metalworks, 7 Torrens St, London, EC1V 1NQ. 10pm-late - LAUREL AITKEN'S ORIGINAL PRESSURE TENANTS
DJs: Gaz Mayall (Gaz's Rockin Blues), Mark Barrett (Pressure Drop), Dave Walker (Thursday Night Fish Fry), Andy Attic (Club Ska) and more
Californian misfits Fishbone are one of the most original bands of the last 25 years. With a blistering combination of funk-frenzied Ska, punk, soul and more they demolished the walls of genre and challenged the racial stereotypes and political order of the American music industry and nation. Their sound has often been imitated, but never duplicated. They celebrate their 25th year with the 'Everyday Sunshine' documentary and new EP ‘Crazy Glue’.
As the founder, songwriter and guitarist of The Selecter - Neol Davies penned a string of classic hits that resonate as much today as they ever did. 'Too Much Pressure', 'On My Radio', 'Three Minute Hero', 'Missing Words', 'Celebrate The Bullet' and the instrumental that sparked it all, the sublime AA-side to The Specials 'Gangsters', 'The Selecter'. 30 years on Neol returns with classic hits and new songs bringing the 2 Tone style and passion into the 21st century.
Support comes from the much touted new kids The Skints, Canadian ska troubadour Chris Murray and Do The Dog Music's Rebelation. The DJ and host for the evening is Grammy winning filmmaker/musician/DJ that single handedly turned a whole generation of punks onto reggae - Don Letts.
