Also confirmed are Morgan Heritage, Kabaka Pyramyd, the legendary Freddie McGregor, who will perform with two of his sons Stephen ‘Di Genious’ McGregor and Daniel ‘Chino’ McGregor; Junior Kelly, Inner Circle, Wailing Souls, Sud Sound System and Green Valley. Completing the first round of confirmations are Randy Valentine and Gentleman’s Dub Club, performing for the first time ever at the festival.
The next edition of Rototom Sunsplash, to be held in Benicassim (Spain) August 13 to 20 will build new bridges between Europe and Jamaica with the best reggae so that the audience that comes from around the world can enjoy true heavy weights from the international scene.
Damian Marley stands out among the big names to perform on Main Stage this year. The Jamaican returns to Benicassim after his amazing concert in 2013 to present a completely new show. His enormous talent, versatility, and special capacity to understand reggae from new innovative perspectives, without forgetting tradition, have made Damian Marley, winner of several Grammy awards, one of the most internationally acclaimed contemporary artists.
Special concerts
Also performing in the next edition will be the veteran Jamaican artist Freddie McGregor, who over his long career has been a singer, musician and composer. This time he will share the stage with two of his sons Stephen ‘Di Genious’ McGregor and Daniel ‘Chino’ McGregor.
Morgan Heritage. Photo: Luca D’Agostino.
The famous musicians Morgan Heritage will be there too. Founded in 1994 and popularly known as the ‘royal family of reggae’, they have survived the test of time performing for over 20 years, having worked with some of the most biggest band and artists in reggae such as Capleton, Junior Kelly, Luciano or Beres Hammond. In 2015 the group was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Reggae Album for ‘Strictly Roots’.
Another of the special shows on offer at Rototom Sunsplash this August will be performed by Inner Circle, who have been on the go for more than 45 years. These Jamaicans –authors of famous songs such as ‘Sweat (A lalalala long)’ and ‘Bad Boys’ (the theme tune for TV series COPS) – will return to Benicassim with a completely new show.
The Caribbean island’s deepest reggae traditions of the will be represented by the Wailing Souls, one of the greatest vocal groups in the history of reggae. With a long music career behind them that has passed through different creative phases, is also participating in the ‘Rototom&Friends Europe’ European tour, that has been organized by the festival for this Spring and which Junior Kelly, another of the confirmations for 2016, will also participate. Consolidated in Europe as one of the genres big stars thanks to the energy of his shows, he is coming to Rototom with a new album under his arm ‘Urban Poet’, in which he has managed to reinvent himself.
Kabaka Pyramid. Photo: Luca Valenta.
Another of the names that stands out on this the first list of confirmations is that of Kabaka Pyramid. Considered to be one of the new gems on the roots reggae scene, will be bringing the tunes form his latest work, ‘Go With Jah’ Riddim, released just a few months ago and in which figure collaborations with Micah Shemaiah and Addis Pablo.
Green Valley. Photo: Ominonero.
The Spaniards Green Valley, who will be presenting the material from their new record, ‘Ahora’, due to be released next month; and the Italians Sud Sound System, who for over twenty years have combined styles like no other, everything from dancehall, hip hop, dubstep to funk, are more of the artist that will be performing on Main Stage in August.
New names
For the moment the new names in the lineup are the Gentleman’s Dub Club and Randy Valentine, who will be performing for the first time ever at the festival.
Gentleman’s Dub Club. Photo: Rototom Sunsplash.
On the one hand the British Gentleman’s Dub Club, founded in Leeds in 2006, impress with the energy and power of their live shows. With a style that combines dub with ska and roots reggae, they have collaborated with artists such as the Wailers, Busy Signal, Roots Manuva or U-Roy, among others.
On the other, the versatile English composer, singer and producer of Jamaican origin Ronald Junior Fritz, also known as Randy Valentine, has grown exponentially as an artist since his debut, in 2005. After the success of his first official EP ‘Break the chain’, he has become one of the most acclaimed young reggae artists, heading lists of reggae sales on iTunes in more than 9 countries.
Regarding advance ticket sales, the sale 8 day tickets, which will be available until April 5, online at the festival’s website www.rototomsunsplash.com for 160 euros, is advancing well. To date Spain, France, Germany, UK and Italy are the countries where the most advance sale tickets have been sold. They are followed by Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Poland, Austria, Portugal, Sweden, USA, Argentina, Brazil, and many more. This confirms that the next Rototom Sunsplash will have an audience from over 30 different countries.