Toppa Top 10: Top Ten Summertime Festivals

Words by LargeUp Crew, Photo by Nicolas LÊ—

It’s about that time of year when the Caribbean’s biggest music acts leave home and hit the road for festival dates around the world. As usual, things kick off Memorial Day weekend, with the long-running Best of the Best and UCLA Jazz Reggae fests set for Miami and LA, respectively. Here’s a look at some of this year’s most action-packed, Caribbean-focused music festivals, from the West Coast to the South of France.

10. UCLA Jazz Reggae Festival (Los Angeles; May 26-37)

Photo: Jeff Fasano

The two-day Jazz Reggae Fest, at UCLA Intramural Field in Los Angeles, features performances from Common, Santigold and Jhene Aiko on Day One/Sunday (“Jam Day”) and Ziggy Marley, Barrington Levy, Mr. Vegas and Marcia Griffiths on Memorial Day Monday (“Reggae Day”). A two-day pass is just $50 (one-day admission is $30), making Jazz Reggae Fest one of the true bargains of the season. And if that’s not cheap enough for you, we’re giving away a pair of tickets and a photo pass gratis to one lucky winner. Get the details here, and enter soon—the winner will be announced tonight.

9. Reggae on the River (French’s Camp, Calif.; Aug. 1-4)

Photo: Eagle Eye Photography

For its 29th edition this year, Reggae on the River, returns home to its original French’s Camp venue (after several years at nearby Benbow Lake), on a winding bend of the South Eel River in California’s Humboldt County. Big names from the reggae world on this year’s edition include Tarrus Riley, Anthony B, Morgan Heritage, J Boog, Julian Marley, Chronixx, Kabaka Pyramid and Rootz Underground. Notable names from outside of it include French soul queens Les Nubians and Belizean/Guatemalan punta band, the Garifuna Collective. Due to the fest’s remote location, overnight camping is recommended.

8. Sierra Nevada World Music Festival (Boonville, Calif.; June 21-23)

Two hours south of Reggae on the River—and two hours north of San Francisco— is the Mendocino County Fairgrounds, site of the rugged Sierra Nevada World Music Festival. Headlining this year are Damian and Stephen Marley; supporting acts include SOJA, Marcia Griffiths, Max Romeo, U-Roy, Leroy Sibbles, Protoje, Hollie Cook/Prince Fatty, Sister Carol, Cornel Campbell and Gappy Ranks. Legendary U.K. soundsystem Jah Shaka also makes a rare U.S. appearance; other sounds holding down selections “in the dancehall” include Downbeat the Ruler and Italy’s Gaudi.

7. Reggae Summerjam (Cologne, Germany; July 5-7)

Once again, Cologne’s Reggae Summerjam, also nearing middle age at age 28, has put together a diverse lineup as appealing to dancehall fans as to roots reggaephiles. Summerjam is the only reggae festival (as far as we know) bold enough to book Snoop Lion, who is joined on the festival by his producers/reggae tutors Major Lazer. Also performing are Busy Signal, Popcaan, Tarrus Riley, Alborosie, Matisyahu, Ken Boothe, Morgan Heritage, Richie Stephens, Romain Virgo, Chronixx, Protoje and, in a rare appearance, French reggae/dancehall legends Raggasonic.

6. One Love Festival (London, August 16-18)

For its sixth edition this year, the UK’s largest annual reggae concert, the One Love Festival, has relocated to Damyns Hall Aerodrome, an airport on the outskirts of London. Performers this year include U-Roy, Al Campbell, Black Uhuru, Congo Natty, Eccleton Jarrett, Anthony Johnson, General Levy, Ijahman Levi, Joseph Cotton, Ranking Joe, Rod Taylor and more. How about those for some names you haven’t heard in a while?

One Love also boasts a heavyweight DJ lineup with Saxon Sound, Sir David Rodigan, Fatman International, Don Letts and Channel One. A soundclash—billed as the One Love Festival Battle of The Dubplates—will pit Coxsone Sound System, Youthman Promotions Sounds, King Tubbys Sound System and Heartical Sound against each other for the title of One Love Champions.

5. Best of the Best (Miami, May 26)

Photo: Alex Markow

Recent years have seen Best of the Best become more and more hip-hop oriented, with Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, 2 Chainz, Diddy among those who have performed. This year, however, the day-before-Memorial Day institution shifts back to its roots with an all-Caribbean lineup. Beres Hammond headlines; Konshens, Sanchez, Beenie Man, Cocoa Tea, JW & Blaze, Elephant Man, Chronixx, Patrice Roberts, Mad Cobra, Mega Banton and the Bahamian Rat Pack are all set to perform. But given the high quotient of music celebrities that turn up in Miami during Urban Beach Week, expect surprise guests

4. St. Kitts Music Festival (Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis; June 27-29)

Photo: ZROD FM

The St. Kitts Music Festival always brings out big names from both the pop/R&B and Caribbean music worlds but this year the emphasis is firmly on the islands. While Lionel Richie is perhaps the biggest draw, trailing right behind him are reggae/dancehall legends Beres Hammond and Shaggy, and Jamaica’s artist-of-the-moment Konshens. Coming from Trinidad, meanwhile, are Bunji Garlin, his wife Fay-Ann Lyons and her father, newly-back-in-action soca legend Superblue; as well as Trini jazzman Etienne Charles. The fest this year has also devoted a large chunk of roster space to St. Kitts and Nevis-based acts, including rapper Dagah, up-and-coming singer Dejour and soca/calypso kings Nu-Vybes Band, ensuring that the fest will bring a boost to the local music industry, not just tourism.

3. Rototom Sunsplash (Benicassim, Spain; August 17-24)

The family-oriented Rototom Sunplash celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, its fourth since relocating from Italy to Benicassim, Spain. Performances are just one element of the multi-faceted cultural event, which hosts percussion classes, photo exhibitions, seminars, debates and film screenings, among other community-building events.

Notable names on this year’s performance roster include Damian Marley (making his only European appearance of the summer), Konshens, Busy Signal, Mr. Vegas, Third World, U-Roy, John Holt, Leroy Sibbles, Ini Kamoze, Ranking Joe, Richie Spice, Anthony B, Ce’cile, Protoje and—most encouraging of all, in our opinion—Israel Vibration backed by the Roots Radics.

2.  Reggae Sumfest (Montego Bay, Jamaica; July 21-27)

Photo: Varun Baker

Now in its 20th year, MoBay’s Reggae Sumfest is the largest annual music festival in Jamaica, and the biggest summertime stageshow in the Caribbean. This year’s acts include Popcaan, Miguel, Aidonia, FloRida, Tarrus Riley, Kiprich, Tommy Lee, Chronixx and newly announced dancehall-night headliner I-Octane. And given Sumfest’s track record of bringing out big names from Jamaican/dancehall music and American R&B year after year, we’re sure more big names will be added soon enough.

1. Garance Reggae Festival (Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France, July 24-27)

Photo: House of Reggae

The most intriguing lineup of any reggae fest this year, arguably, belongs to the Garance Reggae Festival in Bagnols-sur-Cèze, an ancient Roman town near Marseiiles in the South of France. The lineup runs the gamut from ska pioneers to rising stars, with Sizzla, Busy Signal, Konshens, Ini Kamoze, Ky-mani Marley, Steel Pulse, Anthony B, Romain Virgo, Cornel Campbell, Don Carlos, John Holt, Everton Blender, Lloyd Parks, Stranger Cole and the Tamlins all set to take the stage. Sounds on the lineup include Jah Shaka and Channel One, plus a clash between Killamanjaro vs. Soul Stereo.

But it’s these three pairings that have us dialing up Air France looking for a flight: Mykal Rose with Sly and Robbie; Inner Circle’s Jacob Miller tribute with Addis Pablo; and a King Jammy’s Live Set with Johnny Osbourne. At €99 for a four-day pass, the price for all this ain’t bad, either.