This year’s Caribbean Fest returns to its roots.
Alright, alright — in years past we’ve been not-so-kind to the annual Caribbean Festival, known in years past as the Bob Marley Fest. But can you blame us? With previous lineups blending thuggish hip-hop elements and random pop music wonders, some local fans grew skeptical. We’re happy to […]

Belize Reggae Fest Kicks off with the King

Dancehall’s Royal Highness Beenie Man is headed to Central America next month to inaugurate the Belize Reggae Fest series, which will be held on Saturday, March 7, at the Civic Center in Belize City.

The Fest is an initiative of Triple T Productions and Nuff Muzik Productions to bring […]

Fire on Babylon: Jamaica Bans Sex and Violence in Music
It’s like the 1950s all over again.
Jamaican lawmakers say they will forbid all lyrical references to sex and violence on their radio stations. The Jamaican Broadcast Commission announced new rules which ban “any song or music video that depicts sexual acts or glorifies gun violence, murder, […]

Reggae-influenced Skindred ready to rock the Machine Shop

While Eddy Grant’s classic early-’80s tune “Electric Avenue” seems to be a perfect fit for the self-described “ragga punk metal” sound of Skindred, the group didn’t have high expectations when they recently knocked out their own version of the song.
“We didn’t think anything of it,” vocalist Benji Webbe […]

Live This City: Island in the rain
Knee-deep in this purgatorial rainy season of ours, my affection for Sacramento has once again been tested by the perpetual stormy weather. I’m still freezing, but my deliverance has arrived at last (take that, March).
I’ll bet you didn’t know there’s an island in downtown Sacramento.