The London International Ska Festival 2012 full line up announced
Music News | Feb 16th, 2012
The London International Ska Festival 2012 has finalized their lineup. The ska festival lineup will include the return of Dandy Livingstone, The Pioneers, The Hotknives (original lineup), Fishbone, Neol Davies aka The Selecter, Chris Murray, Rebelation, The Dualers, Ska Cubano, Rico Rodriguez, and Phoenix City All-stars. Besides the awesome lineup, the festival will launch two albums: The Dualers-Prince Buster Tribute album and Phoenix City All-stars-2 Tone Ska & Rocksteady Special (a Studio One take on 2 Tone). Plus a series of 7″s exclusive to the festival that include a wonderful new ska version of ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ by Dave Barker. Can’t think of a better reason to fly to London than this!
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.London Intl Ska Festival running order
Day 1 – Thursday 3 May – 6pm-11pm – Tickets £32.50 advance
THE PIONEERS ft. George Dekker & Jackie Robinson
plus Dawn Penn | The Moon Invaders | Kinky Coo Coo’s | The Delegators | DJ Andy Smith
O2 Academy Islington, 16 Parkfield Street London, N1 0PS. Tel: 02072884410.**********
Day 2 – Friday 4 May – 6pm-10pm – Tickets £32.50 advance
DANDY LIVINGSTONE plus Dave Barker | Rico Rodriguez | Phoenix City All-stars | Los Granadians | DJ Gladdy Wax
O2 Academy Islington, 16 Parkfield Street London, N1 0PS. Tel: 02072884410.
**After show party – DJ All-nighter at Islington Metalworks, 7 Torrens St, London, EC1V 1NQ. 10pm-6am
Jerry Dammers (The Specials) | Tighten Up v Downbeat Melody | Chris Lane | Tim Wells | DJ Amma | Dreadzone Sound System | 3DJ (Funkdub)**********
Day 3 – Saturday 5 May – 6pm-11pm – Tickets £25 advance
THE DUALERS & SKA CUBANO plus Hotknives (orig.line up) | Buster Shuffle | Capone & The Bullets
DJs Cello (Coast To Coast) and Count Skylarkin
O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Shepherd’s Bush Green, London, W12 8TT. Tel: 02083543300**********
Day 4 – Sunday 6 May – 5pm-10pm – Tickets £20 advance
FISHBONE and NEOL DAVIES aka THE SELECTER plus The Skints | Chris Murray | Rebelation | DJs Don Letts
O2 Academy Islington, 16 Parkfield Street London, N1 0PS. Tel: 02072884410.
**After show party – 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) & more
Visit www.londoninternationalskafestival.co.uk for all the details!
