On the Road to Ska & Reggae Fest – The Wailers, Dancehall Business, Cheko Soto & Positive Rebellion
May 31 @ 7:30 pm
The Wailers whom we have been working with for over 15 years and that headlined Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival in 2022 are coming back to Victoria to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of their Legend album! Legend was released in May 1984 by Island Records and is the best-selling reggae album of all-time.
Long before and after the release of Legend, the Wailers have toured the globe and brought the music of Bob Marley to adoring masses wherever they go. As members have come and gone one thing that hasn’t changed is the quality of the music. When The Wailers take the stage the messages of Bob Marley’s classic music – the music that has got countless people through countless struggles – rings loud and clear, played with love and passion. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from or where you’re going, if you’re a human being the music of The Wailers is sure to stir up big emotions and big calm deep inside your bones.
Victoria BC Ska & Reggae Society is so grateful to be able to celebrate this momentous 40th Anniversary Legend Album tour in the same month we are celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival.
The Wailers will be joined by Dancehall Business ft. Tugstar, Josey Radix and One Stainless. They are a new supergroup out of Vancouver that combines the city’s top Jamaican dancehall talent with seasoned musicians from the city’s world music scene plus veteran DJ and producer Lt. Irie. The result is a dynamic and high-energy stage show with three distinct vocal styles. The band is compact but deadly; a 4-piece that includes the likes of Kutapira’s Chris Couto and Bananafish Dance Orchestra’s Harvey Paris. When it comes to the vocalists, Tugstar is an established name in his native Jamaica with hit songs on rotation. He is also known for collaborations with Latin acts such as Vancouver’s Salsahall Collective and Mexico’s Golden Ganga (Adan). Josey Radix has become prolific in Vancouver’s reggae and hip hop circles over the past decade, honing his raggamuffin vocal skills at countless local shows and events. One Stainless is a more recent emigre from Jamaica and is an emerging artist known for his unique upbeat “clean” dancehall style and energetic performances.
Finally rounding out the bill is Cheko Soto & the Pozitive Rebellion. All of these musicians are Island reggae veterans and longtime Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival alumni residing in the Cowichan Valley. Cheko Soto the band’s leader is native to Mexico and often finds himself playing in other legendary Mexican reggae bands that are friends of the Victoria Ska & Reggae Society such as Antidoping (whom he is featured on their most recent single) and Los Rastrillos. He spends time in both Mexico and Canada enjoying the best of both worlds.
Tickets on sale on ticketweb.ca! Hard copy tickets on sale shortly at Destination Greater Victoria (Tourist Info on Wharf Street), Fascinating Rhythm (Nanaimo) and Area 51 (Duncan)
