Lee Scratch Perry to headline London International Ska Festival

London International Ska Festival 2015

Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th April 2015
various venues, Camden, Greater London, NW1 8QP, England MAP
£141 for all four days

Daily capacity: 1,250

The legendary producer, songwriter, performer, dub innovator and musical genius Lee Scratch Perry will be headlining the opening night of next year's London International Ska Festival.

Lee Perry launched his career in the 1950′s at Jamaica’s famed Studio One where he recorded over 30 ska records for studio boss Coxosone Dodd. A brief period followed working for Joe Gibbs Amalgamated label, before unleashing his own Upsetter label in 1968.

From the very first release his unique approach to the studio shone through with the sampling of a baby crying on the massive selling People Funny Boy. Through to 1972 he not only worked with his inhouse band The Upsetters, writing and producing many hits including Return of the Django and Live Injection, but also found success producing The Wailers; Mr.Brown, Soul Rebels, Duppy Conqueror, Don’t Rock My Boat, Sun Is Shining and many more.

In 1973 Perry built the Black Ark studio in his back yard and went onto produce arguably the most innovative albums not only of his career but also in the world of reggae, including the trinity of Junior Murvin's Police and Thieves, The Congos' Heart of the Congo's and Max Romeo's War Inna Babylon albums. In 1978 Perry burned the studio to the ground.

In more recent times he has collaborated with Mad Professor, Beastie Boys, Adrian Sherwood, The Orb, and released dozens of albums in his own right.

He joins a bill featuring Steel Pulse performing 'Handsworth Revolution, Horace Panter's Uptown Ska Collective, Paperboy, Rhoda Dakar sings The Bodysnatchers, Vin Gordon & His Real Rock Band, Beat Goes Bang ft. Everett Morton (The Beat), The Toasters, France's Two Tone Club, The Talks, Italy's Miserable Man, The Rifffs from Malta, Japan's Beat Bahnhof, and Dojo. Plus DJs Don Letts, The Tighten Up Crew, Sounds & Pressure Sound System with Phil Bush, and Axis Sound System.

Now in it's fifth year the festival will take place across multiple London venues (one wristband gets you into all of them) over Easter Weekend from Thursday 2nd through to Sunday 5th April 2015.

The festival is set to highlight all that's good about the world of ska, from it's roots in American Rhythm & blues, to the Jamaican originators, through the 2 Tone era and right up-to-date with 21st century ska sounds.

buy tickets now >

The early bird offer has ended. Tickets are priced at £141 for all four days. Individual events also available - £23 for Thursday with Lee Scratch Perry, £35 for the Ska Cruise, and £25 for Steel Pulse performing Handsworth Revolution.

As well as the main events further fringe events take place including cinema, DJ all-nighters, Record Fair, Thames cruise, which will all build into a week's worth of shows at legendary London venues.

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