(Ska & Reggae Festival / Facebook)
The Ska & Reggae Festival is coming back to Victoria! Do you know what Ska is? I didn’t until I first attended back in the summer of 2022. Let me give you a quick lesson:
Ska is a fast-paced and upbeat music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s. First take one part Mento (Jamaican folk music), add a couple cups of Calypso (Afro-Caribbean music from Trinidad and Tobago), then smash that together with some American jazz, rhythm and blues.
Now you’re a ska expert!
Well, no. BUT if you want to get in the mix and have a taste get yourself to the Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival this summer from June 18th-22nd. It is an all ages event that is split between a couple venues. Outside at Ship Point – perfectly poised on the Victoria seawall, outside in the glorious heat. Bring your sunscreen and sunbrellas! The other two venues are the Victoria Curling Club and The Wicket Hall. Unfortunately the Wicket Hall remains 19+ for all you kiddlets reading, but this year the Victoria Curling Club is for everyone. “Providing they get a pass on their usual bedtime,” as stated on their webpage. In fact, kids under the age of 10 get in free! Sorry fellow wrinklies, you can try your pass at a free entry, but why not just contribute to the cause. The cause being epic beats and an amazingly happy atmosphere.
Now step into my time portal back to the year 2022. You’re a 29 year old girl, heading to see her friend’s brass band play at this Ska & Reggae Festival that you’ve never heard of before. You’re on the ferry enjoying the whip of the wind as your hair attacks your eyeball, mentally preparing to stand in a crowd of festival goers on your own. Then you’re in Victoria, the heat is blaring, you decide your too cool for sunscreen and regret it later. Finally you’re in the crowd, your friends 10 person brass band is on stage, and they wink at you as you shimmy close to the front. Life is grand.
(Fog Fotag / Facebook)
My experience at Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival has imprinted itself in my memory. The crowd was filled with old and young and everyone in between. There was face painting, hoola-hooping, families spread out across the grassy hill munching on picnic.. oh ya, and music! Babyface Brass was my friend’s band, one drummer, one singer, seven brass instruments, and one tap dancer. Five Alarm Funk played as the sun was going down! The heat had soaked up all the energy of the crowd and somehow these boys brought it back tenfold. Finally, as the sky turned light purple and the street lights came on, Bedouin Soundclash came on. Children strained to keep their eyes open as they sat on their parents shoulders. The rest of us gearing up to head to the Victoria Curling Club for more.
(Fog Fotag / Facebook)
Now before I leave you, have you heard of Too Many Zooz?? They hail from New York City so I’ll only give them a brief mention. But this group is a trio, a drummer carrying his snare and bass like a marching band, a trumpeter, and a tenor saxophone. We were all jaws to the floor because it was as if these brass musicians never paused for breath…. How in the what?
(Fog Fotag / Facebook)
Get your tickets for Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival with the links below. The line-up this year is stacked incorporating bands I adore like Propogandhi, Punitive Damage, and Spiritual Warriors. These three may not reflect the Ska flavour, but there are numerous others for you to check out. Try something new! I believe in you!
Written by Volante Matheson, Radio Art & Entertainment at BCIT
Contact: vmatheson1@my.bcit.ca