With politics in Europe leaning to the far right and with Racism ever more prevalent on the streets of Britain the Global Beats promoters are celebrating the times when Rock Against Racism (RAR) stood up and helped bring together black and white fans in their common love of music.
Rock Against Racism was a political and cultural movement that emerged in 1976 as reaction to a rise in racist attacks on the streets of the UK and increasing support for the neo-Nazi National Front at the ballot box. Between 1976 and 1982 RAR activists organised national carnivals and tours, as well as local gigs and clubs throughout the country. The musicians came from all pop music genres, something reflected in one of RAR’s slogans: ‘Reggae, Soul, Ska, Rock’N’Roll, Jazz, Funk, and Punk’.
The Global Beats agency have brought together some iconic acts to celebrate what RAR achieved. They will be celebrating with a concert at the Brighton Dome Concert Hall on Saturday 28th March 2020. Tickets available HERE and from your usual concert ticket providers.
Misty in Roots
Misty in Roots formed in Southall, London in the mid-1970’s. Their first album was 1979’s ‘Live at the Counter Eurovision’, a record that was championed by BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, helping to bring roots reggae to a white audience. Along with Steel Pulse, Aswad, Matumbi, and Black Slate, Misty in Roots were one of the most popular British reggae bands of the late 1970s.
Following their debut, Misty In Roots released four studio albums through the 1980’s. The band had two BBC Radio 1 In Concert appearances in 1983 and 1985. They were invited to play in Zimbabwe in 1982 in recognition of their support for the independence movement and were the first reggae band to tour South Africa, Poland, and Russia. After a break from recording in the next decade, the band returned with a new mini-album ‘Roots Controller’ in 2002 and continue to play concerts across the world.
The Skatalites
The Skatalites are a Ska band from Jamaica. They played initially between 1963 and 1965, and recorded many of their best-known songs in the period, including ‘Guns of Navarone’.
The original members had played on hundreds of recording sessions before forming the band in 1964. They backed most of the vocalists in Jamaica at that time, including Bob Marley, Toots and The Maytals, Jimmy Cliff, Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, and many more. After disbanding in 1965 the individual members continued playing in various groups as the music evolved from ska to rocksteady to reggae. In 1983 The Skatalites reunited to play Reggae Sunsplash in Montego Bay and subsequently in London at The Crystal Palace for the U.K version of The Sunsplash event. A few years later they began emigrating to the U.S.A and in 1986 the first US shows began at The Village Gate in NYC. In 1989 the band supported Bunny Wailer on The Liberation Tour and in 1990 they embarked on their first headline tour of The U.S.A. and have not stopped touring the world ever since. Their unique infectious brand of real Jamaican ska pleases audiences of all ages across the globe year after year.
Ruts DC
The Ruts were a reggae-influenced British punk rock band, formed in 1977 at the height of the Punk revolution. They finally released their first single ‘In A Rut’ in early 1979 on the People Unite label. This 7” vinyl was much played and highly regarded by the UK BBC Radio 1 D.J, John Peel. From then on and over the years, the record rightly became what can be considered to be a Punk anthem.
The Members
The Members are an essential band that emerged from the musical revolution of the late-1970’s, but while they are rightly regarded as punk they have always been beyond labels, their lyrics merging stories of everyday life with a dynamic, maverick style. Their hits included ‘The Sound Of The Suburbs’ and ‘Offshore Banking Business’.
This event was rescheduled from Saturday 26th October 2019, any tickets already purchased remain valid for the new date on Saturday 28th March 2020.
The original lineup included Roy Ayers & The Ubiquity Band who are no longer able to perform.
Purchase your tickets HERE and from your usual concert ticket providers.
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