POSTPONED: Rock Against Racism ft. MISTY IN ROOTS

This show is postponed, new date to follow soon

Statement from Misty in Roots;

"Due to medical concerns of one of the band members of Misty in Roots they will not be able to appear at the Rock Against Racism show on Saturday. We are working with the promoters to see if an alternative artist will replace the band or if they will reschedule the date. They will come back to us within 24 hours with further information."

ROCK AGAINST RACISMPerforming Live:Misty in RootsMacka B & The Roots Ragga BandThe Members
Attila the Stockbroker
With politics in Europe leaning to the far right and with Racism ever more prevalent on the streets of Britain we at Global Beats want to celebrate the times when Rock Against Racism (RAR), 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 stood up and helped bring together black and white fans in their common love of music, in order to discourage young people from embracing racism.

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".We have brought together some iconic acts to celebrate what RAR achieved.

Misty in Roots formed in Southall, London in the mid-1970s. Their first album was 1979's Live at the Counter Eurovision, a record that was championed by BBC Radi 1 DJ John Peel, helping to bring roots reggae to a white audience. At this early stage, the band was a collective with five lead singers and various musicians, though by the time of the second album proper the band had slimmed down to just three members. 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 1980s. 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.

Macka B is one of Britain's most influential dancehall toasters, pushing the music back toward a Rastafarian political consciousness. His rough, gravelly vocals gave him an instantly identifiable sound, and his production, chiefly handled by Mad Professor updated dub reggae techniques for the dancehall age, proving that the two sounds weren't mutually exclusive. Although the vast majority of Macka B's material was devoted to spiritual and social messages, he did lighten the mood with occasional humorous novelty material. He shunned any aspirations for a commercial crossover, however, staying true to the sound and spirit of reggae's roots.

The Members were always the thinking punk’s band of choice; angry but intelligent, a suss reggae sensibility and songs that, - Neil Spencer, The Observer & Uncut.The Members are an essential band that emerged from the musical revolution of the late-1970s, 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.

Please add Macka B & The Roots Ragga Band to the RAR Line up.