Irie Jam x Boomshots Make History at SXSW 2016
With tens of thousands of performers, panels, and premieres packed into nine short days, SXSW is all about FOMO. Whether you’re in Austin or not, Fear Of Missing Out is simply inevitable. So fret not thyself if you didn’t get a chance to witness Irie Jam and Boomshots making history with the greatest reggae and dancehall showcase in SXSW history. We’ve got you covered. Video & Photos After The Jump…
From the moment Jovi Rockwell strapped on her Fender Telecaster and sang her racks-on-racks update of Desmond Dekker‘s “Israelites” we knew it was going to be a night to remember. (Jovi also let us know about a big big collab she’ll be dropping on the world very soon—check the backstage interview for details.) Next Omari Banks stepped onstage backed by Taddy P on bass and thrilled the ladies with “Unafraid to Love” before dropping “Jehovah Message” on the crowd in his smooth basso profundo voice. Then it was time for Cham as Mr. Lawless himself turned the energy up to eleven with a blazing set ranging from Madhouse classics to previews of his forthcoming album Lawless—and even a Bob Marley joint. The crowd had no time to recover before Tanya Stephens got the place rocking with an all-killer, no filler set that closed with her ever-popular tek-a-gyal-man anthem “It’s A Pity.” Closing things out was Assassin who took the audience on a journey from Diwali days, when he was the “Ruffest and Tuffest,” to cuts from the new album Theory of Reggaetivity, including an acapella performance of his lyrically potent track “Africa”—which he had never performed live before, outside of Jamaica. Shout out to DJ Black Moses on the wheels of steel and our homegirls Winnie and Rickie from W&R Projects who put together a wicked Afro-Beat party right next door. If you think this one was wicked, you nuh ready fe 2017 yet.
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