Upcoming Events
ALBOROSIE & THE SHENGEN CLAN w/Arise Roots in Victoria! - Canadian debut!!
@ Distrikt After ten long years in the making, Victoria BC Ska & Reggae Society is proud to announce the confirmation of Alborosie & Shengen Clan to Victoria for the first time on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at Distrikt. This will be the band’s first ever Canadian appearance. Tickets on sale Fri. Nov 22 at 9am. (*Note this is the new date for the show originally scheduled to take place on Fri. Nov 15th at Upstairs Cabaret)______________________________________________________
Alborosie is a shining example of a person that defied the odds with sheer determination, heart and raw talent. Born in Marala, Sicily, Alberto D'Ascola is a versatile musician that plays guitar, drums and keyboards in addition to being a world renowned singer and living legend.
He was first a part of a successful Italian reggae band called “Reggae National Tickets” in the early 90s. After almost ten years with that band his love for reggae and desire to be closer to the Rasta culture, brought Alborosie to the Island of Jamaica, in 2001.
While in Jamaica despite being first tagged with the name “Borosie,” (a name with a negative connotation) D’Ascola used the skills and experience he built prior to his arrival to work as a sound engineer with artists such as Ky-mani Marley and Wyclef. In tandem working with those artists, Alborosie launched his solo career. Long after moving to Jamaica Alborosie said in an interview, “I never came here to be popular. I never wanted to top the charts or be a billionaire. I don’t care about that. I just wanted to be close to the music that I loved and that I couldn’t find in Italy.”
Alborosie’s first solo album Soul Pirate in 2008 received international acclaim and rose to the top ten on the reggae Billboard charts. The anthem “Kingston Town” off that album is still the most popular song Alborosie has to this day. Since Soul Pirate, Alborosie has gone on to international stardom in the reggae world working with numerous living legends such as Chronixx, Sizzla, Protoje, Gentleman and The Wailers.
In fact his recent release in 2018 called Unbreakable: Alborosie Meets the Wailers United was one of the singer's best-received albums to date, featuring collaborations with J Boog, Jah Cure and of course members of the Wailers. The album rose to the Top Ten of Billboard’s reggae charts.
The confirmation of Alborosie with his band “the Shengen Clan” in Victoria BC is a special milestone for Victoria BC Ska & Reggae Society and for reggae fans throughout Western Canada.
Supporting Alborosie & The Shengen Clan is LA's roots reggae party rockers ARISE ROOTS. This will be only Arise Roots' second Canadian appearance after their first Canadian debut at Victoria's 16th Annual Ska & Reggae Festival supporting New Zealand's House of Shem. Anyone that has had the opportunity to see ARISE ROOTS know they're a root reggae fan's paradise.
ALBOROSIE & THE SHENGEN CLAN w/Arise Roots and Tank Gyal in Vancouver! Canadian debut!
@ Rickshaw Theatre Vancouver BC After ten years in the making, Victoria BC Ska & Reggae Society is proud to announce the confirmation of Alborosie & Shengen Clan to Vancouver for the first time on Sunday, February 2, 2020 at Rickshaw Theatre. This will be the band’s first ever Canadian appearance.Tickets on sale here on Friday, November 22 at 9am.
Alborosie is a shining example of a person that defied the odds with sheer determination, heart and raw talent. Born in Marala, Sicily, Alberto D'Ascola is a versatile musician that plays guitar, drums and keyboards in addition to being a world renowned singer and living legend.
He was first a part of a successful Italian reggae band called “Reggae National Tickets” in the early 90s. After almost ten years with that band his love for reggae and desire to be closer to the Rasta culture, brought Alborosie to the Island of Jamaica, in 2001.
While in Jamaica despite being first tagged with the name “Borosie,” (a name with a negative connotation) D’Ascola used the skills and experience he built prior to his arrival to work as a sound engineer with artists such as Ky-mani Marley and Wyclef. In tandem working with those artists, Alborosie launched his solo career. Long after moving to Jamaica Alborosie said in an interview, “I never came here to be popular. I never wanted to top the charts or be a billionaire. I don’t care about that. I just wanted to be close to the music that I loved and that I couldn’t find in Italy.”
Alborosie’s first solo album Soul Pirate in 2008 received international acclaim and rose to the top ten on the reggae Billboard charts. The anthem “Kingston Town” off that album is still the most popular song Alborosie has to this day. Since Soul Pirate, Alborosie has gone on to international stardom in the reggae world working with numerous living legends such as Chronixx, Sizzla, Protoje, Gentleman and The Wailers.
In fact his recent release in 2018 called Unbreakable: Alborosie Meets the Wailers United was one of the singer's best-received albums to date, featuring collaborations with J Boog, Jah Cure and of course members of the Wailers. The album rose to the Top Ten of Billboard’s reggae charts.
The confirmation of Alborosie with his band “the Shengen Clan” in Victoria BC is a special milestone for Victoria BC Ska & Reggae Society and for reggae fans throughout Western Canada.
Supporting Alborosie & The Shengen Clan is LA's roots reggae party rockers ARISE ROOTS. This will be only Arise Roots' second Canadian appearance after their first Canadian debut at Victoria's 16th Annual Ska & Reggae Festival supporting New Zealand's House of Shem. Anyone that has had the opportunity to see ARISE ROOTS know they're a root reggae fan's paradise.
The Toasters and Mustard Plug - Double Headliner show! Early Show!
@ Distrikt To all our true SKA lovers far and wide! We've heard your calls and we've got an incredible double-headliner bill to help blast away the last little bit of the cold and get you warmed to your core! Two of the most legendary ska bands the United States has ever produced, THE TOASTERS and MUSTARD PLUG both return to Victoria for what promises to be a truly unforgettable show.It's been 12 long years since New York ska icons The Toasters landed in Victoria and we are beyond stoked to welcome them back as they celebrate four decades of skankin' success. Noted as “America's first two-tone band,” The Toasters have been at the vanguard of the American ska movement since the very beginning. Long established as one of the most influential bands in the genre, they've won fans the world over, staying consistently relevant with their unique blend of ska - incorporating reggae, punk, jazz and soul. From their humble roots on Lower East Side NY roots to an endless bounty of shows around the globe (Now numbering over 4000), the band has repeatedly defied critics, and nay, gravity itself! After four decades, The Toasters are as strong as ever and are coming to lay down a career-spanning set that celebrates everything this legendary band has built along the way.
Joining The Toasters for this very special night are dear old friends, MUSTARD PLUG! No slouches on the ska scene themselves, Mustard Plug has been delivering the goods for more than 25 years now. The last time they appeared in Victoria, Mustard Plug rocked the main stage at Ship Point during Victoria's 16th Annual Ska & Reggae Festival in 2015. Albums like “Evildoers Beware” and “Pray For Mojo” are classics among ska devotees, not to mention their crowd-funded 2014 album “Can't Contain It,” a true ode to the community that's helped them maintain their position as elder statesmen of the ska scene. Staying true to the DIY ethics of the bands that inspired them (Including their bill mates, The Toasters!), Mustard Plug has remained beloved by skankers wherever they go and it is undeniable that the band surpassed any expectations placed on them, staking their claim in the pantheon of modern Ska. Please, for your own sake, DO NOT miss this incredible double-bill of legendary, serious ska sounds.
Tickets on sale Fri. Dec 6th at 9am here on ticketweb.ca. Take advantage of our Holiday ticket special and save!
BELVEDERE with Blacked out!
Belvedere, Blacked Out
@ Lucky Bar
Your favourite skate punks from Calgary BELVEDERE are back to Victoria with guests Blacked Out on Friday, April 3rd at Lucky Bar. This coming April 2020 will commemorate 25 years of the band. In recent years Belvedere has been around the world playing on major festivals in Europe, South America, Canada and the US! Just recently Belvedere played in Medellin, Colombia's Altavoz Festival whom many of our Colombia ska reggae bands have played. Shortly after their west coast stop in Victoria on April 3rd at Lucky Bar Belvedere will be playing in Croatia and Pouza Festival in Montreal. Tickets on sale on ticketweb.ca on Monday, December 16, 2019. Hard copies will be available in the New Year at Lyle's Place and Vinyl Envy.
