Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra have been long time Ska & Reggae Fest alumni since they first formed as a band in the early to mid 2000s. But it’s been more than four years since they graced a Victoria Ska & Reggea Fest stage and we couldn’t be more thrilled to host this festival show for Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra as a home-coming celebration for the Victoria 5-piece. With instrumentation that includes accordions, violins and a variety of other folk staples, TMO is guaranteed to get the crowd moving to their stories of adventure, love and heartbreak. Combining that folk sensibility with bouncy ska rhythms and a big dollop of gypsy soul, the band represents the deep cultural melting pot that is the West Coast.

Joining TMO for this West Coast dance party is Vancouver’s mighty Mud Funk. This collection of soul troubadours is one of the most exciting bands on the coast right now, delivering their classicist soul sound with a heavy injection of grime and bottom end, giving the 9-piece the extra kick that serious dancers need. Earlier this year when the Victoria Ska Society presented the legendary Booker T. Jones at Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre, we couldn’t think of anyone we wanted to open the festivities more than Mud Funk and the band delivered in spades, putting on an unforgettable performance in front of a packed hometown crowd. Together with TMO, this promises to be one of the best live dance parties of the summer!