You can’t keep a good thing down can you? Now in its thirty-seventh year, 2023’s London International Ska Festival was supposed to have been the last one ever but then – hold on – it reappeared last year in truncated, one-day-shorter form and now here it is back up to the full four days again – which is excellent news! Is now a good time to mention the name though? Calling it a ‘ska’ festival might be seen by some as ever so slightly misleading since you’ll be getting healthy doses of rocksteady, boss reggae, roots, lover’s rock, two tone, dub and more besides. But what else so succinctly captures the mainly retro nature of this event rooted (thank you, I’m here all week) in both the pre-history of reggae and reggae itself?
Featuring 15 events over the four days, headliners include Dennis Bovell, Macka B, Marcia Aitken, The Chosen Few, Cimarons vocalist Winston Reedy, Roy Patton & Yvonne Harrison, Jah Wobble,Pama International, The Beat ft. Ranking Jnr, Maroon Town and Zion Train who celebrate the 35th anniversary of their debut LP High & Dry. Also on the line-up you’ll find Mexican boss reggae outfit Travelers All Stars and Argentinian ska star Hugo Logo among many others along with a huge mix (thank you, I’m still here all week) of world class DJs. Meanwhile, those of a more seafaring (or at least river-going) bent will be pleased to hear that the Dixie Queen paddle steamer Thames cruise returns this year featuring John Holt tribute 1000 Volts of Holt fronted by Winston Reedy, Ska Cubano’s Natty Bo and True Identity while the 2 Tone Thames cruise sets sail on the Saturday afternoon. Oh – and there’ll be a screening of the new film by Selecter frontwoman Pauline Black’s followed by a Q&A with Black herself.
Wanna know where things are taking place? Expect a lot of Camden action at The Electric Ballroom, Dublin Castle, Camden Assembly (ex-Barfly), and Fiddlers Elbow but you’ll also see things agwaan at the 100 Club, and on the aforementioned Dixie Queen paddle steamer and second boat The Dutch Master.
For full information/tickets: www.theskafestival.com
Press guest list/interview requests to sean@theskafestival.com
THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL SKA FESTIVAL 2025 – full programme
Day 1 – Thursday 17th April 2025
MAROON TOWN
Celebrating the 35th anniversary of their debut album – High & Dry
+ Hugo Lobo (Argentina)
+ Travelers All Stars (Mexico)
+ DJ Alan Handscombe
+ DJ Ronnie King
+ DJ Anna Vodka (Netherlands)
+ DJ Henry Mack
At Camden Assembly, NW1. 7pm-late.
Free entry downstairs (all night)
Day 2 – Good Friday 18th April
1000 VOLTS OF HOLT LIVE THAMES CRUISE
An unbeatable tribute to John Holt starring
WINSTON REEDY (The Cimarons)
+ Natty Bo (Ska Cubano/Top Cats)
+ True Identity
+ DJ Keith Lawrence (Mi-Soul)
+ DJ Sean Flowerdew (Pama Int’l)
On the Dixie Queen paddle steamer, EC3N. 12.45pm-4.45pm
THE BEAT ft. RANKING JNR
+ The Kubricks
+ DJ Nanker P (Time Tunnel)
At The 100 Club, W1. 7.30pm-11pm.
ZION TRAIN album launch
+ DJ NFinnerty & more
At Camden Assembly, NW1. 6pm-10pm.
CRAWDADDY club night
Northern soul, Motown, Ska, Rocksteady & more!
At The Fiddlers Elbow, Camden, NW1. 9pm-2am.
Day 3 – Saturday 19th April
PAULINE BLACK: A 2 TONE STORY screening
plus Q&A with Pauline Black
At The 100 Club, W1. 1pm.
2 TONE THAMES CRUISE
DJ Liam Curtin
DJ Skanking Steve
On the Dutch Master party boat, EC3N. 1pm-5pm
PAMA INT’L TROJAN SONGBOOK
+ THE CHOSEN FEW (Jamaica)
+ MARCIA AITKEN (I’m Still In Love With You Boy)
+ ROY PANTON & YVONNE HARRISON (Jamaica)
+ Hugo Lobo (Argentina)
+ Travelers All Stars (Mexico)
+ DJ Melvina Moves
At Electric Ballroom, NW1. 7pm-11pm.
JAH WOBBLE METAL BOX IN DUB
DJ Wrongtom
At The 100 Club, W1. 7.30pm-11pm
WE GOT KILLERS club night
Ska, Reggae, 2 Tone, Lovers & more!
At The Fiddlers Elbow, Camden, NW1. 11pm-2am. Free entry.
Day 4 – Easter Sunday 20th April
LISF’s social club & record shop
POTATO 5 meets INTENSIFIED
+ Poisonivies & The Steady (Italy)
+ Horsebox
+ DJ Rikette Genesis
+ DJ Madam Scorcher
+ DJ Baba (Singapore)
+ DJ Sally Brown
At Camden Assembly, NW1.
Free entry downstairs (all day/night) from 1pm-late
MACKA B & DENNIS BOVELL
+ Roots Ragga Band
+ Open The Gate sound (Italy)
At The 100 Club, W1. 7.30pm-11pm
CLOSING PARTY
At Camden Assembly, NW1 til 2am.