From 16 to 22 August Benicàssim (Spain) hosts the 31st edition of Rototom Sunsplashwhich this year, with the motto “The place to be”it is confirmed the most important European festival dedicated to reggae music since 1994.
Seven intense days that go well beyond music: on an area of over 130,000 m2, the public will be able to enjoy a complete experience between areas themeswide offer food & beverage, beaches free, camping equipped, as well as debates, conferences, workshops, markets and activities artisticrecreational and dedicated to well being.
The presence of Major Lazer Soundsystemwith its contaminations electronic Between moombahton And dancehalltestifies to the festival's openness to contemporary sounds, overcoming genre boundaries. Next to them, Shenseea And Protoje represent the dynamism and international projection of scene Jamaican current.
With an average of 200,000 visitors from all over the worldRototom is today a real hub cultural And artistic intergenerationalwith particular attention to families. Values, sustainability and entertainment are intertwined in a structured offer of integrated services that has always characterized the event.
There are five main stages — Sun Internship, Lion Internship, DanceHall, Dub Academy And Jamkunda Internship — on which hundreds of artists will perform including concerts, DJ sets and sound systems.
SunBeach expand the festival experience with a mix of music and free activities at Solé Rototom Beach, the official bar located on the free and equipped Gurugú beach in Castellón. Connected to the concert area by a continuous bus service, it represents the ideal place to relax between one day and another.
Beyond fifty new proposals enrich the program: after the first announcements oriented towards reggae and contemporary dancehall, the festival explores the more spiritual dimension of roots reggaewithout giving up the experimentation sound.
Among the big names in reggae are Alpha Blondy, Luciano And Queen Omega. The roots tradition will also be represented by The Itals And Israel Vibrationboth accompanied by Roots Radics, Bushman And Twinkle Brothers. Alongside them, international artists and projects such as Skatalites ft Alpheus, Macka B, Hollie Cook, Omar Perry with the tribute to his father Lee “Scratch“, Mo Ali & The Islamic Roots from Sudan, e THK from the France. On the dancehall front, champions of the style such as stand out Mr VegasAnd Charlie Blackthe singer Bamby, Tony Matterhorn And King Addieswhile the acclaimed Italian basshall DJ-producer of Kybbawill have the task of closing the Sun Stage on the last day of the festival.
There is also a lot of space for the sound system culture linked to dub, with protagonists such as King Earthquake,Blackboard Jungle, Omega Nebulathe artists of the Biga Ranx label, supported by numerous other collectives who will give life to a journey between analogue vibrations and dub spirituality.
The proposal is completed with a selection of artists from Spain and Latin America including the exclusive show of Even Neggaa cypher that will involve around twenty guests on stage including guest singers and musicians, the Argentinian's ska beat Andres Cotter and the European premiere of “A Tango-Reggae Soundclash”. Artists such as Greentea Pengthe hip hop star Lia Kalithe rumba and flamenco supergroup G5the grime singer Lady Leshurrand the DJs of the new afromusic among which they stand out P.Montana, Lilas And Dre Tala.
Rototom, it's not just music
Every afternoon the festival offers cultural activities for families. MágicoMundo offers a space inspired by alternative pedagogies, with creative areas and novelties such as the Cuentoteca. Next to it, the RototomCircus livens up the evenings with international shows.
TeenYard is dedicated to teenagers, with urban activities such as parkour, basketball, graffiti, breaking and rap workshops. Among the highlights, the Batalla de Promesas International Edition, a European competition for young emerging artists.
JamKunda celebrates Afro culture with meetings, workshops, traditional cuisine and artistic performances, while Pachamama it is the space dedicated to well-being and sustainability, with yoga, dance and educational activities. The festival ends with the collective ceremony “One Love, One Heart”.
The camping represents one of the strong points of the event: a real temporary city equipped with complete services, 24-hour healthcare, accessibility for people with disabilities, community kitchens and free distribution of drinking water.
Commitment to the environment
Always attentive to sustainabilityRototom promotes virtuous practices such as waste sortinguse of renewable energy, reduction of the materials and the exclusive use of compostable products for food & beverage. The festival's real commitment is further realized this year, with the replacement of all generators diesel with photovoltaic ones. Three new units that will represent an emissions cut of 7.7 tonnes of CO₂ and energy savings with a 60% reduction in fossil fuel consumption.
The story
Born in Italy, in Gaio di Spilimbergo (PN), Rototom Sunsplash moved to Spain in 2010, establishing itself over the years as an international reference not only in music but also in culture, obtaining among others the UNESCO patronage.
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
