Looking at the map of the reggae city in which Rototom Sunsplash transforms every year the concert venue of Benicàssim (Castelló, Spain) is an almost obligatory gesture if you do not want to miss anything of what is going to happen in this 29th edition of the festival, from August 16 to 21, 2024.
Seven stages, a dozen extra-musical areas, green areas and spaces for rest, a flea market where you can lose yourself among hundreds of signature products, an open-air restaurant with 30 gastronomic proposals, an art gallery, an artisan market where you can give free rein to your creativity and multiple services silhouette the enclosure that houses the festival.
It is like a tree: with the iconic lion welcoming you at the entrance, which is located at the base, at the root; and the Main Stage (the sound platform on which will parade this year figures such as Alpha Blondy, Black Uhuru or Bob Marley’s Wailers ) crowning the leafy crown.
In 72 hours starts the biggest meeting around Jamaican music in Europe. We go over this indispensable map so that nothing is left out. From the roots to the sky. On August 16 at 2 p.m., the Concert venue will officially open. It will do so every day until 6 a.m. the following day.However, to facilitate access to the public, the ticket offices will be open from August 15 at 12:00 noon -and 24 hours a day, 24 hours a day, 24 hours a day during the 15th and 16th. Next to them stands the access to the enclosure, with that leonine scenography that is renewed summer after summer.And now, from the root of the festival, the journey begins.
Ahead, a wide avenue with multiple services to the left and right: a water point (which will also be at the ticket office and throughout the festival), one of the two purple points enabled (the second will be in the camping and together they will operate 24 hours); access to the camping; the lost and found and health care area; lockers; toilets; and cashless wristband recharge points with cash or card (this system will work throughout the festival, except in the flea market and Rototom Store, where purchases can be made in cash or card).
We continue moving forward, and on the far right of this great access road emerges the first of the seven stages: Dub Academy, which expands its corner in its goal of becoming a planetary meeting of the Sound System culture. Here will pass international proposals such as El Gran Latido (Colombia); Kemadito Sound from Argentina; Yugo Taguchi (Japan) with Greenlight, Serena and Lasai; Agobun from France and Coco & Rowsi (Barcelona-Mallorca).
The journey continues along the traditional promenade, which in its upper part houses the Lion Stage, with a lineup that embraces the dub of O.B.F x Iration Steppas in a stage show with the only date in Spain or the return of the Santa Cruz band Midnite, led this time by Ron Benjamin.
Lion Stage will host one of the most anticipated shows of the edition, with a nod to jazz: the tribute of Swiss trombonist Samuel Blaser, along with world-class musicians, to Don Drummond, musician and composer of Skatalites, which in 2024 celebrates its 60th anniversary. Also parading here will be Jesse Royal, Skarra Mucci, Mo’Kalamity and, representing the new generation of reggae, Jah Lil, Naomi Cowan and Khalia; the eclecticism of the Brazilian Bia Ferreira; the Valencians Los Chikos del Maíz or the Barcelona rappers Anier and Santa Salut; Manudigital, Pure Negga or the cumbia of Lxs Nadie.
Lion Stage is projected towards the heart of this reggae city, a central and green space full of life; the flea market and Marley Square; the restaurant area, with 30 international proposals to taste dishes from Jamaica to Lebanon; the relaxation and rest areas; and the Jumping stage. Also here emerges Rototom Circus Show. Four companies will be on stage from August 17 to 20, between the first two concerts of the Main Stage. From the Moroccan Colokolo with its acrobatic show ‘Chouf Le Ciel’ to the Madrid-based Circo Circulum and Ido Loca and the Valencian Spinish Circo.
Completing the central axis of the enclosure the no profit area -with NGOs that will share their projects with the public- and Pachamama, the space for personal reconnection and with the Earth. The usual yoga sessions, along with regenerative agriculture workshops, talks to analyze the impact of exacerbated urbanism or active meditation with the dub and tai chi workshop led by the musician Macaco will make their way under the characteristic dome. Returning to the Lion Stage and going around the upper perimeter of the map, the activity continues: House of Rastafari gives way to the open-air Social Art Gallery, and to the most African area of the venue: Jamkunda, a mini festival in itself, with stage (Jamkunda Stage), talks and workshops area (Ataya) and the claimed Afro-modern dance sessions that give pulse to the evenings. Jamkunda Stage will project Afro-modern music every night with the main groups that promote it in Spain, such as AfroBrunch, Follow the Party, Oyofe and Zsongo, and with the humorist WizProblema as master of ceremonies.
Without leaving this perimeter, and attached to Jamkunda, we find one of the novelties of this year: Discovery Lab, a space dedicated to science to bring it to the public from a didactic and fun side. Composing melodies from a cosmic piano, building a solar charger or tackling the extinction of the dinosaurs are some of the twenty activities that make up the schedule of the new space, the first collaboration of the prestigious research center CERN with a Spanish festival. The mathematician and presenter of the TVE program ‘Órbita Laika’, Eduardo Sáenz De Cabezón, is part of the large team of science communicators who will guide the programming of the area.
The novelties extend to Teen Yard, the favorite corner for teenagers, who for the first time will be able to enjoy 50% discounts on festival tickets. Teen Yard has a new sports area for basketball tournaments and will host a battle of promises and urban dance exhibitions and masterclasses. The space for families and children, Magicomundo, is located at the apex of the triangle it forms together with Discovery Lab and Teen Yard. This corner for ‘small’ audiences weaves links with artists from the Main Stage in its new Reggae Kids and dedicates a triple day to Valencian culture with a Fallas workshop, a storytelling tribute to the poet Vicent Andrés Estellés and the presentation of another Zoo Il-lustrat book on Palestine. Magicomundo will also merge with several of the activities proposed in the Artisan Market, which completes the more familiar area of the enclosure.
From here we move on to the sound heart of Rototom Sunsplash: the Main Stage. The axis that marks the rhythmic pulse of the festival and from which you can perfectly see this reggae city, the mountains of the Desert de les Palmes and the mythical summer sunsets. The line-up of the Main Stage 2024 is eclectic. Within the reggae, and in particular the roots reggae, it includes two icons like the Ivorian Alpha Blondy and the Jamaican band Black Uhuru (who will give in Benicàssim their only concert in Spain) and will deploy special shows like The Wailers, Marley’s band; or the tribute for the 80th anniversary of Peter Tosh, co-founder of the legendary The Wailers, and the only opportunity to enjoy this live in Europe. The Congos Gladiators, Johnny Clarke, Twinkle Brothers, Marcus Gad or the Californian band Groundation join the line-up; along with the more modern reggae of Alborosie with special guests; Skip Marley representing the new family generation of the king of reggae; or Naomi Cowan. The dancehall proposals land with Beenie Man and Busy Signal -both with Benicàssim as the only date in Spain- while ska arrives with Bad Manners and afrobeats with the Nigerian Flavour. The Main Stage explores eclecticism through voices like Etana.
As for the national weight of the poster, among the claims include the Navarre Iseo Dodosound; the special show of Green Valley for his 20-year career, and the mestizaje of flamenco touch of Chambao. The most patriotic line-up shows a clear opening to rap and hip hop by the Sevillian duo SFDK -celebrating its 30th anniversary-; and artists such as Fernandocosta -who will give in Benicàssim his only concert in the Valencian Community during the summer. Fyahbwoy with Forward Ever Band exemplifies the commitment to the dancehall genre from Spain.
On the way down to the root of the enclosure, completing this tour of the intensity that the 29th edition has in store, is Reggae University, the temple of Jamaican culture of the festival. The present and future of reggae, the 80th anniversary of Peter Tosh, the rise of Afrobeats or issues such as toxic masculinity in today’s society will be some of the topics that will be discussed in this space, which favors dialogue with artists in the organized sessions, which will feature Romain Virgo, members of Peter Tosh’s band and his son Andrew Tosh, Harrison Stafford of Groundation, Stylo G, Manudigital, Johnny Clarke, Jesse Royal, Khalia, Jah Lil, Naomi Cowan, Flavour, Shopsydoo and, for the first time, Spanish representation with Iseo & Dodosound. Reggae University will open its program each afternoon with the Screening of films and documentaries, and will include, along with the talks, other activities such as the dub workshop to be given by the renowned musician Chalart58.
This journey concludes in the DanceHall: the historic stage of the festival, present since its inception. One of the most dynamic platforms of the enclosure, which will bring together artists such as Stylo G, exponent of dancehall in pure Jamaican style; General Levy, icon of the UK jungle scene; and Maureen from Martinique with his shatta; and Sound System sets with champions of the caliber of Walshy Fire, member of Major Lazer, and Kybba, of the Basshall Movement collective. They will be joined by a crew of dancers from Spain, France, Sweden and the USA who will give daily dance classes (10pm) and perform on stage during the evenings. The seventh stage, Solé Rototom Reggae Beach, is located on the Gurugú beach in Castelló with sound systems during the evenings and bus connection from the venue. The Social Forum moves to the Teatre Municipal In this edition, the talks of the Social Forum move to the Teatre Municipal de Benicàssim. Five sessions (from August 17 to 21) that will add guests such as lawyer Stella Assange, partner of WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange; neurologist and Harvard professor Álvaro Pascual Leone; or rapper Arkano.
The debates of the Social Forum are free of charge, with prior reservation at the following link: https://linktr.ee/exoduscultura
Follow the festival via streaming
Once again, the festival can be followed via streaming through the festival’s Youtube channel, which will broadcast all the concerts -previously authorized by each artist- of the Main Stage and Lion Stage, and all the sessions of the Social Forum and Reggae University.