16 August 2016
A Spanish band were in charge of opening another night at Rototom’s Showcase stage. Hailing from Alicante and even though yesterday was muggy in the evening, they didn’t stop the vibes till the end of their concert. Known as Yeahmen, they presented a set mixing reggae, ska and roots that uplifted those who were feeling saddened by the lack of sun and rapidly supplied some good energy in the area.
As always, a DJ is in charge of opening the 11 consecutive hours of daily music at the Showcase to keep the crowd entertained and get them dancing, increasing the energy through the night. For the second night in a row, Lavadora Sound from Avíla didn’t betray their mix of rocksteady, dubstep, funk, reggae, ska and jungle and much more.
The second band to jump on stage were the Italian Devon & Jah Brothers, who were really enthusiastic. They arrived with an explosive presence, thanks largely to their singer, Devon Miles from Nigeria. They are often described as having a reggae dancehall atmosphere, which they aptly demonstrated on stage.
Every night the Showcase stage arrives at the time for ska. Following the excellent DJ set from Nuflotone, the live music started. Luz de Putas, arrived directly at “the city of dancing”, with a set that that mixed ska, rocksteady, reggae, ragga, Balkan rhythms and punk rock which got the crowd really involved, as well as those passing through the area and local stands like Vibra, Balcón del Mar. Marla Brown was eagerly awaited, performing with Alerta Kamarada’s band. They’ll be enjoying the opportunity to present their new album on Thursday night and are being widely talked about. Getting back to Marla Brown, daughter of the great Dennis, she came to present her work “Deliverence” and did just that. The crowd swelled as expected, given that Alborosie had just finished played on the Main Stage and I could really enjoy the vocal skills of the experienced dancer. The surprise of having Runkus by her side for part of the show invigorated the audience and musicians in the area.
It was the last date of the English group Shanti’s European tour, who started at 4am on the dot. They’ve really been developing their ‘dubwise bass & rhythms’ sound in the last 12 months in their own country and in Europe, which has given them a lot of attention and this, together with the combination of the two voices of the singers, created a truly interesting mix.
The return of El Chamuyo was warmly welcomed. The powerful band from Castellón took charge of the stage till sunrise. A band that presented a concert with a wide range of musical styles, from samba to hard rock, then to some rumba, everything brushed with nuances of flamenco. There couldn’t have been a better way to finish the live music at the Showcase. After, Lavadora Sound System, with their magic number, were there from sundown to sunrise, welcoming in a new day.
See you tomorrow!
