California Roots 2024: Day Three

The 13th Annual California Roots Music & Arts Festival came to a close on Sunday, May 26th at the Monterey County Fairgrounds. To kick off Day Three on the Cali Roots Stage was DMP (aka, Doorman’s Project), direct from the Solomon Islands. Island vibes were high with DMP, who proved to us just why they […]

Busting a mission to celebrate The Movement in Columbia, MO

On the steamy afternoon of June 12th, fueled by anticipation and a deep love for good music, I embarked on a journey that took me two hours west down I-70 from the bustling city of St. Louis to the vibrant town of Columbia, Missouri. The purpose of this pilgrimage? To join fellow reggae enthusiasts and […]

Gearing up for Reggae Rise Up Florida 2024 & what to expect

Florida: well-known for sunshine, beaches, amusement parks and, of course, a thriving music scene. Less than three months away, Reggae Rise Up Florida is returning to the “Sunshine City” of St. Petersburg. The longest running festival within the Reggae Rise Up event portfolio, RRUF will once again take over Vinoy Park on the beautiful Tampa […]

Mission Bayfest 2023: a weekend rager in San Diego

DAY 1 DAY 2 Bayfest is a twice-yearly festival that has worked its way into the fabric of the San Diego music scene — and with good reason. Alternating between Waterfront Park downtown and Mariner’s Point in Pacific Beach (the latter aptly named ‘Mission Bayfest‘), the mostly reggae-packed fest has morphed from a casual one-day, […]

Cali Roots 2023: Day One

Entering the gates of the Monterey Fairgrounds for another Memorial Day Weekend at the California Roots Music & Arts Festival is always a cathartic experience. This year, however, the anticipation was soaring as it marked the 12th anniversary of the notorious annual event. What sets this year apart is not only the extension to a […]

Cali Roots finalizes jaw dropping lineup for 2023

California Roots Music and Art Festival, the genre’s most anticipated, prolific, and environmentally-friendly reggae event of the year, has officially dropped the final three acts to complete their Memorial Day weekend roster. Recently announced 2023 Coachella guests Rebelution and Stick Figure join genre-bending icons Thievery Corporation, finalizing the bill for the all ages festival as […]

Crab cakes and reggae, that’s what Maryland does!

Reggae Rise Up Maryland returns to the Baltimore Peninsula for the second year in a row following their wildly successful 2022 first-year installment. Boasting a lineup stacked with all your favorite reggae acts–plus some newcomers for funsies–the three day festival takes place June 23-25 and all but screams summer vacation. With estimated temperatures hovering in […]

15 songs to countdown Cali Roots 2022

The countdown has officially begun! Who’s been listening to the Cali Roots playlist and getting ready for Memorial Day Weekend in Monterey? I know I’ve been planning outfits, checking the lineup, looking at photos from years’ past, getting hyped about seeing everyone’s faces and doing it all while listening to the official California Roots playlist […]

Brendan Clemente captures COVID feels in “Later In June” single

It was only supposed to be for two weeks. They told us if we all stayed home, it would just go away. Stay home in March and — don’t worry — we’ll see you during the summer. That was over two years ago at this point and the COVID-19 pandemic has done as extraordinary of […]

KBong, Boostive & Vana Liya at Solana Beach’s Belly Up

On Thursday September 23rd, San Diego’s Belly Up Tavern hosted some of the best local southern California reggae and soul groups — KBong, Boostive and Vana Liya. The venue had a warm, intimate setting, filled with great vibes and fans excited to finally attend more fun-filled concerts. It was a pleasure to attend and see […]

TSM Artist #HotList: November 20th, 2021

Alexia Johnson for #TopShelfMusic here, with another TSM Artist #HotList! This week, we visit an island reggae artist originally from Guam (now based in Colorado), a Guyanese artist (famously known as “Lady LAW”) and two reggae rock groups from the San Francisco Bay Area. Thank you for tuning in! (Please set your video settings to […]

How new ‘Castles’ album hoists The Elovaters sky-high

A month to the day after this Boston-based sextet dropped their third studio album titled Castles, I hit The Elovaters’ Nick Asta and Matty Link’s recents and chatted them up, regarding the many aspects that make Castles unique and, well, for lack of a better phrase, utterly addicting. From their multifaceted collaboration styles to their […]

KBong & special guests at Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

“There’s a melody in the wind // I can hear it on the shore // Brings me closer to something that I’ve never felt before // Becoming a brighter day, now that we’re outside // Let’s follow the sound into the night,” as KBong’s “Good To Hear Music” goes. Walking the streets in downtown St. […]