A moment with Mike Love at One Love Cali Reggae Fest

One Love Cali Reggae Fest 2019 brought a new era of reggae musicians, all bringing back the true roots sound! One such talented artist was the amazing and eccentric Hawaiian native Mike Love. Back in May of 2018, I attended the Trevor Hall show at The Observatory Theatre in Santa Ana; opening for him was […]

WORLD TRACK PREMIERE: New Kingston “Fyah Nuh Hot Like You”

New Kingston is at it again, with their spicy new single “Fyah Nuh Hot Like You” available on all digital outlets as of tomorrow off Easy Star Records! That said, Top Shelf Reggae is proud to premiere the sizzling track from the Brooklyn band of brothers we all know and love a day early! “Fyah […]

The exceptional KAABOO Cayman experience

Boarding a plane to an island adventure is one thing; knowing your Caribbean vacation includes the first annual KAABOO Cayman is quite another. Following four successful years in San Diego's luxurious Del Mar Fairgrounds, the KAABOO crew decided to branch out of their SoCal bubble, advertising sister festivals on Grand Cayman island and inside the […]

WORLD TRACK PREMIERE: One Culture “Take Control”

East coast self-proclaimed “progressive roots” reggae band on the rise, One Culture, celebrates new music as of today! The latest single, “Take Control” featuring Tony Brand of Cultivated Mind, follows in the band's known activist agenda with a clear call to action: let's take back the planet after centuries of destruction and “build a better […]

Twiddle & Iya Terra headed to LA’s The Troubadour

If you happen to be in the vicinity of West Hollywood on March 1st, do yourself a solid and head on over to one of LA's most iconic venues, The Troubadour, to catch what is sure to be an EPIC show by the four-piece band, Twiddle, and the boys of Iya Terra. The Troubador, built […]

The smashing success of Arizona Roots Year One

Arizona Roots out-did itself with supreme energy that shown so bright, it’s hard to believe this was a first year festival! From the organizers of Cali Roots (the premiere reggae-rock and hip hop fest, now in its 10th year), it’s actually no surprise that positivity and love surged through the desert the weekend of February 8th […]

Getting to know K-Rizz

Love, Knowledge, Laughter, Joy, Loss, Insecurity, Rage, Respect… The list is thorough for this outspoken middle child raised in the ‘biggest little city’ of Reno, Nevada.  As we speak on the phone, the artist Kris Rodriguez (formally known as 'K-Rizz') and myself vibe instantly, going to work on describing a few of his songs as well […]

WORLD TRACK PREMIERE: Analea Brown “Lie To Me”

Reggae goes with rhythm and blues like bubbles goes with champagne. Light, uplifting and intoxicatingly sweet, both genres render a welcoming atmosphere where you just want to kick your feet up and curl up with your loved ones. Love, whether blissful or turbulent, is worth the wild ride and rising RnB star Analea Brown recognizes […]

WORLD TRACK PREMIERE: Kelly Hafner “Give Light”

Austin, Texas is a well-known mecca for music, attracting talent from all over the globe as a result. One such up-and-coming superstar is Kelly Hafner, a soulful chanteuse whose impressive vocal range rivals that of mainstream R&B names – both past and present! Migrating to Austin after college from northern California, Hafner has since found […]

Why Th3rd Coast Roots is second to none

From playing acoustic sets in bars to recording an album, Th3rd Coast Roots has gained incredible momentum from the moment they connected. Lead vocalist/guitarist Jayton Lening never imagined that he, who started out acoustic at local bars, would lead to creating a roots rock reggae band with unstoppable energy. When Jayton decided to dedicate more […]

Get to know LACI: the next big thing for R&B

WNew up-and-coming Italian R&B/pop artist LACI (also known as Laci Kay) is a young bombshell with a powerhouse of superstar vocal cords. This phenomenal 20-year-old woman finds inspiration from well-known artists like Rihanna, Beyoncé, Katy Perry and Michael Jackson and has performed at several venues, including The House Of Blues, The World Famous Whisky A Go […]

Trombone Shorty at Belly Up Tavern: Night 2

When a big name comes to the intimate venue of San Diego's Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, regulars expect that the 'SOLD OUT' sign on to be taped to the Will Call window equally as much as they expect alcohol to be served there. It's a given. However, a sold out sign taped to […]

A good talk with Good Talk

The band of brothers Good Talk stumbled into my jagged little world one morning and never left. A friend sent one track my way off of their debut album The Arrival; I was drawn into a voice I pegged right away. It was a voice I knew so well, one that I love that has played […]

KROQ’s Back To The Beach Fest returns for Year 2

Los Angeles radio station KROQ knows how to throw a party. From Weenie Roasts to Almost Acoustic Christmases, the world-renowned rock station reigns supreme as the number one sponsor of all the greatest festivals landing LA to Orange County. The KROQ stamp is a status symbal. Fact. One of their newer ventures happened last spring […]

BeachLife Fest brings legends to Redondo Beach

Southern Californians are well aware how to live the beach life, especially those inhabiting a beach town. With predictable sunny skies and unfaltering chill vibes, living at the beach is as easy as it gets. And, of course, the ocean as your everyday backdrop doesn't hurt the eyes! All in all, the setting couldn't be […]