Benicàssim (Spain) | Sunday, August 17
Rototom Sunsplash today closed its first weekend marked by a prominent public success, multiplying exponentially the live following via broadcasts on TV and official radio, especially for 21st consecutive year once again proving its capacity to open a meeting space for reggae culture and the values of peace, love, unity, respect and solidarity, all this together with well as multicultural exchange, represented by 75 different nationalities in the audience, materializing the dream of this year’s theme. In the concert area, the camping, at the beach and in the town of Benicàssim the festival atmosphere of Jamaican music permeates everything. And after the great concerts of Jimmy Cliff, Busy Signal and Kabaka Pyramid last night, today the party continues with Bennie Man and tomorrow Monday, August 18, with various expressions of roots reggae and dancehall with Anthony B heading the list. The Rototom lion will continue roar mightily until Saturday 23 August.
The third day, tomorrow Monday will be led by Anthony B a “freedom fighter” -according to his acclaimed jingle for Rototom-, one of the most beloved Jamaican artists for European audiences since he burst onto the scene in mid-nineties, with great energy and intensity on stage. In his latest album, Tribute to legends, paying tribute to the greats from Bob Marley, to Peter Tosh, together with versions of classics by Ray Charles, John Lennon and Elvis Presley, rooted in roots reggae and Rastafarian culture to finish dancing.
Jimmy Cliff, in his extraordinary performance last night closing Main Stage of Rototom on the first day. Photo: Luca Sgamellotti.
Prior to him, the Main Stage will present the best of new wisdom: with the young Italian band Mellow Mood, one of the great exponents of upcoming talents that drives the festival since winning the Reggae Contest in their country in 2009; and Jesse Royal & Dubtonic Kru, Jamaican singer and band that are at the fornt of the emerging reggae revival scene that is booming on the island. Opening the night on the main stage, is a great combination of tradition and innovation, the Gladiators, one of the most exciting bands of the golden age of roots, accompanied by the young singer Droop Lion, with whom they just released album, Back on thetracks. At Club Ska, the North Americans The Toasters, champions of the 2 Tone ska sound originating from New York’s CBGB in the early eighties, or the legendary selector and collector Gladdy Wax. In the Showcase Club, Mediterranean Roots, Lasai and Jahcustix & Yard Vibes Crew; and in the Dancehall The Heatwave or the Americans King Addies; and Jah Revelation, Dubkasm with Solo Banton or Gorgon Sound at the Dub Academy.
World premiere of the documentary ‘Living in Waterhouse” 
Donisha Prendergast, granddaughter of Bob and Rita Marley, on Saturday in the Reggae University. Photo: Luca Valenta.
The second Rototom Film Festival will open its second edition in the tent at the Reggae University on Monday morning by hosting the world premiere of, Living in Waterhouse, with the presence of its producer from Madrid, who lives in Jamaica Fernando García Guereta. It is a documentary about one of the most troubled suburbs of Kingston that aims at raising awareness about their problems and at the same time stimulating the creativity of the young people living there. After the screening there will be a session on the ghettos of Kingston, participating in which will be -García Guereta, cultural activist I-Nation (born in the troubled neighborhood Tivoli Gardens) and the afore mentioned Droop Lion (from the Olympic Gardens area in Waterhouse). Earlier, in a meeting organized by the ACR association, the Spanish producer will also present his upcoming concerts with the screening of two short films. To close the day’s schedule at the Reggae University, the conference “The Return of Dub in Jamaica” with Addis Pablo (son of the legendary Augustus Pablo), with his manager Ras Jammy and Professor Louis Chude-Sokei, University of Santa Cruz (California).
Debate on “Creative economy and self-management” with Miren Etxezarreta
Public accessing the site for the first time yesterday with the Rototom Lion presiding entry. Photo: Luca Valenta.
Tomorrow Monday we also have a very interesting program on in the Rototom Social Forum, especially with the debate “Creative Economy and self-management”, with the participation of Miren Etxezarreta, the renowned economist, professor emeritus at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and representative of the Seminar Review of Economics TAIFA. Still in the economic field, the think tank of the reggae festival will also address alternative solutions in the workplace, with the table “Basic Income, and social wage and guaranteed work”, with the presence of the Doctor of philosophy and member of ATTAC Javier Mendez-Vigo Hernández and the mathematician Rafael Pla López, retired professor of the University of Valencia.
Beach, artistic symposium, family activities and facilities for unemployed
The beach Torre de Sant Vicent on Saturday began to soak itself with Rototom. Photo: Tato Richieri.
Yesterday was the first day, and it passed with a great atmosphere in all areas, from the morning in the new SunGarden beside the campsite until the afternoon on the beach of Torre Sant Vicent with the first dance courses, and in Magicomundo, RototomCircus, African Village, Living and Energy within the concert area with its new opening time of 16:00. Yesterday the Art Symposium also started, with young people from different disciplines to create their works live in public and inspired by the motto “We have a dream.” As it has done in previous years the festival tomorrow, Monday August 18, offers the unemployed in the province of Castellón the festival day ticket for the symbolic price of €5.
