The 7th annual California Roots Music and Arts Festival is on its way and the highly anticipated lineup announcements are underway. Festival organizers have announced almost all the performers expected to perform at this year’s festival, and the lineup so far coincides with festival organizers Dan Sheehan and Jeff Monser’s commitment to increasing diversity.
This year’s lineup includes a mix of old favorites such as Slightly Stoopid and The Green, along with first-timers like Atmosphere and Tunnel Vision.
Cali-Roots 2016 Artist Line-up
The current lineup includes:
[We’ll update this list once the 3rd and final announcement of artists are announced.]
Date & Ticket Information:
The festival will take place from May 27th-29th, and tickets are on sale now through Eventbrite. Three-day general admission tickets are available HERE for $180 plus fees while three-day VIP tickets are available for $418 plus fees. In the event that you can’t pay the full amount right away, there is a general admission payment plan available, with four installments of $47.50 plus fees. Camping will also be available at the Laguna Seca campground. In an attempt to be a more environmentally sustainable festival, promoters are encouraging paperless entry by using the Eventbrite app, confirmation email, or ID as your ticket to the festival.
For more about the event, check out Cali Roots’ website, and related links, listed below.
First Time Cali-Roots Performers:
Last year, we saw first-time performers The Skints, G. Love and Special Sauce, and Natali Rize of Blue King Brown leave their mark on the Monterrey fairgrounds. There are a lot of familiar names in this year’s group of first-time Cali Roots performers, and we’d like to introduce you to some of them before you see them live.
Atmosphere – View Website
Atmosphere is an American hip-hop duo from Minneapolis, Minnesota, consisting of rapper Slug (Sean Daley) and DJ/Producer Ant (Anthony Davis). Since its formation in 1989, the group has released eight studio albums. After some early gigs as Urban Atmosphere, where Slug DJ’ed behind childhood friend Spawn’s rhyming, the pair hooked up with producer Ant as well as like-minded locals such as MC Musab, Mr. Gene Poole, and the Abstract Pack, forming an underground hip-hop clique dedicated to freestyling, clever and complex lyrics, and anti-gangsta positivity. In 1997, Atmosphere released their debut album, Overcast!, which quickly became regarded as an underground hip-hop classic thanks to Slug’s deeply personal, poetic musings, as well as Ant’s bare-bones but inventive production. Atmosphere are no strangers to the reggae-rock scene as they have previously toured with Slightly Stoopid. Great mix-up and addition to this festival line-up with an enormous underground hip-hop duo.
Watch: Atmosphere – “Sunshine”
Stephen ‘Ragga’ Marley – View Website
Not only Bob Marley’s son, but a six-time Grammy Award winner, Stephen ‘Ragga’ Marley has made his own name in the industry as an artist, producer, and recording engineer. As a child and teenager, he was a member of Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers. His debut album Mind Control was released in March, 2007. Stephen produced much of his brother Damian Marley’s three solo albums, most notably 2005’s Welcome to Jamrock, where he was featured on the tracks “All Night”, “Pimpa’s Paradise”, “For The Babies”, and “Hey Girl”. He has also produced for brother Julian Marley. While Ziggy & Damian Marley have previously played Cali-Roots Festival, this will be Stephen’s first at the festival.
Watch: Stephen Marley – “Rock Stone” (ft. Capleton & Sizzla)
Tunnel Vision – View Website
San Clemente based Tunnel Vision is a five-piece Reggae/Ska band comprised of Hayden Hanson (Guitar and Vocals), Jacob Hernandez (Bass), Tanner Payan (Drums), Matt Risley (Keyboard), and Doug Alani (Saxophone). Starting out as trio of friends working in retail, manufacturing surfboards and performing at surf competitions, it’s safe to say that Tunnel Vision live and breathe surf and skate culture. Since adding their keyboard and saxophone player, the once small time band caught the attention of Slightly Stoopid’s Miles Doughty, Kyle McDonald, and Dela, and were invited to record their debut, self-titled album at Slightly Stoopid’s studio “The Lab” in San Diego, CA. Taking influence from bands such as Sublime, Mad Caddies, NOFX, Slightly Stoopid, and Rancid, Tunnel Vision teamed with Grammy winning producer James Wisner to bring their infectious sound to the forefront of the scene.
Watch: Tunnel Vision – “Live This Way”
Protoje – View Website
Oje Ken Ollivierre popularly known as Protoje, is a contemporary reggae singer and songwriter from Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica. His mother is Jamaican singer, Lorna Bennett and his father is a former Calypso king. In 2010, Protoje began working with his cousin and popular Jamaican producer Don Corleon and released his debut album entitled The Seven Year Itch in 2011. He has gone on to release two more albums, The 8 Year Affair and Ancient Future.
Watch: Protoje – “Who Knows” (ft. Chronixx)
Tarrus Riley – View Website
Riley is the son of reggae singer Jimmy Riley. He was born in the Bronx and grew up in South Florida. He began his musical career as a deejay working with Busta Rhymes, taking his birth sign as his stage name at his mother’s suggestion (the spelling later changed from Taurus to Tarrus), and recorded his first singles for his father’s Love & Promotion label. His commercial breakthrough came in 2006 with his album Parables and the Jamaican number one single “She’s Royal”.
Watch: Tarrus Riley – “Love Situation/123 I Love You” (The Pier’s Live Acoustic Series)
Gondwana – View Website
Gondwana is a reggae musical group from La Pincoya, Santiago, Chile, founded in 1987 by I-Locks Labbé. Their leader, Quique Neira (known as the Chilean Bob Marley) was the soul of the band, but left to pursue a solo career. Now the band has another singer, Kingo, and continues to tour around the world.
Watch: Gondwana – “Armonia de Amor”
Sticky Fingers – View Website
Known for their Psychedelic, Grunge, Reggae-Rock style, Sticky Fingers are pushing the envelope into a new genre of reggae aptly named Psychedelic/Grunge/Reggae. Since the bands full inception in 2009, these youthful rock-stars have already made names for themselves, headlining and selling out venues in Sydney, Australia since the release of their first EP Helping Hands.
Watch: Sticky Fingers – “How To Fly”
PeniDean – View Website
Peni Dean, a.k.a. Penidean Pua’auli, is an island reggae artist who has been around the industry for over twenty years as the lead singer of the band Natty Vibes. He’s previously performed at Cali-Roots as the former front-man of the group, but this time he comes as his own name with his own backing band expected to play more on that island inspired soulful reggae.
Listen: PeniDean – “She’s Running” (ft. Jah Maoli)
Eli-Mac – View Website
Born Ciara-Camile Roque Velasco, Eli-Mac is a Filipino-American singer based out of Oahu, who sprung to fame after coming in ninth place on the third season of FOX’s hit reality series American Idol. Although she hasn’t released any albums to date, she’s found success with her latest EP, DubStop.
Watch: Eli Mac – “First Love”
Related Links:
The Pier – Cali Roots Interview
Behind The Curtain: Cali Roots
Cali-Roots Website
Cali-Roots Facebook
Cali-Roots Twitter
Article By: Andrew Aroche
