2013 Ragga Muffin Music Festival

January 7, 2013

The south pacific tropical island paradise of New Zealand is this year’s host to one of the planet’s largest reggae festival, the Ragga Muffin Music Festival. For our Kiwi readers in the southern hemisphere, the lineup features some of the reggae genre’s top artists, as well as the headliner Ms. Lauryn Hill.

The Ragga Muffin Music Festival selected New Zealand as the designated country in 2013 with the city of Rotorua hosting the two-day music marathon. In previous years Australian premiere destinations, Sydney, Melbourne, Byron Bay, Brisbane, Perth, and Hunter Valley. Oddly enough, since the touring festival’s inception, the only city in New Zealand that has hosted the Ragga Muffin Music Festival has been Rotorua. So, for the fans returning to the same venue, perhaps you will know what to expect. Musically, fans should expect the unexpected, though.

For the sixth year of the festival, the Ragga Muffin lineup boasts the most depth and international talent than ever before. Keep in mind for American readers, international talent is from the New Zealand music market’s perspective. International talent is one of many headliners like Rebelution from Santa Barbara, CA, The Green, from Hawai’i, J Boog, FIJI, Hot Rain and the Common Kings, along with the aforementioned Ms. Lauryn Hill. Just with that lineup alone, the American Reggae bands and solo artists are garnering far more attention than ever before.

However, the notable performers for this year’s festival feature a healthy combination of New Zealand talent, European artists and even some pure Jamaican Reggae. The main stage headliners include, Toots and the Maytals, Ali Campbell (UB40), Alborosie, Katchafire, and Tomorrow People among many more.

With a festival and lineup of this magnitude, two days and three stages were the necessary infrastructure and an endless list of food/drink/retail booths, forming “the vibrant heart of the festival” for this outdoor musical dreamland. The Ragga Muffin Music Festival will hit Rotorua, NZ on February 1-2, 2013 at The Rotorua International Stadium.

If you call New Zealand home, find your way to Rotorua, New Zealand. If you have the means to travel to this musical hotspot, this year’s lineup will surely repay you back in full by the festival’s conclusion.

For more details, full lineup information and links for the 2013 Ragga Muffin Music Festival click below.

2013 Ragga Muffin Music Festival
Ms. Lauryn Hill
Toots and the Maytals
Ali Campbell
Alborosie
Rebelution
Katchafire
The Black Seeds
J Boog
The Green
Hot Rain
FIJI
Gappy Ranks
Tomorrow People
Brownhill
Swiss
Common Kings
Herbs
Three Houses Down
Zkabby Jam
Darky Roots
DJ Sir-Verev

Ragga Muffin Links
Ragga Muffin Website
Ragga Muffin Facebook
Ragga Muffin Twitter

Article By: Kris Siuta
Photo By: David Norris

Watch: 2013 Ragga Muffin Music Festival Lineup Video