
The annual Raggamuffin event,
starring Ziggy Marley, Eddy Grant & The Frontline Orchestra, Shaggy,
Arrested Development, Inner Circle and Bonjah, hits Australia in Jan/Feb
2009, with six shows nationally and one in New Zealand, kicking off
on Jan 24th in Perth.
Raggamuffin is a feast of the
worlds best reggae music - a day of live funk, dub, hip hop
and soul. The 2008 event was an overwhelming success throughout Australia
and New Zealand. Shows in Perth and Brisbane sold out in record time
and in New Zealand, the line up played to a crowd of 25,000 thrilled
fans. With a bigger and better line up, this year event is sure to
send fans wild! Next years event will be the first ever visit
to Australia by Eddy Grant & The Frontline Orchestra.
Headlining Raggamuffin 2009 is
reggae icon Bob Marleys eldest son, ZIGGY
MARLEY. He first sat in on recording sessions with his
father at a tender age and soon joined with his siblings to form The
Melody Makers. Ziggys solo career, has included top hit singles
Tomorrow People, Look Who's Dancing and Kozmik.
Ziggys incredibly successful career has earned him four Grammy
awards. Ziggys live show is not to be missed and includes songs
from the Melody Makers, his solo arsenal and a few of his fathers
classics.
EDDY GRANT needs no introduction
with major international hit singles, including the US #1 Electric
Avenue , I Don't Wanna Dance and Romancing
the Stone. In July 2008, Eddy toured the UK, playing to packed
stadiums, as well as appearing at Glastonbury and Nelson Mandela's
90th birthday celebrations at London's Hyde Park.
After one decade, six albums, two of them multi-platinum, five #1
hits, and eleven top ten singles worldwide, Grammy winning SHAGGY
is still on the grind. Shaggys top hits include Oh Carolina,
It Wasnt Me and Angel. To date, Shaggy
has sold over 20 million albums and his live performances sell out
around the world.
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT lit up audiences
everywhere as part of the first Raggamuffin event, and audiences just
had to have them back! The eight-piece band's music shook the bootys,
hearts, minds and souls of the fans, getting a gorgeous groove going
with hits like Mr Wendal, Everyday People
and Tennessee. Led by the indefatigable Speech, Arrested
Development see themselves as warriors of rhythm and storytellers
of dignity.
INNER CIRCLE are chiefly known
for the gritty outlaw anthem Bad Boys, the theme song
of the long-running Fox TV series Cops, and the irresistibly upbeat
dance number Sweat (A La La La La Long). But this Grammy
winning quintet is one of the worlds most respected reggae groups
with a long string of successes stretching back to the mid- 70s.
Inner Circles special brand of pop-oriented Jamaican beats in
their energy-filled live performances cannot be missed.
Popular Melbourne-based NZ reggae/roots/funk five-piece BONJAH
will open all shows. With 450 Australian gigs under their belt since
arriving two years ago, and a debut album Bring Back The Fire
out later this year, Bonjah will kick off the day in fine style.